(SO 9i 



religious capacities undergo development coincidentally 

 with those of the body. 



(b.) In Women. If we examine the metaphysical 

 characteristics of women, we observe two classes of 

 traits namely, those which are also found in men, and 

 those which are absent or but weakly developed in men. 

 Those of the first class are very similar in essential 

 nature to those which men exhibit at an early stage of 

 development. This may be in some way related to the 

 fact that physical maturity occurs earlier in women. 



The gentler sex is characterized by a greater impres- 

 sibility, often seen in the influence exercised by a 

 stronger character, as well as by music, color or spec- 

 tacle generally; warmth of emotion, submission to its 

 influence rather than that of logic ; timidity and irregu- 

 larity of action in the outer world. All these qualities 

 belong to the male sex, as a general rule, at some period 

 of life, though different individuals lose them at very 

 various periods. Ruggedness and sternness may rarely 

 be developed in infancy, yet at some still prior time 

 they certainly do not exist in any. 



Probably most men can recollect some early period of 

 their lives when the emotional nature predominated a 

 time when emotion at the sight of suffering was more 

 easily stirred than in maturer years. I do not now 

 allude to the benevolence inspired, kept alive or devel- 

 oped by the influence of the Christian religion on the 

 heart, but rather to that which belongs to the natural 

 man. Perhaps all men can recall a period of youth 

 when they were hero-worshipers when they felt the 

 need of a stronger arm, and loved to look up to the 

 powerful friend who could sympathize with and aid them. 

 This is the " woman stage " of character : in a large 



