Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-16

(C,svr,oAt. 1898. by The Book Syndicate Prss,
Asv York)
In all our church pews throughout
the civilized world there sit devout pro-
fessors Of religion whose souls are
stained with crime-women, whose
bowed heads and Bonded knees, and earn
est response through Divine service In
dictate fervor Of faith. yet whose pri-
vate deeds have shocked high Heaven
and broken one OF Gods most sacred
laws.
should these women be assembled to-
gether, arraigned FOR their crimes, /
doubt II there isa court Of justice In the
land large enough 10 admit them. /
refer 70 the ever Increasing number OF
women who, for various reasons, object
10 becoming mothers, and who, facing
the probability OF such an event, take
the matter Of life and death into their
own hands.
For many OF these women my heart
aches with pity and sympathy. IL Is
easy TO understand their situation ana
10 cast the mantle OF charity over their
crimes. When public disgrace stares a
weak woman in the face as the result OF
an indiscreet act, or when poverty and
hunger and disease seem the inevitable
portion that life Will bequeath to an I'M
desired child, tho temptation must DC
overwhelming to q sorrowful and bur-
dened woman to prevent the catastrophe
OF birth.
Only those who have passed through
the experience OF motherhood can un-
derstand what 10 means to contemplate
even under its brightest and best aus
pices. With health, love, enough OF
this worlds goods TO avert financial
worry, and with a strong maternal de-
sire. vet II needs brave heart, o steady
courage, a spirit Of self-sacrifice and In
finite patience TO pass through the
months OF ordeals which 1t involves.
What. then, must 1t mean to be the I'M
bappy wife, unloved and neglected, and
already so burdened with unweicome
children that she cannot free hersell
from her CALLING chains, or to one VINO Is
Obliged to toll early and late to keep
starvation from the door, or TO one who
feels herself the victim OF hopeless
malady. which helpless child will In
herit; and yet the woman who prevents
the life OF that germ from maturing TO
birth commits the crime OF murder.
believe the false idea OF many So
called Christian women In regard to this
matter, is due largely to their lltera
translation OF one OF the many hguratlvel
scriptural phrases.
II seems to be the impression OF such
women that child has no life until IL
has drawn breath. The science OF mod
ern times. however. proves such an idea
ridiculous. A devoted churchwoman oil
nv acquaintance made an unfortunate
marriage. She was obliged TO return to
her parents before six months had
elapsed. A dangerous illness which fol-
lowed her return was not wholly due to
mental stitation, nor was her escape
| fran maternity accidental.
She had purchased surgical skili tc
aid her In counteracting natures laws
and TO free her from the responsibility
NJ fatherless child. II was not DIM
cuit TO understand her temptation, but
with her religious views II was difficult
for me to see how she had dared commit
the act.
ooh, but child has no real being IN
ri II has breathed," she said. at would
have been the loss OF a soul had the
breath OF life entered the child;.as IL Is,
Il is merely misfortune, resulting IN
pain and misery to me, that Is all"
Alas for the narrowDess and unholl
ness OF creed that can be content VIII
such an argument!
The moment woman knows thai
motherhood Is . probable event for her,
| that moment she has the soul OF bel
child in her keeping. No matter bow
soon she escapes from this menacing
maternity, no matter how immature thu
germ of life she prevents from culmina
ting. vet an immortal soul goes into tn
spirit life which she must sometime
meet.
From every pulpit 10 the land ough
this truth be Numbered forth. II ough
to form a part OF the moral training II
every young ladies' seminary.
The sinful, poor, burdened, or dis
eased women who commit this crime ar
few in numbers compared with the vas
army of selfish, fashionable wives wh'
do not want to be troubled with chill
| Qreu. 1llo dfD ~ 10 bic"iAt AcR'Ntyf :"
medical assistance becomes more plenti
Mol and skilled 10 this especial line.
OF course IL is not the business OF an.
reformer to criticise the woman VIII
choose 70 remain childless, so long ~ NJ
crime Is committed. All clear-seeinI
minds realize that there are too man.
babies in the world. II Is mis-
fortune TO the public that more womeI
do not remain childless, as good mother
are rare. The breeding OF the species ]
not the only respectable vocsrion 70
women. There are. 10 the vegetab
kingdom, many useful and beautiful
plauts and trees which bear no fruit
There are many women who FemaL
chIldless from choice. who are an or
men: and benefit to the world. I'M
come children are almost always Is
fortune to the world and 70 thems res
The desired child, generated In j
really the only legitimate child, III
only one that should be born. Bu pen
10 order to prevent birth, the o
an immortal life must be sTene ron
its setting BY human force, bel
the crime OF murder has ON
mitted and must be ansue5 90
| bar Of eternal justice, bot Ne
snd physician. For thoe1 ~