ing his interest her own, loving him
above every earthly object, and seeking his happiness in every possible
manner. It is in this mutual sense that a wife is to be subject to her
husband in every thing. Even the greatest sticklers for the absolute
subjection of women explain the latter clause of the text by adding the
word _lawful_. If a woman's husband is to be her irresponsible lord, to
whom she is to go for instruction, who is the qualified judge of what is
lawful? But the reasoning of the entire question as given in the
chapter, portions of which have been quoted, does not bear out the
assertion that the wife is mentally inferior to her husband, or that he
has any right to treat her as such. She is neither his servant nor his
slave, so far as God's law is concerned. The wife has the same right to
expect fidelity from her husband that he has to expect it from her. The
covenant of marriage is a mutual one, equally binding on both.

The injunction to the Ephesians concerning the relations in the married
state is also given to the Colossians, very evidently relating to the
same thing: love and unwavering fidelity between man and wife. Peter
also enjoins the subjection of wives in his First Epistle, third
chapter, first and second verses; but he also explains that this
subjection is chastity, mild and gentle conversation, that their
husbands, if not Christians, might be won over by them. In this very
injunction there is a supposition by the apostle that the husband and
wife might be of different faith, that she might have learned something
not taught by him, and have been in a position to instruct him; and by
her chastity, her love and gentleness, and her instructions--coupled
with fear for his state out of Christ--might succeed in winning him to
the truth.

Though Christianity greatly purified the moral atmosphere of the world,
and caused those embracing it to renounce polygamy, yet even those who
had become Christian clung to the false assumptions and arbitrary
prerogatives claimed by men while yet in heathen darkness. To reconcile
women to the injustice done them, or to overawe them into submission, it
was sought to make them believe that the disabilities of their condition
were by Divine appointment, though this doctrine the apostles took pains
to correct.

A lamentable amount of infidelity has been engendered by the manner in
which the Scriptures have been distorted to make them seem to sanction
almost every soc