The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-11
81 ASH
OVER BIRTH
CONTROL
Sermon Supporting Practice
Eyokes Strong Criticism
In England
BY DAVID I'M. CHURCH.
international News Service.

LONDON. July 11.British Bish-
ops are at loggerheads over birEa
control.
The Bishop of Birmingham as
tonished all Britain with a sermon
supporting birth control,
and Immediately brought. cfiti-
cisms OF birth control from ..llc
Bishop Of Guilford Bishop Gofe
and the Bishop of Winchester.
7 do not think that the change
in late years from large to small
FAMILIES III. the middle classes Is
to be Condemned the bishop Of
Birmingham declared. 1t is, IN
fact, q desire for the welfare of the
general public that has led to the
limitation Of the middle-class fam.
lily.
Many thinkers OF recent years
have been led to regard the. crowd
ed state of Europe as the main
underlying cause Of the great war.
They feel that a like catastrophe
will recur unless that aItruism
which limits population can be
made to prevail.
by medicine and hygiene IA
lures destructive forces have been
disastrous to human welfare IN
which. Is natural, and until re-
Gently laudable. is held in check. -
Calls It Christian.
I'm such constraint there is an
element Of self-renunciation which
is surely Christian.
1T is suggested that 1t springs
from a conviction that children are
a burden rather than a boom I do
not think we can get stable social
progress until we spread through
all classes a spirit of grave and
serious consideration Of the ethics
of child bearing.
There is a limit to the popula-
ton which these islands can bear.
We. have probably reached that
limit, and further increase must be
used in emigration; but our emil
grants must be worthy Of the race,
free from the taints which make
for racial inferiority.
To-day / would urge that through
education we might do much more
than is being done at present to
prevent reckless child bearing.
+ 1nlS sermon G@IAGASAAA0 gasp
but response was ready.
Reply Is Ready.
The National Council Of Public
Morals issued a report on birth
control. crouched in frank terms.
The report was signed by the
Bishop of Winchester and other
notabies. The report said in part:
.'The use of artificial methods
ia a symptom Of the artificial char
ecter of our civilization, whereby
for large numbers of people a sim
nile. healthy, normal married life is
difficult, and in some cases all but
impossible. .h
control Of conception, considered In
i+seIf, and apart from the question
IF fine methods employed, Is medical
1v necessary and economically al
disable but in every case all the
should be weighed in
the LIGHT Of the best available ScIen'
tific and ethical COUNSEL
"The ideal method of birth con
troll is self control.
Bishop Cores Reply.
Bishop Cores views were frankly
expressed as follows:
II maintain that our Loro s words
describe the natural law, that is, the
DELIGHT of woman in the production
Of Offspring. and the willingsess to
bear the pain, which is the price
of It. because she remembereth no
more the anguish for the JOY that
a man is born into the world aid
T cannot resist the impression that
the whole movement is unnatural
in its intention and disastrous in
its<consequ ences II it were success
f(l, and so far 1t is successful
So the pro and con is discussed,
while the birth control movement
gains strength in Great Britain and
NAV soon become real political
issue before the House Of Commons.