Transcriber's Notes: The following Table of Contents has been addedfor the convenience of the reader.
A complete list of corrections as well as other notesfollows the text.
BY
PHILADELPHIA AND BOSTON:
Geo. Maclean.
NEW YORK: MACLEAN, GIBSON & CO.
1872.
Fathers and Brethren:
As the daughter and sister of nine ministers of Jesus Christ you willallow me to address you by those endeared names; and also because thereis an emergency that demands unusual measures.
This woman movement is one which is uniting by co-operatinginfluences, all the antagonisms that are warring on the family state.Spiritualism, free-love, free divorce, the vicious indulgencesconsequent on unregulated civilization, the worldliness which temptsmen and women to avoid large families, often by sinful methods,thus making the ignorant masses the chief supply of the future rulingmajorities; and most powerful of all, the feeble constitution and poorhealth of women, causing them to dread maternity as—what it is fastbecoming—an accumulation of mental and bodily tortures.
Add to this, that extreme fastidiousness which not only excludesneedful instruction from the pulpit, but makes mothers shrink fromlearning and teaching those dangers which their daughters most need toknow, and prevents medical men and even women physicians from utteringneedful warnings.
I once said to a lady physician with an enormous practice, in reply tosome of her statements, "why do you not call the mothers of this citytogether and tell them all this?" She replied "it is impossible—theywould not hear me—I should have to nail the doors and windows to keepthem—and if they did hear, they would not believe."
It is the women teachers of our common schools who must be instructedto become lecturers on health in all our school districts and teachmothers how to instruct children in all the laws of health and thedreadful penalties which in certain directions are but little known andnow threaten the ruin of the rising generation. There is no duty moredifficult than this; for it is one which if done properly saves fromdanger, and if improperly leads to it.
If the clergy of this nation will give their powerful influence topromote the aims of this work in modes they will more wisely devisethan I can suggest, success will be ensured; and to them I appeal (as Iused to do