p. 171 | Women's Rights by Charles L. Boyd

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 13, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 11.

Women's Rights.

By Charles L. Boyd

DEAR SIGNS: As the question of women's rights is receiving so general attention, a word on one branch of this question may be of interest to some of your readers. The Saviour recognized woman's right to help support the cause of God, and to pour upon her Lord the precious ointment. It was woman's right to be the recipient of the last expressions of the care of Him whose words she had kept, and pondered in her noble heart; to be the first to receive words from a risen Saviour, and the first to embrace an ascended Redeemer.

Although not personally with us now, this same Jesus has said that when he returns, "The King shall say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me." The following quotations from a letter recently received, may be taken as an index to the manner in which some of our missionaries are exercising their rights as women. The writer first speaks of visiting a sick sister living several miles distant, and, because the river was frozen over, she had to walk both ways. I take the liberty to quote as follows:—

"On my way back I called on Sister —. She had not seen a woman's face since she saw mine last, which must be four or five weeks ago. I went through the subject of the sealing with her. She seemed so thankful. She has been quite sick, and so have some of her children. We had a good season of prayer, and she seemed much encouraged. . . . I have received a letter to-day from Mr. —, of —. He says he commenced to keep the Sabbath the 2d of this month [February]. I am so glad. Says by God's grace he hopes to be faithful. God is blessing our efforts. He is one of the first I sent the SIGNS to after coming here. He has been reading about two years. Others may commence keeping the Sabbath yet. They move more slowly when they come out by reading. . . . What an important time we are living in! we must be faithful."

"I went and called on Mrs. —, and had a good visit for an hour and a half. She urged me to stay longer. I am much more hopeful of her. The Lord seems to be working on her mind. I think she will do good. She has a Bible-reading appointed for next Friday evening, to examine the Sabbath question with a number of her friends. She has got some of our tracts to help her. She is a nice woman."

It is one of woman's rights for our sisters to engage in faithful missionary work, and, amidst the fast-increasing perils by which we are surrounded, to unite with the sons of Adam in undoing, as far as possible, the evil brought upon the race by the united action of our first parents. And in view of the promised reward, this right becomes a joyful privilege.

CHAS. L. BOYD. West Chehalem, Or., Feb. 21, 1884.