men, of his church. Yet I had heard this good man, in a conversation
with brethren who had come down to Joppa to meet him on his return,
discussing with severe reprobation "this absurd woman movement" in
America, "opposed to Christianity," "unsettling the churches,"
"pervading society in a thousand ways," "subversive of social order and
refinement;" and, as one of its most ridiculous, almost monstrous
effects, "putting into girls' heads the idea of going to college with
the young men!" So little did he recognize as one impulse of the wave of
the "woman movement," what he had but now been so heartily commending!
So often is the Babe of Bethlehem nurtured by those who, seeing him as
he is, a fair and beautiful child, welcome and worship him; but who,
looking through the mists of prejudice, especially fearing through him
some subversion of their power, position, or interest, cry: "Away with
him! crucify him! crucify him!"

At Beyrout I had several conversations with a most intelligent Armenian
gentleman, from Constantinople, occupying an important governmental
position. Having under my charge several young ladies travelling for
study and instruction, our conversation very naturally turned upon our
American educational systems, about which he was much better informed
than many members of our public school boards. He had read our school
reports, and his knowledge of our methods, courses of study, etc.,
surprised me. He discussed them, especially remarking upon the
broadening influence of the increasing attention paid to the sciences in
our schools, and the comparative effect of the positive sciences and the
languages upon national character. And could it be possible that young
men and young ladies pursued these studies together, he asked. The
school reports which he had read would indicate this, yet he could
hardly believe it possible. I must pardon him if he had seemed to
observe the young ladies too closely, but he had been interested to
study the influence of our ideas of education upon the first American
girls he had ever met. And I could not imagine how the difference struck
him--how it struck all Eastern men. Their freedom, their energy, their
companionableness, was so different from women of the East. "And yet,
they are perfectly modest!" he said. He had observed their anxiety to
visit places of historical interest, getting up early in the morning and
walking a long distance to do this. He had seen elegant, pleasing wo