My views on this subject are so much better embodied in the language of a living author than I can express them, that I quote the passage entire: ‘Woman’s rights and man’s rights are _both_ contained in the _same_ charter, and held by the _same_ tenure. _All rights_ spring out of the _moral_ nature: they are both the root and the offspring of _responsibilities_. The physical constitution is the mere _instrument_ of the _moral_ nature; sex is a mere _incident_ of this constitution, a provision necessary to this _form_ of existence; its _only_ design, not to give, nor to take away, nor in any respect to modify or even _touch_ rights or responsibilities in any sense, except so far as the peculiar offices of each sex may afford less or more _opportunity_ and ability for the exercise of rights, and the discharge of responsibilities; but merely to continue and enlarge the human department of God’s government. Consequently, I know nothing of _man’s_ rights, or _woman’s_ rights; _human_ rights are all that I recognise. The doctrine, that the _sex of the body_ presides over and administers upon the rights and responsibilities of the moral, immortal nature, is to my mind a doctrine kindred to blasphemy, _when seen in its intrinsic nature_. It breaks up utterly the _relations_ of the two natures, and reverses their functions; exalting the animal nature into a monarch, and humbling the moral into a slave; making the former a proprietor, and the latter its property.’ To perform our duties, we must comprehend our rights and responsibilities; and it is because we do not understand, that we now fall so far short in the discharge of our obligations. Unaccustomed to think for ourselves, and to search the sacred volume, to see how far we are living up to the design of Jehovah in our creation, we have rested satisfied with the sphere marked out for us by man, never detecting the fallacy of that reasoning which forbids woman to exercise some of her noblest faculties, and stamps with the reproach of indelicacy those actions by which women were formerly dignified and exalted in the church.