They Shall Know Themselves Into Oni 
 
 The writer of this book has received many expressions of 
 approval from men and women of all ages and occupations ; 
 all sincere and helpful in sustaining her courage to continue 
 the line of thought on and up. This she expects to do, 
 strengthening both positive and negative positions, in an- 
 other edition. 
 
 [Excerpts from expressed approval.] 
 
 "I congratulate you heartily on having something to say, 
 and saying it well." 
 
 "Perhaps some day we may be able to live on the heights 
 in the spirit in which it is written." 
 
 "Thank you for your remarkable little book. You have 
 said many true things, and said them well." 
 
 "My son thinks you have written a wonderful little book, 
 and has taken it away with him." 
 
 "I am glad you do not think all men are evil. I do feel 
 that both men and women have much to learn and put in 
 practice along the lines of pure living." 
 
 "Things that do not affect me personally are apt to be too 
 little thought of by me." 
 
 "Persuading people to strive for such ideals is like setting 
 their faces toward the rising sun." 
 
 "Your style is vivid and compelling, and your argu- 
 ments unanswerable; remarkably strong and brilliant." "I 
 am convinced that the ballot is only the A. B. C. of the 
 woman's movement." 
 
 "We appreciate to some extent the great labor that has 
 gone into the making of it." 
 
 "In the course of time this book is going to be read more 
 and more." 
 
 "It held my attention from cover to cover." 
 
 "A most instructive and beautiful lesson for all to fol- 
 low. Thanking you again for the book." 
 
 "I wish I could make many of your views-laws-that 
 could not be broken." 
 
 "I am glad you had the ability and courage, of which I 
 realize it has taken much." 
 
 "May you have strength to go on with the good work." 
 
 "Many women and men will be glad to read this book." 
 
GIFT OF 
 S. W. Kerns 
 
s 
 
TAKING "FORTH THE 
 PRECIOUS FROM 
 
 THE VILE"-Jer. XV, 19 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 
 They Shall Know Themselves 
 Into One'/ 
 
 Revised and Enlarged 
 
 A Study in Higher Mental Hygiene, Correlating 
 
 Biology, Science, Philosophy 
 
 and Religion 
 
 BY 
 
 JESSIE THOMAS KNAPP 
 i 
 
 GEORGE BANTA PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 MENASHA, WISCONSIN 
 
Copyright, 1914 
 
 Copyright, 1920 
 
 By Jessie Thomas Knapp 
 
 * 60, 
 
'They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 The following is the result of 
 twenty-five years' research work, 
 study, travel, and observation in many 
 lands. 
 
 While radical it is constructive, not 
 iconoclastic. In the latter direction 
 we have had a flood not wholly bad, 
 which it is difficult to, but imperative 
 that we should, stem and control, and 
 for which this book is an antidote. 
 
 It is not an attack on personalities 
 but on conditions. 
 
 Atrocities being committed, notably 
 in at least four countries now (1918), 
 as well as in all countries all the time, 
 point the moral, even though they do 
 not adorn the tale. 
 
 It was not written for pleasure or 
 profit. Those who are happily situated 
 owe something to those who are not. 
 Therein lies the reason for this writ- 
 ing. Whoever does not agree with 
 positions taken must meet wiser minds 
 than mine. 
 
 It is not that the writer loves man 
 the less but woman more. 
 
 " 'I am half-sick of shadows/ said 
 the Lady of Shalott." 
 
 M114505 
 
"THEY SHALL KNOW 
 THEMSELVES INTO ONE" 
 
 A study in higher mental hygiene. 
 Correlating Biology, Science, Philosophy, and Religion 
 
 "Sometime in the search for Ideals (in answer to the 
 cry of women Why do we suffer so, why are we so 
 sad?) a woman will reveal a new truth which will establish 
 the whole relation of man and woman on a surer ground 
 of mutual happiness." 
 
 Hawthorne. 
 
 "'Peace on earth, Good will' to Women and Children, 
 as well as 'to Men'" 
 
 vii 
 
DEDICATED 
 
 TO the Archangel (by comparison) 
 my especial tyrant, who with a 
 practical good sense of justice 
 and of real values; by ready assistance 
 and sympathy and by removing all 
 obstacles (when possible) has helped and 
 left me free to be myself, to see from my 
 "separate star" things as they really are, 
 and to make my plea ; and to those friends 
 who through earnest interest have helped 
 to lighten the burden of misunderstand- 
 ing ; which will sometime be understand- 
 ing. 
 
THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD, IF 
 
 THOU TAKE FORTH THE PRECIOUS 
 
 FROM THE VILE, THOU SHALT BE 
 
 AS MY MOUTH." Jer. xv, 19 
 
Ruskin says: "To see a thing and tell it in plain words 
 is the greatest thing a soul can do." 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 LOOKING about on human conditions many are 
 beginning to discern that something has gone very 
 wrong, and to wonder what it is and why; and 
 to ask how it can be righted; as we know it should and 
 can be. Have we in America and England been posing 
 as Angels and ministers of Freedom, Light, and Right- 
 eousness, while allowing all sorts of corruption to run 
 rampant in our midst, even as Nietzsche (and others) 
 assert. May we justly be called hypocrites and whited 
 sepulchres exponents of camouflage? Have we had 
 our opportunity and been found wanting? What is com- 
 ing to us in reprisal? The continental countries are 
 perhaps not so blameworthy, as their opportunity and 
 light were less than ours; they made no claim to be 
 leaders in philanthropy. Abraham Flexner reports 
 truly: "Europe has been a man's world managed by 
 men, and largely for men, for cynical men at that 
 men inured to the sight of human inequalities, callous 
 to the value of lower class life, and distinctly lacking 
 in respect for womanhood, especially that of the work- 
 ing classes." 
 
 See Appendix O for the Alpha and Omega. 
 
 Are we all to be dominated by the brute, material Hun 
 nature as we have allowed our helpless, physically weak 
 and poor to be dominated and exploited by capital and 
 vice ; by "malefactors of great wealth," and by politicians 
 who are traitors ; as we have ; we know and acknowledge 
 it. We have worshipped and are now worshipping what 
 we call success, and it may be that we are to see what a 
 sort of success, which is really failure, means; even 
 
 Xlll 
 
Preface 
 
 as we have been merciless and callous to the cry of 
 misery and ignorance in our midst. 
 
 Our Public Schools, which with universal training, 
 should have been our bulwark, have been neglected. 
 Many of the children are unprovided for, and many of 
 those who are in school are underfed and so poorly 
 nourished that they are not capable of learning; proper 
 Bible teaching* and prayer is ignored in most instances. 
 Their teachers, willing and devoted, are overworked, over- 
 managed, and underpaid, while we as a nation were paying 
 super-royal salaries to actresses and actors (most of 
 whom do no more than to "amuse" the childish and 
 unformed mind, at the same time perverting them dis- 
 astrously) ;f acquiring large incomes (up to five millions 
 or more) within sight and hearing of the greatest misery 
 and want; Jbuilding $10,000,000 warships, which are now 
 
 * A heritage to which children have a right and of which they 
 should not be defrauded. The saying of the Lord's Prayer in 
 unison, or even a few verses from one of the Psalms; on which 
 all churches agree ; and which have been of so much help to past 
 generations, could not possibly harm the children, but would give 
 a high moral tone to their thoughts through the day and through 
 their lives. A child whose spiritual nature is neglected starts 
 with more of a handicap than one whose mental or physical 
 nature is neglected. We have the three fold nature and it is no 
 more reasonable to starve one of these than dither of the 
 others. No one is prepared to read intelligently whose Bible 
 education has been omitted. The mental discipline is fine, and 
 beside nearly all "literature" is permeated with it through ref- 
 erence and quotation. I believe the present sad situation with 
 war, pestilence and famine stalking abroad in the world, is in a 
 large measure due to our materialistic attitude toward that 
 which has sustained the people in all Christian (and that includes 
 all history making) nations of the past, remembering that the 
 Christ (or Truth), from which the word Christian is derived, 
 antedated Abraham. 
 
 f The fine women whom we expect and trust to teach our chil- 
 dren are paid on an average $10.00 per week in these times of 
 high prices ; while actresses are credited with possessing 50 hats, 
 So pairs of shoes (and other things in proportion) at one time. 
 
