on mannish airs, garments, and headgear, and exhibiting only faint traces of what would indicate the sex to which they belong, are extremely urgent and vociferous in their demands for the ballot. Although it must be admitted that there are some women and perhaps some men of character endowed with large intellectual powers, who sincerely believe that the whole domain of politics and government ought to be thrown open to women the same as it is to men, that women ought to have universal suffrage and be eligible to all the offices in all departments of the government, and to all positions in every branch of business; yet much the larger part of the sober-minded, sensible women do not regard it as their duty to seek such an extended opening for female action. On the contrary, they denounce the idea and say that it calls upon them to do what does not belong to them to do according to the natural and proper division of work between the sexes, and that they might just as well be called upon to carry the musket or dig ditches.

The propriety and rightfulness of thrusting upon women all the turmoil, uproar, and unseemly strife that the carrying out of such an idea would involve, is certainly very doubtful. It would not enable her to use her natural and legitimate influence to any better advantage. On the contrary, it would place her in an unnatural position and where she would not feel at home, and thus she would be compelled to exercise her wholesome and necessary influence at a disadvantage. Her influence to be effective and useful must operate through the natural channels of female influence and in accordance with the laws of her being. The suggestion that we ought to wait until the human race is further advanced in light and civilization before we thrust upon woman the responsibility of the ballot fully extended, and of running the government in all its branches, is certainly reasonable. The intimate association of woman with children and youth, the deep interest she feels in their welfare, and her special responsibility for them, have caused everybody to agree that she ought to have a potential voice in their training and education. In accordance with this general popular assent, a movement was inaugurated sometime ago by which women have been made competent voters in school meetings, and eligible to the offices which have the management and control of the schools.

Certain Rocky Mountain states and other western states have imposed upon their women the responsibility of the ballot, and of taking an equal part with the men in administering the government in all its branches. This movement must be regarded as simply tentative and experimental. We shall do well if we watch it long enough to be satisfied as to its character. We shall then be able to draw inferences that may aid us in determining what we ought to do. It will no doubt be a good disposition of this question if we leave it to be determined by the next generation. We have shown already what that generation is expected to be. We have shown that in it and a part of it will be the sons and daughters of mothers who are now girls receiving training and discipline in our numerous institutions for the higher education of women. We have a right to expect for this reason that the next generation will have the capacity to judge in regard to this and all other questions more wisely than we of this generation can. Also facts bearing on the question now unknown will then have come to light. The results of the experiments now going on in the Rocky Mountain and other western states will then be known, and the evidence presented to the next generation may remove all doubt and make very plain the way this question ought to be decided. What gives the question importance is the effect that its determination either way may have upon human progress. Whenever it shall come to pass that the level-headed, sober-minded, sensible women substantially concur in the conclusion that woman never will have her normal position in organized society until she has the ballot, and takes equal part with man in governmental affairs, and that the welfare and future progress of the race require her to assume those responsibilities, in the interest of harmony between the sexes which must be preserved, it will then be necessary to inaugurate and try the experiment without delay.

In settling this question and all other questions as to the position each sex ought to occupy in society, let it always be remembered that man and woman are partners in the business of maintaining and improving the human race; that their joint obligation to contribute to the progress of the race will continue until mankind have advanced in knowledge, virtue, and goodness as near to Divinity itself as the lot of humanity will permit.

THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGION UPON HUMAN

PROGRESS.

ANNUAL ADDRESS BEFORE THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, CONCORD, N. H., JUNE 9, 1907.

I define my subject in these words, "The Influence of Religion on Human Progress." Religion in some form always abides with man, inspiring his action and forming his character. Its power over humanity is almost without limit, sometimes inspiring deeds of vast beneficence and at other times instigating crimes of fiendlike wickedness. It instigates crimes when corrupted and inspires beneficent deeds when operating in its legitimate way. Human progress will be arrested by a corrupt and perverted religion and will retrograde unless religious purity be restored. Fanatical bigots, venal priests and scheming politicians, interpolating into religion their dogmas and superstitions, have sought to enforce its acceptance, thus corrupted and perverted, by unrelenting persecution. In this way incalculable suffering and misery have been inflicted on mankind. In order to preserve the purity of religion or restore it when corrupted there must be absolute toleration of religious opinion and discussion.

