platform of human rights, under the government of God only. This idea of woman’s being ‘the last best gift of God to man,’ however pretty it may sound to the ears of those who love to discourse upon ‘the poetry of romantic gallantry, and the generous promptings of chivalry,’ has nevertheless been the means of sinking her from an _end_ into a mere _means_--of turning her into an _appendage_ to man, instead of recognizing her as _a part of man_--of destroying her individuality, and rights, and responsibilities, and merging her moral being in that of man. Instead of _Jehovah_ being _her_ king, _her_ lawgiver, and _her_ judge, she has been taken out of the exalted scale of existence in which He placed her, and subjected to the despotic control of man. I have often been amused at the vain efforts made to define the rights and responsibilities of immortal beings as _men_ and _women_. No one has yet found out just _where_ the line of separation between them should be drawn, and for this simple reason, that no one knows just how far below man woman is, whether she be a head shorter in her moral responsibilities, or head and shoulders, or the full length of his noble stature, below him, i.e. under his feet. Confusion, uncertainty, and great inconsistencies, must exist on this point, so long as woman is regarded in the least degree inferior to man; but place her where her Maker placed her, on the same high level of human rights with man, side by side with him, and difficulties vanish, the mountains of perplexity flow down at the presence of this grand equalizing principle. Measure her rights and duties by the unerring standard of _moral being_, not by the false weights and measures of a mere circumstance of her human existence, and then the truth will be self-evident, that whatever it is _morally_ right for a man to do, it is _morally_ right for a woman to do. I recognize no rights but _human_ rights--I know nothing of men’s rights and women’s rights; for in Christ Jesus, there is neither male nor female. It is my solemn conviction, that, until this principle of equality is recognised and embodied in practice, the church can do nothing effectual for the permanent reformation of the world. Woman was the first transgressor, and the first victim of power. In all heathen nations, she has been the slave of man, and Christian nations have never acknowledged her rights. Nay more, no Christian denomination or Society has ever acknowledged them on the broad basis of humanity. I know that in some denominations, she is permitted to preach the gospel; not from a conviction of her rights, nor upon the ground of her equality as a _human being_, but of her equality in spiritual gifts--for we find that woman, even in these Societies, is allowed no voice in framing the Discipline by which she is to be governed. Now, I believe it is woman’s right to have a voice in all the laws and regulations by which she is to