 $ See Appendix K. 
 
 xiv 
 
Preface 
 
 practically useless ; using over three- fourths of our income 
 for war purposes in time of peace. When war came upon 
 us we were, naturally, utterly unprepared, and still we 
 are holding back as many women as possible from help- 
 ing to solve the problem, which now seems to have no 
 immediate solution even though we may, with the Pan- 
 gloss type of optimism still say, it will do us good or 
 "cheer up, the worst is yet to come." Whatever ails us do 
 you suppose ? 
 
 Thomas Jefferson, who was the apostle of public 
 .schools also, said over one hundred years ago that 
 only through universal training for our young men could 
 we be at all safe or in a position to dictate and enforce 
 peace, and win respect. All this training we suppose to 
 be favorable to growth in democratic ideals, and to be 
 beneficial physically as well as morally and intellectually, 
 if proper environment is secured, as it needed no prophet 
 to tell us should be the case. Prophets we have had but 
 evidently as nations, we have lacked vision ; we have been 
 utterly material, and even though our materalism is of a 
 higher type, that is not enough ; there is something beyond 
 that, which is necessary. Instead of statesmen and 
 patriots we have often allowed after-dinner orators, poli- 
 ticians, and even traitors to dominate and lead us. Oh! 
 fools and slow of heart, is there yet time to redeem our 
 place? God grant there may be. Are we now a people 
 who "will not listen to sound doctrine"? Do we say: 
 "prophesy unto us pleasant things" otherwise we will not 
 listen. Must it be said of us "Israel will not consider; 
 my people will not consider," "Thou that stonest the 
 prophets and killest them that are sent unto thee, how 
 often would I have gathered you and you would not, and 
 now your house is left unto you desolate." 
 
 XV 
 
Preface 
 
 These expressions may sound caustic because we are 
 so accustomed to smooth phrases which do not especially 
 arouse us. Listen to the words of St. Paul : "AWAKE 
 thou that SLEEPEST," spoken so long ago and so little 
 heeded yet. We are only just aroused and rubbing our 
 eyes now. Let us this time not turn over and go to 
 sleep again this means each one of us. We have been 
 on the wrong track, or the world would not be in the 
 condition we now see it. History tells us that this old 
 world has rarely been at peace, only 221 years (the exact 
 estimate given) has it been free from war somewhere;* 
 notably the year of our Saviour's birth was a year of 
 peace. 
 
 It is to be hoped that this present lesson, which is 
 the (un) natural and (un) necessary outcome of previous 
 wrongs, will have the effect of giving men enough of war, 
 and of jarring them out of their evident fondness for 
 and interest in it. It is very expensive morally, financially, 
 and humanly at best especially so to women and children 
 who are helpless in its wake; and in all ways. But men 
 seem to need an extreme lesson; may it waken them 
 from their dream of material competition and show them 
 practically that cooperation is the only way for progress. 
 
 Small boys are taught to fight and applauded for doing 
 so by men (and women under their influence) ; they are 
 told to "fight with their fists and not with their mouths/' 
 
 * And from this irrational and impossible premise, men can 
 only draw the conclusion that war is the natural state of humanity. 
 "Great nations are born in war and die in peace," and this is 
 called reasoning think of it! If they are born in war (which 
 they are not but in ideals) if they do die in peace, it is because of 
 the "passions of men," as all know; and this idea has been well 
 expressed by leaders of thought from the beginning of time ; 
 but it is not quoted with approval by the, materially minded leaders 
 of mortal man, even at this late day the pity of it. 
 
 xvi 
 
Preface 
 
 which sounds well, but is not really good sense, I confess 
 I do not know what to make of it, but it must be wrong; 
 all strife should be referred to the mental tribunal ; we 
 should be "too proud to fight," and mind should be able 
 to control the body. The command "Thou shalt not 
 kill" is just as compelling as any of the others. Our foes 
 appear to be of our own household. We can control 
 the Boches, perhaps, more easily than our own actions. 
 
 As if we were impervious even yet to warning peals 
 which should waken the slumbering thought ; one is more 
 than merely startled to be made aware that another and 
 positively horrifying object lesson is being staged before 
 us in Russia at the moment of writing in regard to the so- 
 called "Nationalizing of the Women" of that unhappy 
 country. (Not a new thing by any means, as a war mea- 
 sure in Germany of the present and past.) A Y. M. C. A. 
 worker who was in Petrograd for a time under the Bolshe- 
 vik terror, wrote home that the women were so much su- 
 perior to the men that he could see no reason why they 
 should not vote, but that the reason why the men should 
 vote was not so evident. Another has recently written 
 from France : "The peasant women here are much more 
 intelligent than their men." These statements will be 
 found to bear investigation and to be borne out by facts ; 
 and they make one speculate at least, why these women 
 have been kept in such subjection, and feel that the cause 
 of the present situation may easily be found in this very 
 state of affairs. 
 
 Think what the decree above spoken of means to those 
 fine, intelligent Russian women; no redress of any kind 
 is possible ; a woman who resists or a man trying to de- 
 fend his family, is shot or imprisoned. Can we not see 
 that an act which can be made to force or serve such a 
 
Preface 
 
 fiendish purpose anywhere must be dealt with as a poison 
 adder would be dealt with, and individual cases which to 
 our shame be it said are numerous in our own country, 
 should cease to be. Had we as a nation stood where we 
 should, as an example of Tightness in this and other direc- 
 tions, notably the proper control of capital, this whole sit- 
 uation in Russia would never have come to pass. The 
 Russian peasants are given a most unusual form of educa- 
 tion. Advanced ideas are condensed by the Intelligentsia 
 (or teaching class) and are given them orally by the small 
 proportion who can read or write and so they get the 
 highest ideals free from chaff, but without the so-called 
 practical steps through which they are to be attained, 
 which leaves them in a visionary state, up in the air as 
 it were, and they are idealists pure and simple. They 
 have wisely said that they would as soon be ruled by a 
 Czar as by unregulated capital, by which they thought they 
 found we were ruled. They looked to us for example 
 and bitterly sad as it is to acknowledge it we have failed 
 them in all directions though the want of proper guid- 
 ance for ourselves ; which we have lacked in the 
 last ten years. Let us wake up and change our methods 
 or the outcome may be tragic beyond our wildest dreams. 
 The question is not do we like to face this, but must we 
 do so; is it true? Many people seem actually dazed in 
 view of the situation, and to be incapable of action of any 
 sort. We may yet have to "call on the rocks to fall on 
 and cover us/' as have multitudes of poor creatures in the 
 war devasted lands. 
 
 The world seems full of people of the "Dr. Pangloss" 
 type who consider it a virtue to "keep smiling" in the face 
 of even the most terrific personal calamities. The keen 
 mind of Voltaire saw and placed before us in his 
 
 xviii 
 
Preface 
 
 "Candida" all the horrors of war; and there are few 
 people at this time who do not comprehend what that 
 means. These atrocities are a part of war, and always 
 have been. It is no worse now than it has been in the 
 past, only it is more colossal and concentrated, and we 
 have modern means of learning in regard to it. Yet, 
 the majority of people still rise up and repeat parrot 
 like with Voltaire's Dr. Pangloss : "This best of all pos- 
 sible worlds"; in other words "it is a good thing for 
 us"; "the world will be better for it," etc., etc. If such 
 people lived in any of the war devastated districts they 
 might not be able to find much comfort in such a Self-ish 
 view. In one instance alone we were told that "The cries 
 of the Italian women and children in the hands of the 
 Huns could be heard across the Piave." One who has the 
 hearing ear (of mind) could hear them right here; and 
 morever they could hear such cries as the result of just 
 such brutalities within a stone's throw from them in any of 
 our great cities, in numbers, during the year. The war 
 atrocities are only a colossal object lesson which is given 
 us because we are still children in practical good, and in 
 need of such lessons. The pity of it. We are "miserable 
 sinners" indeed, that is, we are "miserably mistaken." Let 
 us rectify our mistakes and no longer comfortably affirm 
 them and be satisfied with that. 
 
