The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-02
THE WEAKNESS OF REFORMERS.

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efforts of the pioneers in this direction were
SO well received that others fastened to follow
their example, until now that community is
the exception which does not contain one or
more women capable of heading crusade
against any evil, social or political. The hopes
entertained by the enthusiastic that the
speedy regeneration of the human race was to
follow the efforts of these reformers, have not,
however, been fully realized. They have been
| jealous; they have labored in season and out
of season; but that fatal tendency Of the fe-
| male mind to elevate vile sinners above the
level of their fellow beings of blameless life
has stood IN the way of the best results. We
say female" mind advisedly, although aware
that this expression gives great offense to the
| advocate Of equality in all things, without re-
gard to sex. 1t must certainly be admitted
that it is purely feminine character
istic which exalts man who has been
dragged out Of the cutters into something like
demigod before the slime is cleaned from
his garments. Male reformers do not indulge
in any superfuous laudation of the sinners
whom they assist into better ways of life, nor
do women, save when the person aided< Is a
member Of the opposite sex. This peculiar
ity, it may be urged, is a manifestation
of that beautiful feminine trait, so akin we
are told to the divine, which inclines women
to be compassionate to the erring. 1t is
not, it must be said, an idiosyncracy
confined exclusively to the female reformers,
but is shown also in private life, when pure
women welcome the society of ibertines.
Another phase of the same tendency is shown
by the women who flock to jails and shower
brutal murderers with 'foral offerings" and
other delicate attentions. But, however en-
gaging and agreeable this development of the
womanly nature may be in individual cases,
| it is not one which has the effect Of raising
the reputation of the sex as public reformers.
The absurd disposition of a large number of
the women actively engaged in the work
of retaining the fallen man to throw
| themselves into the attitude of wor-
shippers of the men they have rescued has
done much to cast discredit upon their efforts,
and frequently upon really praiseworthy re-
suits. So far has the effect Of this feminine
tendency gone, that in many cases doubt ex-
| lists where once was the serenest faith in
womans reform methods, and the disinclina-
ton on the part of other organizations to CO.
operate with them is marked.
The argument Of these women is. that the
sinner who is lifted from the depths needs
encouragement and helping hand to guide
him in the right path, which is, of course,
reasonable. It does not follow, however, that
the rescuers should PROSTATE themselves, like
| the twenty love-sick maidens, before their
converted Bunthorne. 1t is not love that they
feel-the women who are giving their lives to
the promotion of temperance and religion are
good women, but it is mawkish sentiment,
which should have no place in their minds.
| They fail to understand what others so clearly
realize, that sot and a debaucher needs
something more than determination to lead
better life to make him fit associate for
virtuous women, like themselves. He
has sounded the depths of deprav-
ity, and needs to rid himself
of the debasing influence of his past life be-
fore he is prepared for decent society. If dis
passionate observers sometimes misinterpret
the motives of the women who hover about
ready to uphold him lest he stumble, he may be
excused for doing so himself A glazing in
stance Of abuse of this confding and worship
full disposition is familiar to all who know
anything about the work in this State. It is
not too much to say that the ill-advised ard
| long-continued support and championship of
profigate, who INDUCED in weekly 'reforma-
tions," did more to injure the work of temper
ance reform than any other circumstance in
its history. The case of Mrs. Molloy, who is
now so prominently and unpleasantly before
the public, is of the same sort Mrs Molloy
has wide circle of friends and acquaintance
| in Indiana who will be slow to believe that
she has been accessory to the crime of murder
or has been guilty of immoral conduct. She
is, however suffering the consequences of
having entered into friendly and confidential
relations with man whom she knew to have
been thief and drunkard, and of whose
future good conduct she had no assurance save
her own ''instinct." Instinct is the faculty
on which women rely in such cases, and it is
prone to serve them i'll. Any woman who
puts her confidence in a newly reformed rake
or sot to the extent which Mrs Molloy has