The Virginia star., 1881-04-30
RUFUS AND REBECCA.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.-BibEe.
Dear Rufus:-Your letter both
surprised and shocked me. Is il
possible that you have cast the
weight of your influence in favor o1
such q state affairs as your letter dis
closes? Can it be true that neither
your education nor religion could
show the folly and evil of such a
step? Unjust confess that I lack the
patience to argue such subject. 1t
might be an easy matter to explain
your conduct on the suppositlon that
your object is to benefit the woman,
to reform her life by the Instructions
and pious examples which church
affords. This would be truly pro-
per and praise-worthy course to pur-
sue, and every good Christian would
applaud you for your efforts and en-
courage you in every way. But
you are not doing this. You have
laid holy hands on one whom you
knew to be open, boastiul, and at'a-
yepentant in the violation of Gods
commandments. The Bibla teaches us
to forsake our sins when We join the
communion of the faithful; tut if we
cling to them, thrive by then and
make glory of our shame, even you
must admit that every such profess
sion OF religion is mockery and a
delusion. II. as you confess, q
woman is notoriously leading life
contrary to the scriptures, and you
allow her to join the church without
forsaking her evil ways, you are as
much to blame as she is,
But there is another aspect Of this
question which rlerits consideration.
! mean the social effect of such a
class Of persons upon the young
women of our race-and, my dear
Rufus, you should have thought of
our own girl before you championed
this evil cause It is as much as
mothers and fathers can do to rear
their boys and girlsin thepath ofrecti-
tude by the most careful instruction
and example; but it you are going
to expose them to the contamination
Of positively bad people, If you are
going to make them breathe the at
mosphere Of sensuality (even if it he
within the walls OF church), if you
are going to make them the COM
panions OF unforgiven and shameful
Magdalenes, then indeed will every
prospect of bringing up race of
honorable men and virtuous women
become less substantial than the
widest dream, May heaven have
mercy on us when a colored church
becomes 50 weak as to need strength
and support from the price that is
paid fer the bodies and souls of our
women! You talk about fine clothes
and liberal contributions. Can fine
clothes and liberal contributions
compensate for the loss of character ?
DO fine clothes and liberal contribu~
tions restore the purity of the many
unfortunate women who are disgrace
ing not only themselves but also the
entire race2 Are fine clothes and
liberal contributions the only neces-
sary things for people who need
to be protected by every safeguard
Of sound morality and Intelligent re-
ligion? DO fine clothes and liberal
contributions always make ladies ol
the densi.monde or Christians of
Cyprians?
You deserve to be beaten in this
contest. Our ladies are not to be put
on equality with your "adulterous
member" nor are they to be dishon-
ored by any enforced association with
such people. | make this prediction:
if you persist in your present course
your days are numbered in that
church and nobody will be LETT but
you and your smirched Helen.
You will pardon my plain-speaking,
but II must be cruel to be wise"
RERPccA