Page:Woman and the Bible.pdf/27

23 seemed to have some lovable traits of character. Certain it is, she was the most loyal friend Jesus had, yet after all, her loyalty and devotion, after His resurrection, Christ said to her: "Touch me not"—just what the world says today to its outcast women.

If the women today should follow the example of either of the Bible Marys, they would be anathema, maranatha in both church and society.

The most valuable stock in trade of the clergy in preaching to their female congregations, is the story of Mary and Martha. It has been worn to a frazzle, but it has done splendid service in keeping women in the line of duty prescribed by the pulpit.

Martha is noted for her good housekeeping and Mary for her entertaining qualities. The examples of these women have been followed and vastly improved on. The world today is full of good housekeepers and entertaining women. The pulpit cry of the centuries has been "giving to the church is lending to the Lord." Housekeepers and society women have been held in line by the Martha and Mary"Mary [sic] sermon. Many a woman has roasted her self over a hot stove, cooking for church suppers or to entertain her preacher. Many a woman has tramped the streets gathering donations for her church or wrest ledwrestled [sic] with church fairs, grab bags ndand [sic] church lotteries until every bone in her body ached and her vitality and shoes were worn out.

Women have done everything from getting up a swell dinner to scrubbing the floor of the "meetin house," from singing an oratorio to dancing the Kan-Kan for the church, all for the blessed privilege of being instructed to take Bible women as their example and "remain in silence and obedience," when Bible women did nothing of the sort.

Dear women, did it never occur to you that the preachers are fooling you? If not, suppose you take