 Carlyle's illustration of the fifty young Frenchmen 
 whose parents have, through sacrifice, raised them to 
 hopeful young manhood, who are taken and trained and 
 fed by their government; the same number of young 
 Germans meet a like fate; they are then all taken o 
 some other place and set to kill or maim each other, and 
 ravish the people and lands about them places war 
 
Preface 
 
 before us in all its grim reality and futility.* Time and 
 again it has all been pointed out to us, and someone 
 has been sinning against light or we would have known 
 better long ago. Spiritual wickedness in "high places" 
 most be at the bottom of it, and that condition is not 
 past in our country right now. Let us face the fact, 
 and not deceive ourselves longer in this vital matter. 
 This is not "the best of all possible worlds," as it now 
 stands. War is not the only method of settling national 
 affairs. Justice in action and reaction is all that is needed ; 
 when that is clearly seen, and fearlessly faced and stated, 
 we will be in a position to improve conditions. Justice 
 to women should come first and at once, and through 
 that will come justice to children, and then to the world 
 at large. It took the Civil War to open our colleges to 
 women, and votes with half way justice to women have 
 waited for the present situation ; why do we wait for such 
 lessons ? 
 
 "I tremble when I see what Civic Government has come 
 to without the aid of woman." 
 
 This statement was made by that highly spiritual man, 
 Bishop Phillips Brooks, many years ago, to Alice Free- 
 man Palmer and her husband, Professor Palmer of 
 Harvard, all ardent suffragists of the most (according to 
 the Antis) "stubborn" type. We can but wonder what 
 he would say were he here now probably I told you so.f 
 
 * See Appendix A, page 197. 
 
 t It is now asked why did not the intellectuals warn us of what 
 was coming. The quotation given will help to prove that they 
 did foresee and forewarn, but the people would not listen. 
 On the other hand a very noted English divine, in a recent 
 sermon, calls this present war "God's Cup," and asks "Shall we 
 
 xx 
 
Preface 
 
 It is reasonable to suppose that had women been given 
 any voice in affairs in England or on the continent in times 
 past this war would never have occurred ; and the Phara- 
 ohs who "would not let them go," would not be mourning ; 
 not only for their first born, but for nearly all their sons, 
 as they are now called on to do. It looks as if providence 
 was taking a hand with mortal men, calling attention to 
 their unfair and untr.ue estimate of woman ; by removing 
 them out of the way as obstructions to progress in certain 
 directions ; the time for patient waiting for them to turn 
 themselves to the right attitude having been passed. His- 
 tory proves to us that it has been a long and weary jour- 
 ney with plenty of time given for understanding and 
 repentance. The end of the era seems to have arrived, 
 and those who are not ready for progress, as they should 
 be by now, it may be must go under. Is the history of the 
 Israelites to be repeated, and no men over 20, at the 
 present time, be allowed to go into the "Promised Land," 
 because they are so deeply imbued with the false, material, 
 "Egyptian" thought. 
 
 I am far from deprecating the wonderful mechanical 
 work of man's hand and brain; I stand almost awe struck 
 before it at times, but is it not true that much, perhaps 
 all of it is in vain, a touch from so called nature, an 
 earthquake, a cyclone, or one of these very inventions and 
 in a moment these vast systems or beautiful things are 
 in ruins, are useless or worse even including in their turn 
 the loss of human life with attendant suffering, of which 
 this war gives us a terrific and vivid object lesson. 
 
 not drink it?" Why, it is not God's cup; but the CUD of our own 
 willfulness. Why should we want, or dare to blame God for it 
 and call our attitude Christlike? 
 
Preface 
 
 Great nations are conceived and born in ideals, not in 
 war. The Revolutionary War was caused by foreigners 
 trying to dominate us (with the same motives and means, 
 as far as possible) just as is the present war. We fought 
 then for our ideals as well as for our lives, just as we 
 are now doing. Our nation was already born and was 
 in its infancy; as now it is in its childhood, apparently, 
 and must be protected from the marauders from within 
 and without now as then, that we may hopefully look 
 forward to an improved adult condition in the future. 
 
 The great problem which confronts this age is not a 
 new one by any means; philosophers of all times have 
 struggled with it. Perhaps we in this age and country are 
 nearer the solution than we know ; I think we are ; as the 
 correct ideal is certainly liberated, it only remains for us 
 to see it generally accepted ; then our main struggle will 
 be over and the millenium (which is already in sight for 
 those who have followed the star) at hand. We find St. 
 Augustine of old, wrestling valiantly but inconclusively 
 with it; the problem of reconciling the idea of a good God 
 who is all powerful and who is Love with manifestations 
 of earthquake, war, pestilence, famine, arson, etc., with 
 attendant suffering and loss in character to the partici- 
 pants ; attempting the impossible. The illogical solutions 
 fill whole libraries of books which are soon to become 
 worthless. 
 
 One way out of the difficulty is to say : Suffering softens 
 and refines ! But does it by any means always ? Does it 
 not oftener make people rebellious, fretful, and useless? 
 We must know the truth of God's allness, and the conse- 
 quent nothingness of evil (Good's opposite) we must 
 know for an illusion which Jesus condemned unspar- 
 
 xxn 
 
Preface 
 
 ingly, saying: "Ye are of your father, the devil, he is a 
 liar from the beginning, and the truth is not in it." At 
 last analysis a lie is only an illusion. Evil is called "that 
 old deceiver which deceiveth the whole world." "The 
 deceiver of our brethren is cast down." In Revelation 
 the serpent (presumably the one which entered Eden) 
 is said later to have become a great red dragon swollen 
 with wrath, against which the Angels warred; and his 
 place was no more fdund in Heaven. The nature and fate 
 of illusion is here indicated. We must know the truth 
 in order to be free, as Jesus said. This war is not against 
 persons but against spiritual wickedness in high places, 
 and is mental ; a tidal wave in the constant human battle 
 between good and evil. The enemies to be overcome and 
 trampled under foot are in our own and in the con- 
 sciousness of others. We must censor our thoughts, 
 and if we hold the right line in thought, the line in France 
 will hold, never fear. 
 
 God is not in or connected with the whirlwind or 
 tempest* or war. We need not, and should not look for 
 him there, but in the still small voice of conscience. The 
 Doxology says : "Praise God from whom all blessings 
 flow." Verses I, 2, and 4 of 92nd Psalm, express our 
 proper attitude : "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the 
 Lord, to sing praises unto Thy name Oh, Thou most 
 highest : to tell of thy loving kindness early in the morning 
 and of thy truth in the night season. For thou Lord hast 
 made me glad through thy works ; I will rejoice in giving 
 praise for the operations of thy hands." (God is the only 
 operator, and the operation is always successful.) We 
 should not say that God gives us good part of the time, 
 and the rest of the time sends us suffering and sadness, 
 
 * i Kings XIX 10-12. 
 
 xxiii 
 
Preface 
 
 which is not good, is not of the nature of Good or God 
 at all, and from which we rightly make every effort to 
 escape. 
 
 It is recorded that in all that Job suffered he "charged 
 not God foolishly" ; he said all the time that it was unrea- 
 sonable to suppose that God caused him to suffer, when he 
 had always tried to do right. Job was trusting in his own 
 righteousness ; he had to learn that "through grace are ye 
 saved." He evidently learned and demonstrated one 
 God, Good, and then all things were restored to him. 
 Job seems to have been the only Old Testament character 
 recorded as having attained this truth, which Jesus so 
 clearly manifested later in time, and which is again being 
 discerned at the present time. We must all learn to 
 stop charging God foolishly, as we do when we call dis- 
 aster and suffering "visitations of God," or "dispensations 
 of providence" ; they are anything but that as all will ac- 
 knowledge.* 
 
 We cannot really thank anyone for making us suffer. 
 Thoreau rightly calls such seeming resignation "despera- 
 tion." Surely God does not want us to be hypocrites. 
 We do not praise God for His benefit, but to formulate 
 our understanding of goodness. We do not pray to 
 change God's plans, but in order that we may consider 
 seriously, and know definitely what we really want; 
 formulate the idea and earnestly work with God's help 
 toward its consummation. "More things are wrought by 
 prayer than this world dreams of." 
 
