Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-04
PROM An AUTHORITY.

The Word has consistently main
iaiued that the human race had gone
mad after the appearance Of rectitude
and was following the very course
which most tended TO obstruct its
progress IN genuine righteousness. II
has also maintained that physically
the race has detcriorated because OF
these false appearances. commonly
called conventions as well as because
tbs course OF thot had led 20 the use
OF methods that had drawn "a farther
and farther away from nature with
each succeeding generation. Many Of
those things which we foudiy fiat
tered ourselves were evidences and
results Of a better civilization and a
greater regard for ths p.op'le;ies were
simply the plny and p,;-ab.e efforts
ot an unconscious hypocrisy which
restraint the while u ,a-rE; the young
q ,he species from the cradle tra' i--
rat4ral .-.1Es- Nh!sh God intended
Cor our bes: good were :-e U--Ss 1,
RE te,l. ana 90 be avoided. - ap-
geararc= e.; leas-. =; the cos; o, any
s1cFi,lcs o. health or strength Or nor-
aI;y. We have held ;h1: the intense
--L-e.y 90 ssf---rs..t-;st p---s-s 20
c1-t-c. and censor fashion at An5
persona. reea-l f5r he-1r. comfort
aHt t5-vr-.---s which :z-rh; :Ae
caiid ina, every part q the human
5ely W4s dlsEra--t-i % - shown eI-
csr. ;he face and hands Vls the out
growth q false notion % u1ies;y q
t-.o-te % '5@ power o.. looking uu-
g-ss.!onst.= whether the hear; as
righ, o. not And ae IS a race are
s-fserlns today because Ot this false
rnodesty. THIS surrender to convention.
th.s dependence upon artificial means
of supplying US with the comfosis and
blessings tha; nature had already pro-
yided In better shape
The World has not had much en-
couragemert In its campaign for
greater personal purity. The cynic has
sneered at the idea. the hypocr!te
has protested against It. the self-con-
stituted purist has expressed horror.
but yet as time passes the evidence
accumulates that our position is right
and that some day there will dawn
upon the world a golden age when the
principles we propose will be gem
orally recognized and humanity Will
enter upon an era OF greater right
eousness. of better health and OF
clearer conscicnces But We find
grateful encouragement and inspira-
uon from an authority on the question
involved IN the person OF Oscar G.
Payne. editor OF Hollands magazine.
He says in a recent issue: Mans
most sacred material possession Is his
body Cod made IL and gave II 20
him. TO be his and used by him alone.
The earth. the sea the air and an
that is In them. God gave him to share
with MS fellows-his body IL his own.
| The human body Is the most wonder
fui bit of mechanism ever made-;he
marred by disease. deformity or acci-
dent and developed By reasonable
care and usage. there IL nothing else
IN the universe 80 pleasing to the eye
or 20 perfectly adapted TO every in
dustrial or other mechanical use.
The creature and gift Of God. and
mechanically perfect and sublimely
beautiful. can the human body, in
any way and OF itself. be vulgar? And
is 1t something always TO be hid-to
be tabooed in art. in literature and
| In conversation? what OF It's sacred
ress. its wonderful functions and
| uses. its heavenly beauty-are our
children to be sanely and lovingly
/ taught OF these things, or are they "a
/ be taught In whispers that the body
is vulgar and the less seen and said
! OF IL the better? Nothing that Is
/ sacred, or perfect. or beautiful car
/ be vulgar. No child is harmed, but
Is infinitely enriched. by being given
Ian possible knowledge OF and by hav-
/ inr inspired In him wondrous love
/ for all that is sacred, perfect and
/ beautiful"