Lucy's Commentary:
I found this quote flipping through an old Bible I found while looking through my father’s old belongings. I am just so inspired by this quote because it makes me feel like I am not alone. My sisters and I are currently packing up my father’s items because he recently passed away. So much has changed in only a short amount of time and I feel as if I have so much weight on my shoulders. My goal is to direct my younger sisters through this difficult time, but I myself don’t know where to go from here. We are being left poor, losing our house, and many belongings that were dear to all of us are being taken away. This quote struck me because it is a reminder that my God will love me through all struggles. I know he will fulfill my inspiration and direct my foot in life. This quote is held close to my heart because it states that God will provide me with everything I need and more. I will be provided with enough goods to share with my sisters, Fanny, Gertrude, and Phyllis, who are two of the most important people in my life. I have referenced the Bible from time to time as I have and continue to face difficult hardships during women’s suffrage. The Bible or God has never wronged me as long as I put my trust in it. It has given me the strength I need to continue to fight for a better life. I believe my sisters and I can make a difference for the better through our inspiration of opening a photography studio. It may be a far reach, but one must take risks to see an outcome.
Editorial Commentary:
During the time of the Victorian Era, the position of women in churches changed. Women became much more involved in their churches and community groups to enhance opportunities that were given to them. Examples of opportunities that arose in churches while women were fighting for their rights were Sunday school teachers and volunteer district visitors. There were also positions such as Bible nurses and elementary school teachers that poor women could be trained for to give them a position of worth and a financial income. (Jacob) This relates the the quote above because Lucy Lorimer was left poor due to her father’s passing, and she may have also followed Christianity to seek opportunities in a church along with photography. Christianity also provided motivation for women to step up and for the social classes to have a change. This specific quote is taken from 2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT. It does not only explain the time that women were going through with their rights being withheld from them, but it also looks at the financial struggles that women had during this time. Women were very dependent on their husbands' or fathers' incomes to have wealth. Seen from the commentary from this woman living during the Victorian Era and trying to support her sisters. It is notable that she was relying on the family's income, so when he father died the young girls were left with nothing. The historic entry gives a time scale and more insight into how religion and the Bible were popular resources for women.
Citations:
Jacob, W. M. “Women and Religion in Victorian London.” Academic.Oup.Com, Sept. 2021, academic.oup.com/book/39184/chapter/338664275.
Staff, YouVersion. “2 Corinthians 9:8 and God Will Generously Provide All You Need. Then You Will Always Have Everything You Need and Plenty Left over to Share with Others.: New Living Translation (NLT): Download the Bible App Now.” YouVersion | The Bible App | Bible.Com, YouVersion, www.bible.com/bible/116/2CO.9.8.NLT. Accessed 12 Oct. 2023.