 * Lewes records that at the time of the Lisbon earthquake, 
 Goethe, who was then six years old, heard it discussed on all 
 sides. On coming home from church one day he said to his 
 father : "Why, it may be a much simpler matter than the clergy- 
 man thinks ; God knows very well that an immortal soul can re- 
 ceive no injury from a mortal accident." "Out of the mouth of 
 babes hast thou perfected strength." 
 
 xxiv 
 
Preface 
 
 A small friend of the writer after being taught in a 
 Sunday School some of the things hard to be understood, 
 said judicially: "Well, if God wants us good why don't 
 he make us good?" Children are apt to be logical until 
 their ideas are perverted by grown people who have been 
 stuffed with the illogical, and have never been required 
 or allowed, to think for themselves. Is not the whole 
 universe seen to be God's body ? As you will only good, 
 to your body, to every part equally, so God wills good 
 to his body, to every part equally (your body included) ; 
 and as God is all powerful, what He wills to do, he does. 
 We must connect ourselves with God, the central energy 
 and light, (of understanding, mentally through "know- 
 ing the Truth") in order to manifest it; even as the 
 electric bulb can only manifest its light by being con- 
 nected with the central energy, through its wire. 
 
 Keen French writers observe that we "are a religious 
 people," because they say "you cannot find Americans 
 who will ridicule the Bible or Religion." If we can only 
 hold to that position and to our natural, high, moral 
 "Puritan" ideas, which foreigners are attempting to per- 
 vert,, we can save the day for all humanity. I make this 
 statement without fear of successful contradiction. 
 
 The Jews claim to be "The chosen people." Roman 
 Catholics, who branched out from them, claim to be "The 
 Church." Episcopalians, who branched from the Roman 
 Catholics, claim to be "The Church." Later sects 
 branched off in the line of progress, and are a trifle more 
 liberal; one of their leaders said "God has more light to 
 break out from His Church." Now all these denomina- 
 tions are being drawn toward unity, or scientific Christi- 
 anity. Each step forward bringing increased spirituality ; 
 and getting nearer to the practical realization of the 
 
 XXV 
 
Preface 
 
 Christ (or Truth), and that means they are getting nearer 
 the Truth, which Jesus lived and taught. 
 
 A "League of Nations" or "Peace Treaty," which 
 nowhere verbally recognizes God nor woman, is not 
 likely to get very far toward righting wrong conditions 
 and is not wholly an Anglo-saxon instrument, surely; 
 but shows clearly, pagan influence, if not domination. 
 The Shantung clause alone proves it to be unGodly. 
 Probably that is the reason its ratification is being so 
 otherwise unaccountably, delayed. The higher sentiment 
 in America is being used through Divine guidance as a 
 deterrent. 
 
 "Whatever is is right" is a scientific statement of a 
 fact of first magnitude, though at present it is being 
 questioned by some, even as truth. Evil is not a reality 
 (it has no source, how can it be real) it is an illusion. 
 Whatever appears as evil is not real, God (good) never 
 made it, it does not exist. Whatever is must be real, and 
 it must be right. 
 
 Said a friend to me one day : It must be interesting to 
 believe a thing so entirely. I said: I do not think the 
 word "believe" applies ; humanly speaking, I have proved 
 it,, therefore I know, and it is a scientific fact not a belief. 
 You might believe two plus two equals five, but you could 
 not know it, because you could not prove it; you know 
 that two plus two equals four because it can be proven; 
 and because it can be proven it is a scientific fact. 
 
 XXVI 
 
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER 
 
 TO 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 OF 
 
 "THEY SHALL KNOW THEMSELVES 
 INTO ONE" 
 
 THE first edition of this book was intended and 
 published for private distribution. I have only 
 aimed to get it to thinkers, knowing that through 
 them the idea will sift down to those who really need 
 it. Having attempted to correlate some of the "garnered 
 wisdom of the ages" and make it practical, I wished to 
 establish thought centers through which a way may be 
 prepared to bring an enlarged edition to the attention of 
 the general reading public. Each position could be easily 
 strengthened, but that would be only to multiply words. 
 An unfair and untrained mind would not allow itself 
 to be convinced against its will anyway. Ay, there's the 
 rub, against its will ; and women are by no means the only 
 ones who thus offend either, though the old adage infers 
 that they are. 
 
 We must cease to work with and consider effects as 
 primary, and the cause secondary. It is plainly to be 
 seen that there is no other right process. Unless the 
 wrong cause is removed we may go on for a time but the 
 result (effect) is bound to be disastrous, and I think 
 there is no more time to lose as apparently disaster looms 
 not far ahead of us now, in the old way. 
 
.Introductory 
 
 v '! ; this 'connection we should consider the following 
 facts : 
 
 A noted expert in certain lines is publicly and with- 
 out contradiction quoted as saying: "Love is the assas- 
 sin of American youth" ; he evidently meant lust. 
 
 Fifty per cent of our High School boys are said to be 
 affected. If true this is a very serious matter. 
 
 Any interested observer must have looked forward to 
 Judge Ben Lindsey's article (which appeared in a noted 
 daily paper) on the troubles of the many high school girls 
 of all classes who came to him for help in their time of 
 distress ; with hope of some helpful solution. He speaks 
 from personal knowledge of "the custom" among 
 school girls and boys as being an every day affair, and 
 says the country needs not only to be improved and 
 helped but it needs to be saved. His only solution seems 
 to be the soulless, mechanical, unmoral one of the Huns, 
 to whom he says we must look for guidance on this very 
 important subject! Surely these unmarried mothers, and 
 their children must be cared for tenderly; but does he 
 or anyone think that the future which depends on illegiti- 
 mate and homeless children looks very hopeful? Does 
 any one think those young women, even though mothers, 
 are ever going to be very helpful towards bettering condi- 
 tions when we have taken away barrier after barrier from 
 before their fortress of safety (leaving the men in the 
 case to go free as they do). Can they then be depended 
 on, generally, to improve the country and save it? Surely 
 not. And America, thus becoming voluptuary, must it 
 not meet the fate of Babylon and other cities of antiquity 
 and modern times ? 
 
Introductory 
 
 Why not teach self-control in the right way before it 
 is everlastingly too late. Judge Lindsey and many others 
 apparently think and advocate that the way to "save" 
 the country is to allow the women the same measure 
 of license as the men now have, and thus remove the 
 "double standard" which they hold responsible for the 
 present deplorable situation an astounding conclusion 
 the practical application of which will produce only con- 
 fusion worse confounded. The way to accomplish desired 
 results will not be this plan but the reverse not to allow 
 women more license, but to bring the men to their standard 
 and thus do away with the destructive "double standard." 
 
 Is not prevention better than cure? Is it not better 
 to build fences at the top of the cliff rather than hospitals 
 at the base? Better to keep humanity from falling than 
 to try to build up the deceased and mangled bodies later? 
 Yes, you say, of course, of course, and then leave the 
 matter right where it is ; satisfied with having acknowl- 
 edged the fact we go on as usual. And our splendid Red 
 Cross, Y's and Salvation Army people, are forced to do 
 work which is as terrible in reality as it should be un- 
 necessary ; aside from the fact that their work is needed 
 in many local directions. All our institutions built up 
 for benefit and comfort seem to be crumbling, our land 
 marks to be swept away. Perhaps we may through this 
 begin to realize that "The earth and the fullness thereof" 
 does not belong to any one nation or person, but to the 
 Lord; and through reflection (in his, man's, character) 
 of good and immortality it belongs to "man in God's image 
 and likeness" (not sinning, dying [or mortal] man) ; and 
 with no reason or chance for contention or dispute. 
 
