The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-04-15
The Evening Lamp.

One Of the acknowledged men of genius, in
the American Pulpit is Rev L. H. Chaplin,
of New York. Those who know what the
best reading is, nowadays, rest the eve very
deliberately on every newspaper article,
original or reported, which has the caption
OF his name. Courage, truth and original
lty OF PERCEPTION, mark all he puts FORTH by
word or pen. for the public. He has lately
delivered Il course OF sermons on .he "Pha-
ScS OF Lifc," from one Of which (mporlcd!in
the Evening POSITIVE wish to make an cx-
tact or two. 1t was Oh "Sliamcful Life"
and discussed the fate of
WOMAN, sIEHED AGAINST AND SHINING
The text WAS Chri>t's "Ncither do Icou-
demn thee: go and sin no moye.' Said
Mr.. Chaplin -
"Evcrywhere and at all times it ha, been
woman WHO stands in the f,raoround, and
upon whom the mardirlion auI conLcm-
nation falls. 1t is to her the accusers point,
not caring to ask whether they themselves
are clear Of all guilt. Woman is the vic
tim always -sinn"d against and shining.
He appealed in trha'f of these victims.
Consider moment this army Of six thou.
sand unfortunate women, so many Of them
mrr" children, and the ma nrity accomplish
ing their guilty career aud diving OH the
very threshold Of existence. Homes some
where they have had, many of them HON s
OF purity hopes were born will, them, to
hc crushed in their prrdit"n: hearts are
broken by their shame. While they have
whir!cd through life in guilty rcveIrv, hon
orcd heads have grown gray and gone down
in sorrow to the grave.
We should pity fallen woman. Not
merely for herself personally should we he
lifted above all rr"iligate scorn and tiendish
contempt in the treatment of this subject
s'n, for the humanity that in her is stained
and perverted for the type of pure woman
hood that lies Ii<hevelle.l and cast down
under the light of heaven and bcEre God
The life of every one of these victims, if
truthfullv unt,hle,l. would be n terrible ro-
nance Of reality. Some were born in vice,
and their history is therefore the mere terri.
hly appalling. They exhibit not only a
degraded won'anhood, bu, n degraded child.
hood they came pure into tho world, as
the white snow flake falls into the nirc aud
pollution OF the streets Graded ina sarcn-
phagus. swathed with the rcrcmen;s Of "A
moral death. But many others have fallen
and it has been IA fall rs awful rs il were
the fall Of a star in the sphere. In the ear.
ilrr stages, where sin SINNERS in fashiona.
blc show and etiquette, where the deaths
head wears glitterinY crown: there NAV
he an illnsion to cheat the sense Of sham"
but as the victim dcsccnds with rapid steps
to baser converse and rougher realities,
the hand writing comes out fcartully dis.
tinct; the fallen soul makes known the re-.
ticcted shape and shadow of itself. And
at the close of her ghasly career, rs on II
bed OF straw in some damp. da,k apartment,
ringing with curses, the dying wreck of hui
manity and womanhood li.S, TO her ear the
voice of memory comes. AZ to the drowning
comes the sound of far.off Sabbath bells.
Before her gazing eye appears mothers
look of broken hearted wo; she hears u
fathers lament Of ruined hope and pride;
but he has now only to lay aside the gar
ment of mortality, as she once did the gar
rnent OF innocence and truth. See how the
lnfamy they serve, serves them.l
"The silence and apathy existing in rola-
ton to this evil, are not justified by notions
Of delicacy. The social cancer is not to b.
cured by refusing to talk about st it is not
to he ignored. We have no right to shrink
with sanctirnonious delicacy from the poores.
mention Of guilt. There is prevailing in.
difference, at least, that cries out,-'Don',
disturb it don't talk about it; let it rest,
we have nothing to do with it, Is it so!
Mr.. Chaplin insists upon
Eau3L JUSTICE TO MAN AND WoMAs.
'The refined woman recoils with vrtuous
scorn from her fallen sister, but often vel
comes him by whom she fell. We are told
that Christ said to fhe womau's accusers,
He that is without sin among you, let him
cast the frst stone:' but smitten BY con-
science, they went out by one. And who
ia not in come way allied to this great guilt
The fact of common weakness should at
least make US merciful. It is not just that
upon the woman alone should fall the blot
Of shame. Tue text;is great lesson of
charity and rneroy. aud il Is . great Lesson