Cylchgronau Cymru

YOUNG WALES. 37 NOTES ON THE WORK OF WELSH LIBERAL WOMEN. By Mrs. wynford philipps. OOKING to the past, what lives commend themselves to us as the noblest, which we desire to emulate, and should be glad that our children should lead? There is Mazzini teaching the spirit of fra- ternity, and liberating Italy. There is Fichte devoting his life to philosophy and rushing forth from his lecture to fight as a common soldier in the ranks for freedom. There is Richard Garrison, giving his life to take the fetters off the Afri- can slaves; and John Howard and Eliza- beth Fry seeking to lessen the yoke of brutalizing punish- ment. There is Frederick Denison Maurice extending learning among the lower classes of London, and telling us that whilst no one recognizes more than he that brute matter must ever be subject to the force of mind, still that our duty to our fellow-creatures less fortunate than ourselves is "to lend them our brains." Further back in history who com- mands our greatest admiration? Joan of Arc leading a nation in war for self-defence, Columbus discovering a new world, Galileo making us friends with all the stars! Question as we may, be doubtful, timorous, unenthusiastic as we will, approach the subject from what point of view we like, still through- out history those who above all others com- mend themselves as beings worthy to have lived, and worthy to be emulated, are those who have done something to give greater free- dom and more knowledge to mankind. It is, therefore, a most invigorating circum- stance for those who live and work in Wales to find stirring opportunities of working both for education and for freedom, and in seeking the Disestablishment of the State Church by deslaring that religion shall be free and un- fettered by State control, they may do some- thing to establish the most important of all principles, those of Religious equality and toleration. DISESTABLISHMENT. There is a great opportunity for woman's work in furthering Dises- tablishment; and there is no reason why the most de- voted adherents of the Church of Eng- land should not be brought to view with sympathy the claimof the Libera- tionists, and thus the struggle would be robbed of its bitterness. The members of the Church of England tell us that they seek to unite " The Church, thehighest embodiment of human goodness, with the State, the highest embodiment of human law," and to obtain, as far as possible, uniformity in the national belief. It must, again and again, be pointed out to them that to attain such an ideal, a Church must be national, and the Church of England in Wales is certainly not national. It is the Church of the few aud the wealthy, not MRS. WYNFORD PHILIPPS.