Introductory 
 
 It is a hopeful indication that the situation is far 
 enough uncovered so that we do see it, to some extent ; 
 still, it is also observed by leaders in other countries, 
 and we are accepted by them at our own valuation ; I 
 think there is no doubt that our present situation is due 
 to that fact. The Huns especially were astute enough 
 to observe in it a weakness in important matters, and so 
 were encouraged and led to think that they were ap- 
 pointed to correct our acknowledged shortcomings, as 
 well as those of the rest of the world ; not realizing that 
 their own mistakes were of a more deadly order than 
 those of the rest of the world. They had been so 
 sedulously overpraised by people who are in the lime- 
 light in all countries, that it is not surprising that they 
 had come to believe themselves a race of super men. It 
 is time we looked this situation in the face and set about 
 to correct it, unfess we wish the Huns to prove their 
 material contentions true. Only as we can practically 
 prove to them that we the Allies are of a higher order, 
 that we really have high ideals and are ready to stand 
 by them by practicing them instead of by mere preaching, 
 can we win the victory. 
 
 The time spoken of in the Bible has evidently come 
 when "There is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed, 
 or covered that shall not be known." The subject of a 
 proper birth control has rightly come up for judgment 
 and insistently demands consideration. The only safe, 
 reasonable, moral, and practical method for national 
 growth is through self-control, not through mechanical, 
 criminal, and dangerous devices, such as are sometimes 
 advocated even by well meaning people who wish to help 
 the submerged, and who see no other way. The serpent 
 
Introductory 
 
 of lust is at the bottom of it, and the phrase "cut it out" 
 reaches its climax of use or expression right here. Is it 
 not the "mark of the beast" I ask you. Anthony Corn- 
 stock, of sainted memory, said truly, when facing this 
 problem, "Why men and women are not brutes." 
 
 This book is far from being an attack on personalities, 
 but on conditions. It refers not to individuals but to 
 principles. If this c'an be kept in mind it will be enlighten- 
 ing (remembering that humanity's chief stumbling block 
 is in allowing personality to obscure truth or principle). 
 It certainly forms one and a very important part, of the 
 Red Cross and "Y" work, both for boys and girls, men 
 and women ; it is f oundational for all. 
 
 One often feels as if struggling to walk up stream 
 against a breast high, heavy, and sluggish current thank- 
 ful to be able to hold one's own and occasionally to take 
 a step in the desired direction. 
 
 From certain expressions in regard to my statements 
 I gather that some readers profess to think that I "Do 
 not believe in the family" and that I think that mortal 
 children can be produced by some transcendent method 
 which is not physical. I say no such thing, and only a 
 most superficial and false mind would find that in the 
 book. What I say is this, that the exercise of the so- 
 called sex function is not necessary to vitality, and its 
 indulgence except when Children are expected and 
 desired, is harmful, sinful, and improper. The best 
 authorities agree that these organs do not atrophy when 
 unused and the best physicians say that a man past forty 
 should guard it as his life; it should be conserved as 
 mental creative power, not wasted in ways harmful to 
 both mind and body ; and what I say is true, it cannot be 
 
Introductory 
 
 controverted. The ultimate, which is slightly touched 
 upon, is in another class. I do not believe that people 
 can read this book carefully and not feel more respect 
 for themselves and others and life generally. It comes 
 like a breath of fresh air to those who have been gasping 
 for it. One thankfully feels as if in a new and finer 
 atmosphere. 
 
 It takes a strong nature to rise above injustice, but if 
 the nature is strong enough it is a blessing in disguise, as 
 worldly popularity often causes its votaries to become 
 victims of dreamy self-satisfaction and through dissipa- 
 tion of time, energy, and means, they accomplish little 
 of lasting value. In Revelation the same Angel which 
 brings the vials of wrath points also the way to Heaven. 
 Whistler is quoted as saying: "The only insult the public 
 has not offered me is popularity." 
 
 As Goethe is said by George Lewes, to have done, so I 
 have "observed things from the heights and descended to 
 the valleys to verify them, afterward returning to the 
 heights" where I abide serenely. Readers are asked to 
 consider the text, not the personality or ideas of the 
 writer. If humanity had ever learned to do that thing 
 we would be much farther along on the upward path 
 than we now are. Those who think they do not agree 
 with the positions taken in this book must meet more 
 noted minds than the writer's, and should look to their 
 logic sharply. I begin to realize in a properly chastened 
 frame of mind, that it is a serious thing to write a book ; 
 and humanly speaking I feel about as comfortable as one 
 does who is taking the traditional bull by the horns. I 
 have had to screw my courage and patience to the sticking 
 point many times I can assure you in taking this excursion 
 
Introductory 
 
 out into uncharted seas and I ask your close sympathy 
 and cooperation in locating our exact position and future 
 direction. 
 
 It must be evident that no person would take pleasure 
 in bringing out such serious mistakes as seem to be un- 
 covered in this book. Such a stupid mistake it seems 
 doesn't it? The writer of this is human like the rest, 
 and is as sorry and mortified that such mistakes have 
 occurred as anyone can be. No one takes up such a line 
 for pleasure or material profit ; it is a hateful, thankless, 
 and ungracious task, but as the wounded soldier said to 
 his nurse : "Somebody has got to do it, Sister, and I must 
 get back to the firing line as quickly as possible." If 
 I kept still it seems that "the very stones would cry out." 
 The war in Europe is only a symbol of the mental war- 
 fare which is now in progress. This thing, which is a 
 human problem, not a sex question, must be settled and 
 the sooner it is done the better for all. Somebody has 
 got to do it Sister and Brother, even though the firing 
 line may not be such a very comfortable place. Also 
 we must be about the Father's and Mother's business. 
 It is one clear call for us to go up higher. 
 
 I feel that I have been on the firing line for, lo these 
 many years, and in publishing this book in 1914, I went 
 "over the top" into "No Man's Land." However, my 
 position is being well supported at the present time. 
 
 Secretary of the Navy Daniels, at a meeting of medical 
 men in Chicago, a bishop of the M. E. Church, just home 
 from France, and many others, assert plainly that the 
 only safety for our soldiers is in "absolute continence." 
 Dr. Kellogg, of the Battle Creek Sanitorium, well known 
 as a man of wide experience, said long ago: "A pure 
 
Introductory 
 
 moral life, even to absolute continence, is necessary to 
 health." Will you tell me how they are to make this 
 teaching effective, after the harm has already been done 
 to their thoughts. These efforts seem almost like covering 
 up the well after the harm is done. Certainly an ap- 
 palling situation confronts us. How long would we have 
 allowed these things to continue, except for the fact that 
 we now "need" the soldiers and feel that we must pro- 
 tect them. Do we realize at last what a terrible serpent 
 we have been nourishing, and must we not right about 
 face in the matter? Are not civilians, men, women, and 
 children, as well worth "protecting" as soldiers? 
 
 How are these terrible battalions of sinners (mistaken 
 ones) recruited? With boys and girls taken while 
 almost, or quite, children by men old enough to be their 
 fathers, and to know better, and exploited for money? 
 These fiends (aided often it is true by their own victims 
 who are helpless in their grasp) are allowed license and 
 protection in their orgies of crime, by politicians, as is 
 well known. Were Sodom and Gomorrah of old any 
 worse? Shall we wonder that destruction has come to 
 many already? Are we going to see the end of all flesh, 
 as the Bible says we should, except for the elect's sake 
 (whoever they may be). 
 
