INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON THE POSITION OP WOMEN. 45 



humanity than of the typical masculine ; and there can be no doubt 

 that with the spread of Christianity what I may call human 

 characteristics are slowly replacing the purely masculine. 



Still the truth on p. 43 will ever stand, that while Adam can and 

 does " subdue the earth," Eve is ever " the mother of all living," 

 and as Miss Maynard so beautifully concludes her most admirable 

 paper, women " write deep, but do not sign their names to what 

 they write as men do " ; but in the lives of our great men their 

 noble mothers see the fruit of their labours. There is no fear for 

 England so long as the principles embodied in this paper are the 

 principles and aims of the women of our country, and the value 

 of such ideals cannot be over-estimated in the present crisis. 



Lt.-CoL Mackinlay said : I rise to propose a hearty vote of 

 thanks to Miss Maynard for the great assistance she has given to 

 the Victoria Institute. 



Noticing the immense help which our women have given to the 

 nation in time of war, the Council determined to enlist their aid 

 for the Victoria Institute more fully in the times before us, and 

 Miss Maynard has well responded to their invitation. We gratefully 

 remember that a few ladies in the past have read papers to us, 

 notably Mrs. Maunder and Mrs. Lewis, the discoverer of the Sinaitic 

 palimpsest, but we hope in the future that the number of lady 

 readers will be largely increased and that many will follow the good 

 lead which Miss Maynard has given at the beginning of this new era. 



Now that the war is, we trust, practically finished, the prospects 

 of the Institute are bright, and many will turn with gladness to the 

 important subjects which we consider. 



We again thank Miss Maynard for her paper given to us at a time 

 when the claims of womanhood are beginning to be appreciated. 



The Eev. James Thomas associated himself with the previous 

 speakers in their expressions of appreciation of the value and beauty 

 of the paper. Yet he wished to ofier two or three criticisms upon it. 



On p. 34 it is stated that " most ancient religions consisted of mere 

 ceremonial . . . and had no connection with moral conduct. ' 

 Such is not the case with the oldest of the religions of China, i.e. 

 so-called Confucianism. 



On p. 35 the writer states that *' among the thousands of pictures 

 of the social life (of Egypt) you find order and decency," but " no 



