Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-04-16
SHALL THE BABY BE-?
Ella Wheeler Wilcox on the Ante-
Maternal Crime.
Sai.e isseas Advanced ~ S.,-CaIis~i
t~snisy---s,era Truths.

10 all our church pews throughout
the civilized xosia there ait desoat pre-
fes.nss oi relagloa whO>- souls are
stained with crime women whose
bowed heads. kended knees. and earnest
responses through divine service ints
cate fersor 81 faith. yet xhcse private
s,ecsts haze shocked high heaven and
BROKEN 90. - s.od's most sacred laws
should these women he assembled Ia
g-thsr. arraigned for their crimes. ]
doubt II there is a court - justice In
the land large enough "a admit then. l
refer 10 the syer increasing number of
women sho. for various reasons, object
D. beconsing mothers and who. facing
the probability Il such an event. take
thr matter u lie and death into their
ogn hands
F'Of many ~ these women my heart
ache- vita plty and sympathy. liz is
easy "a understand their situation and 20
eat the mantle ~ charity over their
eTimrs- When public disgrace stares
weak soman a. the face as the result II
an in,!iscfeet act or when poverty and
hunger add diseas. seem tn. inevitable
portion that life Gil hequeath Ia an un
desired child. the temptation must he
overs helming 20 sorEOvtul and bur
dened woman 60 prevent the catastrophe
Of s,rth.
What Motherhood Means.
Only those " no hay. passed through
the experience Of motherhood can un
dsrstdnd what II means 10 contemplate
even under ia brightest and best au.
spices. With health. hove. enough of
this worlds goods % avert financial
worry. aud with strong maternal desires.
Yet Il needs brave heart. a steady cocr-
age. a spirit - s-lf sacrifice and infinite
patience ~ pass through the months OF
ordssis which " involves What. then.
mus, Il mean To the unhappy wife, un'
lOsei and neglected. anal already 80 bur
dened with unSe.come children that she
cannot free hcrs-lf from her CALLING
chains or 90 one vhO II obliged fo toll
early and hate 20 keep starvation from
the door. or To- one who feels herself the
victim - hopeless malady. which
heipl-ss child Nlil inherit, and yet the
woman who prevents the life of that
germ from maturing IA birth commute
the crime u murder.
| teliev. tho false idea OF many 20
called christian women IN regard 10 this
matter. Is due largely 10 their literal
translation III one - the many figura-
tive scriptural phrase
Popular ideas Ridiculous.
II seems To- be the impression % such
women that child has NO line until Il
has drawn breath. The science 81
modern times. however. proves such al
idea ridiculous. \ devoted church
woman IL my acquaintance made an I'm
fortunate marriage. She was obliged IN
return to her parents before ak months
had elapsed \ dangerous illness which
followed her return was not wholly due
o. meatal agitation. nor Sas her escape
from maternity accidental.
She lad purchased surgical skill To
AID her IN counteracting natures laws
and IN free her from the responsibility
IL a fa,heresz child. twas not difficult
~ understand her temptation. but with
her religious views 10 was difficult Tor
me % see how she had dared commit
the act
on. but child has no real being
until q has breathe,i.' she said. 1T
would have been tn, loss - -oul had
the breath 81 life entered the child. "a 10
i. why. 10 - merely misfortune. result
inG IN pain and misery "a me. that's all.
Mas fpr the nsrrDWnesr and unholi-
nes- q q creed that can be content With
such an Argument
Da,y of the Pulpit
The moment woman knows that
motherhood II a probable event for her.
that moment she mas the soul ~ her
child mi her keeping. No matter how
r.on she escapes from thus nssIng
maternity. ~ matter how immature the
Forns - lie she prevents from culni
mating. VET an immortal soul goes into
the -pifIt life which she must sometime
meet.
From every pulpit in the Land ought
this truth o. - Numbered forth. IL
ought o. form part 20 the moral tram
inx Ira every Young ia'iles seminary.
The SINFUL poor. husdene'i or diseased
vomeo Nho commit tins crime are ~
in numbers cu1parsd with the vast
army q selfish. fashionable wives : b.
d. not want - be troubles, with chil
tren. This army - growing rapidly. a.
medical assistance becomes more plenti
ful and ski!'ul ~ this especial line.
30 ccur~s 10 - not the business az any
refHrrnRF 70 sfifla - 'tN women VINO
chooae - remain childiesS. 50 long "a no
crime - committed Al clear seeing
minds reaisz. shat there are too many
Isfles n Tho V0rh u s misfortune
o. no ruhiiC that more women do not
remain ehiailezs "a good mcThsFs are
rare I he tresdiag = the species = not
Tho only rf-psctsrlo vocation Tor woman.
There arc in ths vegetable kingdom.
many u=sfui a0i beautiful plants and
trees Nhirh bear ~ fruit.
Rsr,,~o..i tp Heart
There a-e many NoHen Who remain
rfi.si.ss@ fruu choice Who are An orus
u1rnf au.i benefit % the world Jnwel
corre children are sin1os' always = mis-
flrfune to he world and "a 'herisslve~
The Desired bid generated 10 love. "a
re-~s fhe only 'egitimate child. and The
only ore that should te horn BUT
when. in order fo prevent birth. the
germ - a. immortal hfe aust h~
wrsnchtd from - setting ~ Human
ferce. 4sv then the crime n murder
has been committed ard must 10
srsverr,i fny az tho tsr = eterna. lus
TO. both by mother AMI physician.
Fos those Nhodo uat believe in future