ESTEEMED and honored as is womanhood in our own enlightened country, those who have never visited an Oriental land cannot easily gain a true conception of the condition of woman when surrounded by heathenism. But please glance for a few moments, through the keyhole of another's eye, at our sisters across the sea.
That the majority of Chinese women must go hobbling about their monotonous lives on little bound feet is well known, and arouses our sympathies. However, the fact is not always realized that this is but an outward and visible sign of the crippled lives and energies of the millions of women in China.
Confucius, China's greatest sage, was woefully lacking in his appreciation of the meaning and dignity of womanhood. He taught that woman could determine nothing of herself, and should be strictly obedient to father, husband, and son, who were to be considered supreme in all things. Beyond the threshold of her own apartments, she should not be known for either good or evil.
Buddhism also has conspired to crush out all hope from woman's breast, by its teaching that no matter how faithfully she may strive to do what is right, there is no possibility of immortality for her; the greatest boon that may reward her life's devotion and sacrifice is that through transmigration she should hereafter be born a man. From the time of her birth, when she is greeted with the disdainful and unwelcome remark, "It is only a girl," through the years of insults heaped upon her during childhood and youth, amid the drudgery and hardships of married life, down to the time when she draws her last breath, never is she permitted to forget her inequality with her more fortune-favored brother.
Steeped in such doctrines as these, is it any wonder that the women of China find it difficult to look beyond their own courtyards? Only to the few who have truly caught a glimpse of the love of the Saviour, who bids women as well as men33to come to Him, and cast their burdens on the One who is no respecter of persons, has the door of progress and enlightenment yet opened.
We need more self-sacrificing, God-fearing workers to go out and spiritually "mother" these poor souls who are blindly groping their way through superstition and ignorance toward something better. Childhood, with its unwilling betrothals forced upon it by grasping parents and "go-betweens," calls for the stronger and more intelligent arm of an enlightened, sympathetic, warm-hearted Christian sister to help liberate from such customs.
Every time the American slogan of "Ladies first" is courteously impressed upon you by some polite gentleman, remember that "Women last" is the rule throughout the Far East. Should we not be aroused to do all in our power to bring the gospel to these people, thus helping to restore woman to her original and rightful position as man's equal and help-meet, the position that was given her by her Creator in the beginning?