Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-03-01
FREE SPEECH AND A FREE
PRESS.
Answer 10 the PASTORAL Protest by a
Lady of New Orleans Tho Gem
tennIaI Year Big with Com
ing Events.
To the Editors Of the Appeal:

Az Aub I<tAtSA9 VI SAS 4ApPOAAs
Ntw ORLEANS, February % I have
Just Fl Iished reading the 'Pa-toI's Pro-
'sst" in the APPEAL Of the twentieth.
Y urs is one of the few independent
southern journals that dare give both
sides hearing; AID now beg that you
give large body of independent think
ers, at least The satisfaction Of feeling
one being has entered 6 protest, and
one paper has accorded it a pace.
Christians declare that times are more
corrupt, and people more demoraliz d
than ever before. II strikes me thai
this is an Unforfunsts admission, for
they have CONTROL christendom long
enough to have changed the face OF the
globe into a garden of Eden. Is all else
to advance, and religion alone to stand
still, never progressing? intellectually
man has well nigh reached the zenith
OF his power. Spiritually he is hiber-
mating, for orthodoxy teaches spirit
usl nothirgGess, that ID like fairy tale,
and as fruit1ess of result. Indeed men
to lead spiritual lives, to initiate Christ's
example and the millennium, wilt begin
soon enough to satisfy the P4stors' assO-
cis'l0n or anybody else, that believes it
is ever coming on this earth
Is 1t not time that people were begin
Mug to discuss freely the question as to
whether the belief In salvation by blood
~ at0r emsnt is a benefit to humanity,
or an Undue .ment TO evil doing? I have
made myself familiar with the question
OF its effects upon the ignorant aud IN.
learned, and 1 aver it is productive Of
crime. / defy the pastors of the chris
tan churches in this land to enter the
prisons aud peDiteutiaries, ana find
criminals within them who svow that
each man is to answer to a divine judge
for himself as to their belief. Ne, the
criminal is found, bible in hand, svow-
ing his belief in salvation through
Christ-a b=lief in hell, and salvation
from It by the vIeariOus atonement The
spirit prompting the protest OF the "Pas.
tors Associatioun carries In 1t the same
animus hat fired Calvin when he COZ
signed Servetius to the stake; and while
such men as WiuslOW, BsecheT, Glen
denning and HinsoD, and q host OF
others, are foul blot upon the cloth, 1t
i'll becomes the church to demand ST.
lent press and muZZled speakers, The
pulpit, the press, the rOstrum, the money
power IS all in the hands Of men. No
man, or set of men, eau think
or feel for women, nor see life from
a woman's standpoint. Women are
to be instructors Of women. 1t
is useless to cry peace, peace,
for there is no peace" Our magnificent
churches are ali over the laud-m8gnifi-
cant brothels Offset them everywhere.
Women beg, work and toll Tor the
money that sustains the one, aud men
lavish without stint the money hat sus.
tsins the other. In cur christian pu pit
is the cry going up to God for this vast
holocaust Of women offered at the shrine
OF lust. l tell you that rehellion Is In
the camp of womaukind. Their hearts
are big with agony, their forms weak
with anguish. Sad.eyed women ali
over the land are dying by inches, muir
dered by injustice and cruelty. "TIuiy,
a voice is hesri in Rsm2h, voice OF
lanentAtion, Rachel mourning for hel
children, aud will not be comfOrted be-
csuae they are not" TIE spirit OF the
age is upon men and women alike, and
they feel that the ignorance Of women
In training their children js the fruitful
cause of two thirds of the crimes c.
chrIstendom TO day. We have been
taught to despise the body and save the
5lu1t ulNll NlC SOhA 10 Lbb WI III EhFib6'
The rOstrum is w1man's throne, from
which the magnetic wires 60 out; bel
voice the key TO strike the electric chair
shsrewith humanity Is bound. Let thOst
prepared TO instruct, seize the suspicious
mopeDt, aud so teach our women and
children henct forth that they shall know
themselves and be able to protect them
selves from both clerical and free-lovC
wolves. Placs the word "ruined" across
q woman's name, snd however pure bel
hesIt or deep her remorse, conventional
ily forces her into the path that leads IC
a living he'll. Let US 50 instruct them
that be'0Te every youthful breast tn'
broad bOs=ed shie.d II knowledge shines
and 10 each youthful hand the spear O.
truth shall Rlesm, when, like that o
itburiel, dissolved aud shattered erro
by touch. Momentous events crOTC
upon moment1Us eTas. Seventeen hun
bred aud eeventy-siX was revolution
of men against injustice and oppression
Tom Paine was sending the crisis GU. t.
the people, beginning with the words
"Tbese are the times that try men
souls" aud il thrilled tins rational hear
like 3 trumpsl's blGaa f ghteen hua
, dred and seventy--iK has inaugurated
womRu's revolution, Giz no power car
s5op it. Every N~sasn who hs
dared 10 lift her voice in be
half OF her sex for free educs
ton, avenues OF employment, equs
pay, woman sufft age, al have bee
mangned and deridsd by $ masculine
controlled press, fr m Lucretis Mot
down 10 Victoria Woodruff. l. ihi
fair? IL this right7 Where - III
, to,stsd rallantIy sid ohiyalry Of Ia
Iin, tge ID esnlUryP Why do you nc
cpeu youF colu ms % tbs az pssls Of ",
mtu, and grant them fair hearing