A Domestic Problem : Work and Culture in the Household eBook

Or, suppose the question to be one of health. “‘Mother’ works too hard.  She will wear herself out.”—­“She doesn’t complain.”—­“That makes no difference.  She must have help.”—­“Where is the money coming from to pay the help?”—­“Make it; earn it; dig for it; do without something; give up something; sell something; live on bread and water.  Is there any thing that will weigh in the balance against ‘mother’s’ life?  We shall feel grief when she is worn out; why not when she is wearing out?  We would make sacrifices to bring her back; why not to keep her with us?” The truth is, that heretofore the wrong things have been counterbalanced.  Placing simple food in one scale, and dainties in the other, of course the latter outweighs the former; but place “mother’s” needs and “mother’s” life in one scale, and dainties in the other, and then will the latter fly up out of sight, and never be heard from any more.  Councils of this kind, we must remember, are not to become general until the requirements of “woman’s mission” are generally understood, and until a great many men are made aware that a great many women are killing themselves by hard work and care, and until academic professors perceive that it is wiser to give a young woman the knowledge she will want to use than that which is given for custom’s sake.  But how is this general enlightenment to be effected?  I don’t know, unless the lecturer makes these subjects the theme of his lecture, or the poet the burden of his verse, or the minister the text of his discourse.—­Not proper to be brought into the church?  Why not?  A great deal about heathen women is brought into the church.  Are American women of less account than they?  Does not the condition of our women call for missionary effort?  True, American wives do not sacrifice themselves for their deceased husbands, but we have seen that they are sacrificed.  There is here no sacred river into which the mother hurls her newborn babe; but it has been shown, that, because American mothers are left in ignorance, a large proportion of their children drop from their arms into the dark river of death.

Should any object that such subjects are below the dignity of the church, we might reply that the church is bound to help us for the reason that the present state of things is partly owing to her efforts.  The ministers of the church in past times have labored to convince people that this life for its own sake is of little account; that we were placed here, not to develop the faculties and enjoy the pleasures which pertain to this stage of our existence, but solely to prepare for another.  They have taught that we sicken and die prematurely because God wills it, not because we transgress his laws.  To those suffering physically from such transgression they have said in effect, “Pray God to relieve your pain, for he sent it upon you.”

CHAPTER X.

MEANS OF ESCAPE ALREADY IN OPERATION.