 Some of our statesmen grandiloquently say we must 
 make every place on the globe as safe for an American 
 as his own country. Think of it; are they not aware 
 that no man, woman, or child is safe for a moment. We 
 ask them "Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not 
 these things?" Is property generally at all protected 
 from thieves and arson? Are not our people being 
 murdered at our doors daily in increasing numbers (7,700 
 
 8 
 
Introductory 
 
 to 11,000 is estimated as the yearly toll) ? Are they not 
 starving, freezing, and being abused right about us, in the 
 midst of our prosperity? One cannot read the daily 
 papers and not know that all of these statements are 
 true; one would judge an American, except in war time 
 perhaps, to be safer anywhere else than in his own 
 country. Our theories may be right but what about our 
 practice, which is what counts. How about conditions 
 the last five years in Mexico, right at our doors. Reports 
 even, censored so that we may not know.* Where is our 
 boasted liberty? Does it mean anything that from 25 to 
 50 million people, soldiers and civilians, men, women, and 
 children, have been killed or hopelessly crippled for life 
 in the past four years, by war alone, while in the U. S. 
 one person is maimed or killed by avoidable accidents, 
 each minute; that people are being murdered and out- 
 raged at our doors in unbelievable numbers ; that 10% of 
 children born die before they are one year old, one-third 
 become later hopelessly abnormal, only one-third being 
 normal; all over the world suffering is rampant and 
 death is very busy. Now what I say is this: That it 
 would be much better to conserve already existing human 
 life than to reproduce it at such a cost of suffering, and 
 that self-control is the only safe birth control. Certainly 
 all will acknowledge that the point is well taken. Miss 
 Julia Lathrop of the Children's Bureau says : "That from 
 225 to 250 in every thousand of the children, who need- 
 lessly die, can be saved. The army which lost by death 
 one-third of its members would arouse the world to the 
 magnitude of its sacrifice, yet nearly one in three of the 
 infants of working mothers can be killed slowly and we 
 never turn a hair." Just consider what the mothering 
 alone means. 
 
 * See Appendix O, page 215. 
 
 9 
 
Introductory 
 
 In China the female children are killed off purposely 
 and regardlessly ; an effective measure toward keeping 
 down the population ; a man's form of race suicide. The 
 reasonable idea would be to have fewer children, and 
 preserve them; then lust, which is never reasonable, 
 would be obliged to retire to its proper obscurity. 
 
 In Holland where material birth control even, is taught 
 in clinics, the increase in population is greater than in 
 other countries, because the death rate is lower. Put 
 two and two together and draw your own conclusions. 
 
 Many seem only to sense the danger in certain wrong 
 conditions when those conditions incapacitate our men 
 from fighting to protect our lives (a cowardly position to 
 take). Coming into the war at so late a day we should 
 not claim to be in it for our ideals alone ; let us face the 
 truth in this matter, even at this late day. Such a terrific 
 way to learn an obvious fact, that the efficiency of the 
 race should be conserved in peace and for peaceful avoca- 
 tions. This should not have waited on force. 
 
 The serpent has been uncovered through various investi- 
 gations, but no one has heretofore publicly given a practi- 
 cal remedy or solution for the problem, except as set 
 forth in this book ; which is, of course, based on practical 
 and applied Christianity. Cheapening nostrums (which 
 is advocated and applied) to remedy disgraceful condi- 
 tions is not a solution but a step toward unknown depths 
 in the matter. Open polygamy as a remedy for "the 
 polygamous nature of the male" is shamelessly avowed 
 and advocated, and our younger people who have as yet 
 little philosophy, are helpless in the hands of these 
 teachers (?) (all under masculine domination) who ought 
 to know better and to be ashamed of themselves, whereas 
 
 10 
 
Introductory 
 
 they apparently glory in what should be their shame. I 
 do not for a moment doubt; in fact, I know, that the 
 better class of men are as shocked and disgusted by such 
 vagaries as anyone could well be. But "if my enemy 
 know me and I know him not I am defeated before I 
 go into the battle." We must band together and make 
 our protests vigorous and effective. 
 
 Dean Sumner agrees with the Pope and many other 
 noted men and women that the immodest and indecent 
 dress of a certain class of women (many of them other- 
 wise respectable) is at the bottom of much of the immor- 
 ality among men. It is clear to the careful thinker that 
 men have given women only one avenue to power, and 
 that there is an unseen but powerful force behind this 
 seeming condition. Let us place the responsibility where 
 it belongs. Of late some medical men come out and say 
 plainly that it should be encouraged as it is a lure (women 
 please take this notice of this) to men, and so helps to re- 
 populate the earth, which is always, and especially now, 
 being drained by war, pestilence and famine. That this 
 view causes morality to retire out of sight is not con- 
 sidered important by this class of men. The physical only 
 is important, and the women are only a means to an end 
 so no account is made of the tragedy which their lives 
 thus become. 
 
 High heeled shoes, ultra transparent waists and hose are 
 unhealthful, immoral and displeasing, and appeal only to 
 the lower natures of both sexes. Our "best women," the 
 world's reformers, do not wear them. It may be set down 
 as an axiom to be regarded that no woman who under- 
 stands her own interests wishes to attract man through 
 sensual means, through his lower nature. She is in a 
 
 ii 
 
Introductory 
 
 measure safe herself in public, for the men thus appealed 
 to may not so much as lay a finger on her in society, but 
 they are often moved to make themselves, and someone 
 else, suffer the consequences, while the real wrong doer 
 is the only one to go physically unscathed, unless she 
 catches cold. To go among them is to be reminded of 
 Harems, or worse. 
 
 Vulgar things admit of no defense 
 
 And "want of decency is want of sense." 
 
 In a general way women are said to lose health and 
 attractive appearance earlier than men; may it not well 
 be because they are and have been so unsuitably clad, to 
 say the least, from childhood. This phase should appeal 
 to all classes of women, even to those who close their 
 eyes to the moral danger, which is really the greater evil 
 of the two.* 
 
 In conspicuous advertisement pictures of the change 
 from automobiles to the opera, theater or ball, men are 
 shown as having on overcoats and hats completely and 
 
 * Close observation will show that through wrong views and 
 practice, love is killed and life spoiled. We will do well to look to 
 this, before we blame corsets and wrong customs in dress and 
 life, for the ills to which human flesh is thought to be heir. I 
 believe all will be found to have its root in immorality. We are 
 not normal and never can be while life and health are wasted. 
 The corset and its accessories, wrong dressing and living, are a 
 secondary sex manifestation; they are abnormal and necessarily 
 so, if they are to appeal to and attract abnormal persons. Once 
 we get into normal relations, these evils will all disappear before 
 the light of truth, and we will have the natural body artistically 
 arrayed. As long as women are suppressed and have only one 
 avenue open to power, they may be likely to use it and bring every 
 aid to strengthen it. Women are not responsible for this state of 
 affairs. 
 
 12 
 
Introductory 
 
 warmly clothed in uni-form, while the women are vari- 
 ously and gorgeously arrayed with their persons exposed 
 to the elements. Can the men be more modest or is it that 
 they know that women are not attracted but are shocked 
 at masculine nudity ; or are they afraid of results, or more 
 careful of health, or is it because as men they are more 
 independent? Perhaps something of each or all. One 
 writer says : "I don't know any more than you do, why 
 men dress this way,' unless of course it's to protect the 
 morals of women ; isn't it possible that men, like Mrs. , 
 believe the sight of human flesh is necessarily depraving, 
 and so they dress to reduce our temptations to a mini- 
 mum." I believe the latter inference to be correct. Men 
 often unconsciously know from personal experience what 
 is the result of such exposure, and that it often exacts 
 serious penalties, and women generally speaking do not 
 realize it to any extent. 
 
 The old serpent is attempting to start up in many places 
 now, knowing that his time is short. In none is he more 
 barefaced than in the advocacy of polygamy to meet the 
 masculine shortage in existing human conditions. On the 
 Continent its expediency is not questioned, and in En- 
 gland many noted people are advocating it without con- 
 sidering its practical application, I must think. 
 
 G. B. Shaw is quoted in our Literary Digest as saying 
 that there is no doubt that the soldiers at the front are 
 fighting to preserve "the child bearing woman" : that if 
 90% of the men were killed the race could still continue ; 
 but if 90% of the women were killed the end would be 
 near. The statement bears only one interpretation, with 
 the Huns as its prophet and exponent it would seem at 
 
 13 
 
Introductory 
 
 the present time as if we could scarcely do better than to 
 reverse their ideas and practice. 
 
