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Female Scripture Biography:

Including an Essay on What Christianity Has Done for Women.

By Francis Augustus Cox, A.M.



"It is a necessary charity to the (female) sex to acquaint them with their
own value, to animate them to some higher thoughts of themselves, not to
yield their suffrage to those injurious estimates the world hath made of
them, and from a supposed incapacity of noble things, to neglect the
pursuit of them, from which God and nature have no more precluded the
feminine than the masculine part of mankind."

The Ladies' Calling, Pref.



VOL. II.

BOSTON:
LINCOLN & EDMANDS.
1831.




Contents of Vol. I.



Essay


The Virgin Mary--Chapter I.

Section I.

  Congratulation of the angel Gabriel--advantages of the Christian
  dispensation--Eve and Mary compared--state of Mary's family at the
  incarnation--she receives an angelic visit--his promise to her of a son,
  and prediction of his future greatness--Mary goes to Elizabeth, their
  meeting--Mary's holy enthusiasm and remarkable language--Joseph informed
  of the miraculous conception by an angel--general remarks

Section II.

  Nothing happens by chance--dispensations preparatory to the coming of
  Christ--prophecy of Micah accomplished by means of the decree of
  Augustus--Mary supernaturally strengthened to attend upon her new-born
  infant--visit of the shepherds Mary's reflections--circumcision of the
  child--taken to the temple--Simeon's rapture and prediction--visit and
  offerings of the Arabian philosophers--general considerations

Section III.

  The flight into Egypt--Herod's cruel proceedings and death--Mary goes to
  Jerusalem with Joseph--on their return their Child is missing--they find
  him among the doctors--he returns with them, the feast of Cana--Christ's
  treatment of his mother when she desired to speak to him--her behaviour
  at the crucifixion--she is committed to the care of John--valuable
  lessons to be derived from this touching scene

Section IV.

  Brief account of the extravagant regard which has been paid to the
  Virgin Mary at different periods--the names by which she has been
  addressed, and the festivals instituted to honour her memory--general
  remarks on the nature and character of superstition, particularly that
  of the Catholics


Elizabeth--Chapter II.

  The angelic appearance to Zacharias--birth of John characters of
  Elizabeth and Zacharias--importance of domestic union being founded on
  religion, shown in them--their venerable age--the characteristic
  features of their piety--the happiness of a life like theirs--the effect
  it is calculated to produce on others--the perpetuation of holy
  friendship through immortal ages--the miserable condition of the
  irreligious


Anna--Chapter III.

  Introduction of Anna into the sacred story--inspired description of
  her--the aged apt to be unduly attached to life--Anna probably religious
  at an early period--Religion the most substantial support amidst the
  infirmities of age--the most effectual guard against its vices--and the
  best preparation for its end


The Woman of Samaria--Chapter IV.

  Account of Christ's journey through Samaria--he arrives at Jacob's
  well--enters into conversation with a woman of the country--her
  misapprehensions--the discovery of his character to her as a prophet her
  convictions--her admission of his claim as the true Messiah, which she
  reports in the city--the great and good effect--reflections


The Woman Who Was a Sinner--Chapter V.

  Jesus and John contrasted--the former goes to dine at the house of a
  Pharisee--a notorious woman introduces herself, and weeps at his
  feet--remarks on true repentance and faith, as exemplified in her
  conduct--surmises of Simon the Pharisee--the answer of Jesus the woman
  assured of forgiveness--instructions deducible from the parable


The Syrophenician--Chapter VI.

  Introductory observations--Christ could not be concealed the
  Syrophenician woman goes to him on account of her daughter--her
  humility--earnestness--faith--the silence of Christ upon her application
  to him--the disciples repulsed--the woman's renewed importunity--the
  apparent scorn with which it is treated--her admission of the
  contemptuous insinuation--her persevering ardour--her ultimate
  success--the necessity of being importunate in prayer--remarks on the
  woman's national character--present state of the Jews: the hope of their
  final restoration,


Martha and Mary--Chapter VII.

  Bethany distinguished as the residence of a pious family, which
  consisted of Lazarus and his two sisters--their diversity of
  character--the faults of Martha, domestic vanity and fretfulness of
  temper--her counterbalancing excellencies--Mary's choice and Christ's
  commendation--decease of Lazarus--