The San Francisco call., 1906-03-25

Cecil tells US that "it requires as much
reflection and wisdom 70 know what is
not to be Du, into q sermon as what is"
And il looks as thouCA Cecil knew what
he was talki-g about.
To be sure, the minister who cannot
must not-bespeak his own convictions is
like "a smooth file, a knife without an
edge. a sentinel that is afraid to let off
his gun."
But right here lies the pitfall-the
temptation to generalize, TO overstep
facts. 10 ignore conditions. And this Is
what an army Of ministers is doing now
blazing away their guns loaded TO the
rnuzzle upon a class OF women known
technically as society women.
Now every well balanced man knows
that the mental mechanism Of a society
woman doesn't differ IN any respect from
q similarly equipped woman out Of So
ciety. that women. Ike men, are DIFF
ferentiated by personality, rather than
by class distinction. and that the so
ciety', woman thinks. talks and acts very
much the same as the same type Of
woman would be in the workshop, in the
Office or in the home. It's all a matter
Of personality il must be admit
ted, IS remotely the result Of heredity,
EAAALDllEAL anu EQAIGAlOA4- 4DuN Lie
thing itself that diherentiates women
and men, too, for tnat matter-is per
sonality. whatever that may be the
sum OF
Therefore when ministers Of the gos-
pel-whose implied duty II is to be kind.
Just and charitable-set out 10 ascribe to
society women an assorted lot Of physi-
cal lapses. or worse, they forget that in
truth there is not only charm but JUS
tice and discrimination.
The sins specially selected by the Wat
tersons Of the pulpit as destructive 10 the
smart set-indicted without reservation
are gambling, smoking. drinking. fore
thought discrimination against maternity,
neglect Of children. extravaganza and a
general lax morality. As a sample lot
these few lapses viii answer.
Now. II the dear. good. well-intentioned
men Of the cloth who pirate thusly
would but brush from their eyes the cob
webs Of popular prejudice, close their
ears TO the claptrap OF demagogues and
do some research work OF their own, they
would discern that such weaknesses and
lapseS are but instances Of the flesh,
rather than OF class And that there is
no more notwithstanding smoking to
be immoral. which ii isn't)-drinking. dis
inclination to motherhood, neglect of chill
dren- ,extravagance or a general laxity OF
morality among the leisure class OF
women than among women who have
never known the luxury Of a leisure day
IN al their dun existencee.
II the reverend gentlemen are not in
possession Of facts that can prove these
deductions. there are a few Philistines
hereabouts ready TO inaugurate a per
sonaIly conducted tour" along the neces-
sary lines 10 convince them that such
sweeping assertions are unmanly. un-
Christian. dense and stupid.
Personal arraignment is what the good
gentlemen should substitute for class ar
raignment
Flay the sin
Expose the crime,
But in the exposition let them bear in
mind that il is the individual not the
class that needs straightforward that
the individual is as apt TO be found in
tough Tar Flat as in the rural Mission, or
amid the elegance Of Pacific Heights.
A stupid week hath slipped into the
pUrpling pasta week Of deadly dull