 Openly without rebuke in accessible literature of a 
 certain accepted stamp,* we read "it seems probable to me 
 that virginity and chastity of women will come in time 
 to be less and less appreciated or desired. In this 
 particular as in many others, the French appear to be 
 leading civilization. The Anglo-Saxons will, of course, 
 demand definite instructions and for them the solution 
 has already been indicated/' To what does the writer 
 refer? He sneers at Puritan ideas of decency, which is 
 Americanism, and is the ideal to which we should cling 
 (along with our Constitution) and which we should give 
 out to a suffering world waiting and longing for it. 
 Neither the French nor the Huns are the people to whom 
 we should look for our ideals of mortality. (Study the 
 expressed sentiments of Thomas Jefferson on this sub- 
 ject.) 
 
 To a modern writer who feels with discouragement the 
 almost hopelessness of the situation, the scripture text 
 "They have Abraham and the Prophets, let them hear 
 them" often recurs; and the words from Jer. 19 "There- 
 fore thus saith the Lord, if thou take forth the precious 
 from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth" are needed to 
 strengthen the purpose to continue. There is so much 
 that is "precious" in connection with this subject, that it 
 would be a disastrous pity to have it lost in the vile ; and 
 so we must try to rescue the "precious" as soon as possible 
 lest it should soon be "too late," and our loss irreparable. 
 Let me assure you this is a very serious matter, and 
 should be attended to ; even though you individually may 
 
 *Of foreign origin. 
 
 14 
 
Introductory 
 
 not as yet see distinctly the rocks toward which we are 
 drifting, and which are very close at the present time. 
 
 All these conditions are encouraging and emboldening 
 the Mormons, whose articles and advertisements are ac- 
 cepted by many noted publications, thus in effect counte- 
 nancing their teachings. To such straits has the human 
 mind been carried in its effort to "multiply and replenish 
 the earth," with merely human, physical, and dying beings. 
 It is the same old serpent as in Eden of old, multiplied 
 beyond conception, and will bring something worse than 
 mere physical death (its logical outcome) in its train, 
 if not met with truth, and so with death to itself (falsity). 
 It is a boa constrictor in size compared with the serpent 
 alluded to. It is rearing its head in frightful manner and 
 hissing its lies hoping that this time humanity may not 
 escape at all. A noted Utah official says that "the Mor- 
 mons, encouraged by present day conditions, are working 
 more insidiously than ever," and close observers know this 
 to be true. The idea is certainly being considered and 
 advocated in this country, by shallow surface thinkers 
 who trim their sails to every breeze of notoriety. It may 
 be safely asserted that it will never go into effect in this 
 country; and why because the women are partially 
 enfranchised, with the result that a certain class of men 
 have long unconsciously feared and fought against, the 
 women are no longer unmoral sex slaves. 
 
 We read from the pen of a would-be wit an 
 (im)practical summing up of the Mormon doctrine, which 
 is absolute masculine selfishness without so much as an 
 attempt at an excuse or the consciousness of the need 
 of one. We read that "A Poet needs several wives, one 
 to do the cooking, one to do the washing, another to help 
 
 IS 
 
Introductory 
 
 round otherwise, one to earn the family living." Children 
 do not enter into this man's scheme at all, it seems ; they 
 would annoy him. He might have one extra wife whose 
 province it was to "bear and rear plenty of healthy chil- 
 dren/' or the others might make out to bear them, and they 
 could then be reared by the government; and he and 
 they would have fulfilled their duty. What sort of a poet 
 such a person would make does not enter into the ques- 
 tion, or how he would have liked to be brought up in a 
 community himself, with his individuality crushed or un- 
 developed. No, he thinks of nothing but Himself and 
 F-m-a-t-is s in j, as the funny colyums have it. How about 
 the woman who might want one husband to earn money, 
 and one to take her about, etc. Oh, She would be a 
 shamelessly selfish wretch ; but with the man it is entirely 
 different. 
 
 The home is said to be the safeguard of civilization. 
 What becomes of the home and of moral teaching if poly- 
 gamy is practiced ? What would be the character of the 
 children of such union? All experience and science 
 prove the outcome to be evil. 
 
 In a modern case (of really international fame) a 
 fifteen year old Spanish dancer married a super wealthy, 
 many wived, middle aged East Indian Maharajah. A 
 few years later in answer to a noted English woman's 
 coarse statement as to the practical benefits of polygamy 
 at the present stage of world events, and as to what 
 modern woman can beneficially learn from the harem; 
 the Maharanee writes : "It is not true what this woman 
 says : the harem does not give up its dark secrets to the 
 prying western stranger." She also says that "in India 
 the harem as an institution is dying out ; dying the death, 
 
 16 
 
Introductory 
 
 Many are well aware, and are working to the end that 
 the rate of infant mortality and avoidable accidents be 
 appreciably lowered. The way is already marked out ; let 
 us continue to walk in it to success. Certainly the Mother 
 help is needed in this crisis, in ballot and council. It has 
 been too long ignored. Let the silly Antis be awakened 
 forcibly. 
 
 Too often men speak of "manhood rights," in some 
 special direction, seemingly ignoring the fact that women 
 also have rights. Of late, too, other men have called 
 attention to the fact that the "exploitation of women and 
 children all over the world, formed one of the saddest 
 and most shameful pages of history."* 
 
 Our National stand on the liquor question is one evi- 
 dence of proper progress, for which we are thankful. It 
 is to be expected that a "sober" man will be better able 
 to keep his wits, and to do good work than a "drinking 
 man." So we as a sober nation will be better able to keep 
 our wits than nations addicted to liquor, Statesmen in all 
 countries observe this, and will endeavor to follow suit; 
 so our example can be trusted to have a widespread 
 result. The coming contest will be first of all a battle 
 of wits, and we will need every advantage to enable us to 
 keep our place among the natural leaders of nations. 
 
 * NOTE. When reading the fearful recital of childhood suffering 
 in these last years, it would seem as if anyone with common sense 
 must acknowledge "they had better never been born." A Viennese 
 man is quoted as saying in his misery : "Thank God my wife is 
 dead and I have no children." 
 
 The women and children certainly are the greatest sufferers; 
 it makes one heartsick that women should be asked or forced to 
 bear children under such circumstances, as they are! and why? 
 Self control seems to be called for, and should be the rule; then 
 these most excruciating things would not occur. Prohibition of 
 liquor should help to make life better worth living for a large 
 class of women and children. When children are acquitted by a 
 
 19 
 
Introductory 
 
 jury for shooting their own father who is abusing their mother and 
 the family generally, we know something is very wrong. These 
 drunkards should at least take someone of their own size and 
 character. That which makes brutal cowards and bullies out of 
 otherwise peaceful and harmless citizens, should be "tabu" to 
 everyone. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST EDITION 
 
 OF 
 
 'THEY SHALL KNOW 
 THEMSELVES INTO ONE" 
 REVISED AND ENLARGED 
 
 FEELING as I do, that these are valuable truths; 
 wishing to discuss them with friends, but being 
 of necessity limited to fragmentary discussion on 
 paper (and otherwise) ; having no peace of mind until 
 they were written out in more or less consecutive order, 
 I have taken my own wherever found, and omitted no 
 ray of light which can be brought to bear. I may appear 
 to desire to elevate woman at the expense of man and 
 make her out a superior being. Such has not been my 
 thought far from it ; an impartial reading will prove this 
 to be true. In the light of the past and by contrast, the 
 pendulum may appear to swing a little too far, but I 
 do not think it really does. 
 
