"WOMEN THROUGH THE AGES"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 26, 30 July 1938, Page 19

"WOMEN THROUGH THE AGES"

The last meeting of the Khandallah branch of the League of Mothers took the form of a "Member's Day," and the president, Mrs. E. S. Mirams, and her committee, had the pleasure of witnessing the day's affairs trom the floor of the hall. Mrs. P. P. Lynch was in the chair, and capably conducted a wellattended and successful function. After welcoming members and their visiting friends, Mrs. Lynch, on behalf of the members' committee; presented Mrs. Mirams with a posy in appreciation of her services.

The acting president chose as the thought for the month the following extract from one of G. K. Chesterton's essays:-r-"Of all modern notions, the worst is this: That domesticity is- dull. Inside the house, they say, is dead decorum and routine; outside is adi venture and variety. But the truth is that the home is the only place of liberty, the only place where a man can alter arrangements suddenly, or indulge in a whim. The home is not | the one tame place in a world of adventure; it is the one wild place in a world of rules and set backs." "MOTHER AND HELPMATE." The speaker for the meeting was the Rev. Dr. F, Walsh, whose talk under, the title of "Women Through the Ages" was one of the most interesting the ! branch has been privileged to hear. Following a brief introductory statement of woman's minor sphere prior to the dawn of Christianity, Dr. Walsh traced the history of woman through its principal stages during the. past 2000 years. He pointed out how the very nature of Christ's entry into the life of mankind had, for the first tilie, focused attention on woman as mother and helpmate, and placed her on a plane higher than any. recognised by pre-Christian civilisations. j

"Woman," said the speaker, "was strikingly prominent in • the life1 and teachings of Christ, and since His day woman, and more particularly motherhood, has held an increasingly sacred and important place in the mind and affairs of men of the Christian beliefs."

Many women and many lands were mentioned by Dr. Walsh. He told how Queen Clotilda, wife of Clovis, King of the Franks, had, with her wisdom and Christian teaching, exerted incalculable influence on the destiny of France. The Christian persecution was another milestone. Leaders :of j the day were nervous of the spread iof this new belief, but it was too deeprooted for extermination, and out of the temporary chaos of the fourth century rose Constantine and the start'of a new era. His mother, Helena, was a British Christian. Next came Monica, from North Africa, whose son Augustine left a mark which time has not effaced. This was an example; of a pagan husband working side by side with a Christian wife. With Monica worked Ambrose, another great figure of history. '; WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER. "The tenth to the fourteenth century saw the rise and blossoming of knighthood throughout Europe, the age of chivalry, with woman raised to idolatry' and the pivot of the period," said Dr. Walsh. Out of this period emerged the entry of woman into society, and her direct influence and authority in home affairs. In this period, too, lived the great Women teachers of Italy, where women had access to schools and universities—a reform adopted by most other countries at a considerably later stage in history. , ■ : : ;

Then followed the grandeur and glory of the Renaissance, which the speaker described as "the loveliest period and the* worsts This, was the age of beautiful women and the wbr.r ship of beauty, an age, too, of culture, when languages, music, and art were accomplishments of the many. It was

G. K. CHESTERTON'S IDEA OF HOME

the time of Queen Elizabeth and—tjhat widely differing type* Lucretia Borgia.

At another stage came Isabella; of Spain, the story of whose talents-and achievements reads like a fairy tale. She it was who sent Columbus forth, and at home united all the little princelets and kinglets of Spain under one controL . '

QUEEN MARY'S INFLUENCE, And so Dr. Walsh went from stage to stage, coming to Queen --Victoria, and finally to Queen Mary of England, whom he described as-perhaps the

greatest woman of the present period of history. "Queen Mary's influence," said Dr. Walsh, "is not.confined to the British Empire alone, but has gone out to other countries as well. Her life has been the ideal of womanhood and motherhood, and her staunch upholding of the morals and traditions of the Christian faith is an example'to all mankind."

"Those," concluded the speaker, "are some of the great names of history. But every-day, mothers1 whose names will never be known, are, by teaching and example, upholding the principles all sane people cherish, and making lihe world a better place to live in." ■

Entertainment for the afternoon was provided by skilfully-rendered elocutionary items by Mrs. Theo. Hills, while the singing circle contributed two pleasing numbers. The function concluded with the serving of afternoon tea by the very capable acting committee. ' ' : .