Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-06-16
An Infamous Meeting.


evening 10 glorify Parkhurst and his
vile proceedings was disgrace to man
hood.
1t was shame to womanhOOd that
with them were many women who join
ed in the IaudatiOn OF "a man who
tempted fallen and outcast women to 1t
shameful display of themselves to him
in order that he might further betray
these wrctched victims Of the lust of
lewd and perfidious men.
1T was an outrage against the mercy
and purity of Christianity that many
professional ministers Of the Gospel
were on the platform or in the body Of
the hall, and that not one of them rails
ed his voice in protest. but all joined
in lnuding and applauding this violator
Of the spirit, precept and example Of
the Savior of the Magdalcn.
1t was n scene over which angels
might weep and from which all just
and reasonable men and women should
turn with disgust and Indignation. Yet
by such means and agencies as Park
bursts. and with such man rs a lead
cr, this Cooper Institute meeting talks
of reforming society! 1t would reform
Of hyPocrites. and by destroying the
principle which Is the salt that save, it
from corruption.
The bittercst punishment administer
ed by society, the aurc7t. the most I'M
varying, and the most persistent. Is in
flictcd on women who have departed
from chastity. The men VINO are part
ncrs in their guilt escape unscathed.
We do not doubt that hundreds of such
men held their heads high ut the
Cooper Institute Thursday evening.
But the women are put under the hcav-
lest social ch;,tiscucnt. and none
escape. Murder and all other crimes
against the law OF the State may 90 I'M
punished. but the Magdalcn l. spurncd
and trampled on without exception.
She becomes Il pariah, the member Of
the class the most dcfenccless aud the
most outraged 0f any in the Christian
world. She Is al the mercy Of rutiians,
and even the men who have made her
an ou.cast. and cOnsort with her in her
degradation, join in covering her with
reproach and driving her to despera-
ton.
or all human beings she is the most
tiscd of all offenders against human or
Divine laws. Meantime the men of
whose lust she is the victim. and to
whose lust she ministers in her enforc-
ed degradation, may 90 10 Parkhursts
meetings and shout themselves hoarse
in applauding his courageous and
sclf-sacrificing stand" in tempting and
betraying her, already 80 sOrcly tempt
ed and so UNANIMOUSLY betrayed: and
women, to whose honor she i sacrifc-
ed so mcrcilessly. unite with them in
browning him as Il hero
It is to the credit of the spirit Of JUS
ticc which exists in humanity. that I'M
der Christian civilization, this incqual
ity in the treatment of RIGHTEOUSNESS
in men and women has prevented the
civil authorities from bounding the
Magdalcn to the absolute extreme of
barbarous cruelty. Her existence as a
necessary result of masculine depravity
is tolerated. She Is not stoned while
her betrayer is loaded with hOnors.
Decent men will not stand by and sec
the weak victims of men subjected to
such outrages. She is punished enough
already. they say, and. alas she suf-
fers the penalty of her own sin and
that of the greater sin of men.
Accordingly, the laws of the State
directed against these Outcasts, intend |
cd for INTERPRETATION rather than their |
destruction, are enforced in all the |
cities of the world with some degree of |
consideration and reasonable latitude. |
The police by their conduct express a
humane public sentiment Men will !
not torture women whom men have led |
astray and subjected to Il social punish |
ishment in itself so terrible They |
know that the trouble is incurablc so |
long as masculine depravity continues. |
This righteous. merciful. Just. and |
sensible Interpretation of legal duty, |
Parkhurst and his allies denOuncc rs |
:. completely with cvildOers. Com |
plicity with evildoers Who are the |
cvildOers? Are they poor Magdalens
alone? Are they not also Parkhurst
and many of his adulators? Are they
not the great host of cvildoing men?
Such a meeting should make the
blood of every just and true man boil
with Indignation. 1t was an infamous.
unhOly meeting.-N ]. SIN.