The nineteenth century has witnessed the commencement of an age that promises to be an age of free discussion, searching inquiry and patient thought. In the light of such an age, false creeds and doctrines will be exposed and errors and superstitions that in the past have enslaved mankind will be discarded. The truth will be established, and it is not unreasonable to expect that the time is coming when a pure religion, adapted to the wants of man, will meet with universal acceptance. The principal religions of the world will demand attention that we may see which is fittest for survival. The earliest records of primitive man present him as a religious being. Impressed with awe at the wonders of the heavens above him and the earth around him, the inner intelligence breathed into man at his creation made

him realize the presence of an unseen hand that controlled all things. He instinctively ascribed the guidance of the alternate changes of nature between light and darkness, heat and cold, sunshine and storm, to an invisible power of infinite might before whom he reverently bowed and worshiped. The religion of the childhood of our race was pure. It was untrammeled by either ritual or dogma. Religion in its purity is such a recognition of the Supreme Being as exercises a controlling influence on the character of man and effectually regulates his moral conduct. But the baser passions of man have perverted the original sublime simplicity of religion into gross superstitions. In the name of religion persecution, violence, outrage, and wrong in every form have been done. This work, however, has not been done by genuine religion. It has been the work of bigotry, superstition and politics. The intolerance of the bigot, seeking to maintain his dogmas by persecution, has afflicted humanity with much bloodshed, suffering, and misery. State-craft has induced kings and temporal rulers, seeking the accomplishment of their political ends, hypocritically to assume that they were acting for the glory of God and the extermination of heresy, while driving whole nations into exile, imprisoning multitudes of the righteous in loathsome dungeons and drenching their lands with the blood of martyrs. True religion, however, never inspires hatred, violence, and persecution. On the contrary, it inspires universal charity and love. It brings gentleness, peace, and the brotherhood of man. It gives to its votaries strength, fortitude, patience, humility, forgiveness, resignation, and thus enables them to triumph over violence, oppression, and martyrdom itself. A religion subjected to the power of the state is soon loaded down with the dogmas of superstition and is religion no longer. It is then something out of which no good can come; something either absolutely dead or positively pernicious. Free discussion, universal tolerance, are the weapons which can vindicate religious truth. In the glare of such weapons false doctrines fade away and disappear like the darkness of night in the dawn of the morning.

In all ages of the world there has been a multitude of religions. Many of these religions are dead and buried with the people

among whom they once prevailed. Truth more or less of it can be found in all these religions and several of them are based on the same great religious truths and have similar rules for regulating the moral conduct. The attributes of the Divine Power that all enlightened religions make the object of worship are perfect and infinite. According to those religions God is eternal, without change, without beginning and without end. His justice, His mercy, His love, endure forever and "He has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth." He is the loving Father of all mankind. His hand guides all things and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The uniform character of the divine government and the fatherhood of God thus recognized demonstrate that the beneficent Creator has not given sources of light and knowledge to a portion of His children and denied to the remaining portion all means of enlightenment. The irreverence of even the suggestion that such partiality has been shown by our Father in heaven who is no respector of persons shocks the innate intelligence of man.

The great book of nature has been open always for all to read. At the beginning the conscience, the divine impulse to seek good and shun evil, was given to all men. As the waters quit their fountain heads and, uniting in streams, always are seeking the great ocean, so men quit their individual isolation, and, uniting in systems of religion, always are seeking God. He who has ears to hear and eyes to see and who, under the guidance of the divine impulse within him, subdues all the baser passions and seeks diligently for heavenly light, will be sure to find the way that leads to the knowledge of the truth. The man who has been brought by his pure life and earnest seeking to a knowledge of the truth is a prophet. He is a light to his people. His words awaken their consciences and make them see the truth as he sees it. He points out to them what God has revealed and presents the evidence that shows the revelation to be divine. The advent of the prophet may be in any age, in any country, and where any form of religion prevails. The way that leads to a knowledge of the truth may be found by all who seek it.