The San Francisco call., 1896-08-28
He Is Satisfied That His Re-
marks in The Call" Set
a Nation Thinking.
VIEWS OF A LADY DOCTOR.
Says Nature Comes to the Relief of
Those Whose Sufferings Cannot
Be Borne.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL
908 Broadway, Aug. q.
81 have been greatly surprised" said
Rev. DR.. Wendte to-day, ''at the re-
markable disclosures that have come to
me from all parts of the country as the
result of my first sermon on 'Euthanasia,
published in The CALL two weeks ago.
am surprised to find that there are many
cases in which it has been practiced, but
cannot supply details, because such
would render the principals amenable to
the law.
II am not going any further into the
subject at this time, but I am very glad
that it has caused people to think. Many
OF my correspondents are men of note and
some have denounced me. while others
approved of my course. 1t is gruesome
subject and have had enough of it for q
time"
The latest person of prominence to pub
licly express her views is Mrs. DR.. Kellogg
Lane, one of Oakland's most eminent lady
reform workers.
DR.. Lane discoursed on the seriousness
of the question and proceeded:
In this special problem under consideration
the first question that presents itself is, What
will be likely to be the effect OF cheapening
human life, even to this extent? For that it
will cheaper it it is certain.
DR.. Wendte says, in substance, that society
already determines that 1t has the right to
inal. There are many who think that society
exceeds its moral right even in that. But for
the sake OF the argument we will grant that
society has the right to execute criminals.
Protecting human life is one of the founda-
ton stones of society. Lift it ever SO little TO
any reason except TO give 1t surer resting
place, and society itself is endangered and CIV
ilization turned backward. Individual cases
are very hard, but principles are greater than
men. Let any amount of suffering, physical
or mental or both, be considered coin which
shall pass current for the bartering of a human
life, and the door OF temptation is opened
wide to the weak and unbalanced mass of hu-
manity; and many OF the highest educated and
cultured, as well as the ignorant and intellec-
tual, belong to one or botn classes. If may
take human life to save 1t from pain, why
may not take it to bring great good to my
self or others2
The moment we begin to balance suffering
or joy as against human life, we have opened
very Pandoras box Nature has kindly Or
dained that suffering sharp is short. She has
put limit to human endurance and herself
takes the life that has reached that limit,
whether the suffering be physical or broken
heart. The arguments used in favor of yolun-
tary destruction of life belong to the decayng
period OF nation, TO the time when wealth has
multiplied and effeminacy and weakness are
becoming predominant; when self-indulgenee
is doing its deadly work and pain and suffer-
ing seem the acme of evil. Like causes pro-
duce like results. America has reached Rone's
stage of sensuous luxury. Is it strange then
that the story of self-destruction is reproduced
here without any reinearnation of the old Ro-
mans?
My memory turns back to the many cases I
have seen where the poor body, tortured be-
yond words to portray, could not conquer the
free spirit that waited patiently its release
waited not with shrinking from pain not with
stoieism, not even with heroism but ioyous
and triumphant free spirit, free beyond all
power of evil to conquer, verifying the words
whom the Son makes free is free Indeed"