"THIMBLES AND RINGS."

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7780, 6 February 1891, Page 6

"THIMBLES AND RINGS."

At the Oddfellows' Hall last night, the Rev. J. 08. Hoare delivered a lecture on "Thimbles and Ring?, or Woman, Her Place, Past, Present, and to Come." There wan a good attendance, especially of the fair sex, to whom, perhaps, the lecture was specially addressed. The words "thimbles and rings," he at the outset observed, were used only as symbols of the relations In which woman stood to society, woman as a worker and woman as a partner. A short allusion to the uses of thimbles and rings brought the rev. gentleman to his subject, In the course of which he mentioned thac he should nob speak of character. He traced, by the aid of history, the position of woman in various countries, compared her social life in the Eist with thac enjoyed by her In the West, aud Instanced the disabilities under which she labored. He believed In an equality between man and woman, but hoped that never would woman become like man. She should have her special vocations aud callings, and pursue them at her pleasure; and she should be neither dependent nor independent, but what he would. term inter-dependent. If she desired to become a wife by all means let her, but if she thought that work were better thau a doubtful husband, then allow her to continue her work. In this way would her economical equality be achieved. He alluded to the gra-dual-improvement in the social and domestic position of woman, believed that before long a very great many of : ber social disabilities would be ; removed, and, concerning the franchise, said that while he was not prepared to admit that It would be an uucoudltional blessing were it granted to women, the average woman was equally as likely as the average man to recognise the sacredness of the trust which would be thus - given to her. The greatest injustice and grievance of woman was that in the pass as In the present her work had not been recognised. That she may recognise her dignity, and man her work, she' must 'be held equal to man in the sight of tbe law; she must have power to earn her living for herself at her pleasure, men of ail means muse be taught that they must make equal provision for their daughters as for their sons, and women must be trained to be as fit for home as for the office, tho desk, or the counter. Let them give her tier social rights with Justice, and something more than she claimed, and fn memory of their mothers yield to her the highest praise, the highest glory, for the great work she was doing amongst mankind in managing, administering aud comforting within the walls of her home.