The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-25

the one voice, we do not listen TO the
mandates of the soui.''
A Mrs. Smith in the gallery recited the
list of present evils discussed by the con-
gress, and said the only hope was in the
doctrine OF the abolition of the rent IN
terest and profit system. She was loudly
applauded.
Mrs. Stephen Matheson of London took
the floor to say that she had been re-
minded by the secretary that she could
have minute to ask health to Queen
Victoria on her birthday. Taking advan-
tage of the offer Mrs. Matheson extolled
the virtues of England's ruler as a model
mother and as a woman who took great
motherly interest in the United States,
her grown-up daughter on this side the
those present to join with her in wishing
the Queen many returns of the day.
There was considerable applause, and a
great deal more when Mrs. Van Pelt
suggested that the Rev. Anna Shaw sing
''God Save the Queen"
"This is very interesting" said Miss
Shaw, ''to think that / am prima donna,
for never aspired to any such position.
One thing / always wanted to do and never
could do, and that was to sing. They say
that those who cannot sing on earth are
forever singing in heaven and I expect to
be forever singing there. For the sake of
the world, however, | will wait till get
there before | begin"
Mrs. Emma Gregory, as British subject
who had declared her intentions of becom-
ing an American citizen, seconded Mrs.
Mathesons motion, suggesting at the same
time that the air of ''God Save the Queen"
was identical with that of America" AS
she seated herself several gentlemen on
the platform started the hymn and the
entire audience, rising, sang, some the
words of the English bard, many those of
America
At the close of the first verse Emily Pitt
Stevens said she was an American woman
and asked that honor be done to a queen
among American women, Susan B. An
thony, and the crowd joined her in en-
thusiastic applause for Miss Anthony.
death by Dust" the subject of Mrs. DR..
Amy 6. Bowen's paper, was not read, as
that lady was unable to attend on account
of sickness.
physical Means to Moral Ends,' by
the Rev. George R. Dodson of Alameda,
therefore took the precedence. He said:
Moral character is greatly influenced by
physical conditions. We see this in the diff
ferent races as we read history. Man is a dual
being. There is a body and mind, higher
something. Some regard the body as an in
believe, according to scientists, that thought
and feeling have anything to do with the
movements OF the brain molecules. The brain
carries on its functions independently.
From the brain run little nerve tissues TO all
parts of the body-the lungs, stomach, heart,
ETC., aud in thinking the communication from
the brain to these several parts of the body Is
SO clearly defined that the body works with the
brain. Therefore, after a hard days brain
work one feels, to use common expression,
''dead tired" With unusual activity of these
brain molecules the body, muscularly and
nervously, sustains general shaking up. AS
we find that the brain works on the body, SO
do we find that the body acts the same on the
brain.
In tracing the causes which lead to moral
changes of character, it will be found that the
physical has as much as the mental to do with
moral variations. If one does not have good
and healthy nights sleep and gets up in the
morning feeling out OF sorts, one becomes I'M
do we not find that the physical is a causation
in moral changes and variations? Virgins
said he had changed a boys moral character
several times by placing leeches inside his nos
trils. Many of these moral phenomena result
ing from the physical are psychic expressions
of organism. The expressions of diseased or.
ganisms cannot be the same as those OF a well
| man; q sick man cannot be good, the best he
can do is to keep from being positively bad:
The animal part OF man never gets out of Or
der so long as his organs are in good working
| order-that is to say, that part of man which
comes from the animal, SO long as the organs
are intact, is always the same. But we have
seen that his moral character is subject, not
alone to his environment, but also to his physi-
cal organism. The seat OF oUr character is in
our nervous system, and the habits and tenden-
cies we form as we mature are due to certain
notifications and alterations in the condition
of the nervous system. To scientists it Is well
known that as the result of sickness many
startling moral phenomena take place. We
viii take two nerves, to simplify the illustra-
ton. From some cause one of these nerves be-
comes paralyzed and a portion OF the body
ton, etc., and as result that man displays an
astonishing tendency toward moral degenera-
ton. This scientific reference is not neces-
sarily on the line of materialism; neither does
it alter the fact of that subtle relationship ex-
listing between the body and the soul.
The ten-minute discussion was started
by Mrs. DR.. Maxson. She thought many
OF the principles laid down in the paper
were illustrated in the cases of children.
Mrs DR.. Kellogg Lane said she was not
afraid of materialism. She thought no mat
ter what the physical condition and its in
tiuence on the moral character. that the
spirit Of God would carry us through under
the most trying circumstances.
DR.. Brown followed on the same line
If sickness impairs the mental and moral
character to the extent which the scientists
not understand how Milton could do his
grand and sublime work" Other names
were mentioned of those who have given
to the world the finest productions while
suffering the severest affections, including
Bunyan and Morton.
Miss DR.. Shaw said she had never given
the subject much thought, and, therefore
skinned over the surface of the scientific
principles adduced, and fastened on to
speak of matter closer to her interest.
She called attention to the remark made
by Mrs. DR.. Kellogg Lane, to the effect
that a woman who had reared family of
children had done as noble, if not nobler,
| work than those women who go over the
country preaching to her sisters. 81 do
not believe it," continued Miss Shaw, with
! more emphasis than she had shown in
speaking to the previous question. mo;
do not believe it. The noblest work for
woman is not in motherhood, but in true
womanhood. After that let come what
may, motherhood or spinsterhood. If l
had my way there should not be another
child born in San Francisco, California or
the United States until municipal, State
and National Government guarantee pro-
lection to the mother in her child"
Charlotte Perkins Stetson took up
the time allotted to Mrs. DR.. Amy
G. Bowen, whose absence was due
to illness, and discussed on the
subject of the animal and spiritual
men and women. "We have been told so
much about the superiority of the soul
that we-many of US have gotten into the
habit of overlooking our animal inferiority
Men and women should be fine animals.
A prominent writer has said that man
to be gentleman must first be perfect