 I have never seen that man needed defense, except, 
 perhaps, against himself. My sympathy is always with 
 the one who is at a disadvantage. Is not woman under 
 present conditions naturally that, and is not this a reason 
 why she should be at least justly dealt with? Nor has 
 her condition been ameliorated by the attitude of man 
 toward her. His blindness is probably the measure of his 
 wrongdoing. He needs only to see, in order that he may 
 right himself. Not that man, individually, is deliberately 
 and purposely unkind to and thoughtless of woman; but 
 is not his attitude (for which we are now paying) almost 
 
 21 
 
Introductory 
 
 always of a patronizing, superior, "Love is of man's life 
 a thing apart, 'tis woman's whole existence," sort? 
 
 We are all familiar with these lines, so often quoted 
 as showing the pathos and limitation of woman's life; 
 but let us look at it: the reasoning seems faulty. As 
 love is the highest and best of which we know, the state 
 of mind we are striving to attain and to which we must 
 attain ere conditions be perfect, it is probably a correct 
 statement, and decidedly creditable to woman; anything 
 but pathetic, a limitation. The so-called life of which 
 love is "a thing apart" is incomplete ; it must be in time 
 the "whole existence" of every human being. God is 
 Love. According to the poet, woman has already attained. 
 
 If the time ever comes when man needs defense, he 
 will surely get it. It is difficult to say these things and 
 at the same time avoid an appearance of pertness ; which 
 is far from my intention. I have looked at it, not from 
 a woman's or man's standpoint, but fairly, from the stand- 
 point of a human being. 
 
 No one thinks of using electricity or steam without 
 first learning the laws by which they are governed, other- 
 wise the result would prove disastrous. "Thought" and 
 "life" are more potent and powerful forces than either 
 of these; then, as we must use both, are we not wisest 
 when we try to learn the laws governing them ? To use 
 them without is to invite worse disaster than in the case 
 of steam or electricity. Certain laws were brought into 
 use in the construction of huts for our primitive ancestors ; 
 a better knowledge of the same laws would build a Con- 
 gressional Library, or a Parthenon. The idea is perfect, 
 and, in its manifestation, is to be perfected. To that end 
 is our effort toward a better understanding of the law. 
 
 22 
 
Introductory 
 
 We do not know as yet what even a perfect earthly house 
 is, nor a perfect home, father, mother, or child. We work 
 toward a knowledge and a manifestation of them, as of 
 all things. At best, our idea is finite what if we attempt 
 to carry it to infinity ! 
 
 Unconsciously, the reasoning has been from cause to 
 effect, which is unusual, though the only satisfactory and 
 right method. While the subjects may seem far apart, 
 close thinking will show the connection between them, 
 '"the increasing purpose" which it is important to keep 
 in mind. The whole has resolved itself into a plea for 
 the recognition of the real meaning and value of Mother- 
 hood. Fatherhood, Brotherhood, we seem to understand 
 from the prominence given them in the Bible and in the 
 past. May we not now be arriving at the new gospel of 
 Motherhood, which Jesus made prominent (and Sister- 
 hood) ? 
 
 This is all intended more to bring about discussion and 
 further light than as a finished statement; though often 
 that form has been used for the sake of brevity and con- 
 ciseness, where except for that necessity the question 
 form would have suited the purpose better. While it is 
 written in no uncertain spirit; rather one of deep con- 
 viction, yet it may be read to advantage as if an immense 
 question mark preceded it. 
 
 It refers mainly to the material view of life (things 
 as they appear to be), an account of which we find in 
 the second chapter of Genesis ; and is not to be considered 
 from a personal standpoint, or as referring to individuals, 
 but in a broad, general way, as affecting classes and 
 peoples nations masses ! This may be difficult, but I 
 trust it is not impossible. 
 
 23 
 
Introductory 
 
 Those who have material riches and moderate health 
 are apt to care little for anything else; but I think any 
 may feel repaid for reading the following with patience, 
 reserving judgment until all is read. 
 
 You will observe that, to a certain extent, I sacrifice 
 grace and construction to brevity and earnestness, and in 
 so doing have, of necessity, broken away from "set and 
 prescribed form." As the following is the result of an 
 earnest desire to find if that can be done with safety and 
 to advantage, this fact may assist in arriving at a con- 
 clusion. Does it strengthen or weaken the force of ex- 
 pression must it be set down to profit or loss? 
 
 You will also see that I have accepted the conclusions 
 of scientists ; padded and strengthened them by analogy ; 
 have related the isolated facts, and drawn conclusions, 
 many of which, as far as I know, are original (as the 
 word is used). Please give these words their full value. 
 Perfect form is not claimed, nor originality, except in 
 arrangement and in conclusions drawn much that is 
 familiar will be found, but with a new light. 
 
 Of course, we none of us originate facts and they re- 
 main ; though we do not accept them until we develop eyes 
 to see. After reaching conclusions, I have found them 
 summed up clearly by some one or more of the great ones 
 of earth, and have thus quoted freely to give authority 
 which my own unsupported words could not carry. (It 
 is said, "to quote effectively is equal to originating the 
 passage quoted.") 
 
 No writer is expected to find both words and complete 
 understanding. Many there are who cannot read a page 
 of Browning, Emerson, Carlyle, or the Bible understand- 
 ingly, but the fault is not entirely with the writers, as 
 
 24 
 
Introductory 
 
 all know. We must recognize the imperfection of human 
 expression and language and do our best to reach a 
 common ground of understanding. Anyway, this is what 
 I want to say, and the following is the way in which I 
 have to say it. 
 
 When the cult of Nietzsche* is said to be superseding 
 the philosophy of Hegel in modern thought, a statement 
 which can scarcely be credited after considering the 
 influence of Adam Smith, J. A. Symonds, Mrs. Brown- 
 ing, George Eliot, Keats, Stevenson, with hosts of others 
 of delicate physique, and contrasting them with Corbett, 
 Sullivan, and others of their class, whose perfect physical 
 development is evident and is their only strength, the 
 theory that the physically strongest are the fittest seems 
 to be in no need of refutation. When we see sin, sick- 
 ness, and suffering increasing, no apology is needed by 
 those who are of the Christian thought, if they register a 
 protest and try to stem the current. 
 
 I do not intend to make positive statements, no matter 
 how firm may be convictions. I appreciate Lowell's 
 remarks in the beginning of "Democracy" to the full : 
 when one has been on the heights with Jesus, Plato, 
 Aristotle, Goethe, indeed he walks humbly. In that spirit 
 then I ask: Is not this reasonable? Is there anything 
 here which "insults the soul"? And are there not (lightly 
 and imperfectly sketched) foundations here on which vast 
 structures may be safely raised? 
 
 I have followed certain accepted facts to what appear 
 to be their logical conclusions, often surprising myself. 
 While in the line of my own intuition and convictions, 
 I do not think them colored thereby. 
 
 * See chapter on Nietzsche. 
 
 25 
 
Introductory 
 
 If every reader expects to grasp the entire definite 
 underlying thought at one perusal, more will be demanded 
 than can be attained in any other book worth reading; 
 and nothing would be gained, as it would all have been 
 understood before. Is it not often the result from read- 
 ing a book that we unconsciously (almost vaguely) get 
 the ideas and later they are assimilated and become more 
 definite and practical in our minds ? though we may not, 
 at the later time, be sure where we have received them. 
 I see, in this, one way for the average thought to advance. 
 
 I especially ask the reader to notice what I say, not 
 what he or she thinks I say. No one knows better than 
 the writer that much more material might be brought to 
 bear, but as I am anxious to make one point clear I have 
 endeavored to be as wise in what is left unsaid as in 
 what is said. One class of modern readers think any 
 Foreword or Preface of more than doubtful value; but 
 many, more thoughtful, readers always read these pages 
 with greatest interest before reading the main part of a 
 book, and again afterward. The writer knows no better 
 way of answering questions likely to come to the mind 
 of the reader, or forestalling criticism which is apt to 
 be hastily pronounced, on some one part instead of on the 
 whole. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 THE following statements are often received with 
 nervous laughter, as if they were funny and dis- 
 missed without the serious consideration which 
 is their due as Tragedies. 
 
 In Persia and many -other countries the men are taught 
 by their religion never to listen to anything a woman says, 
 but to do exactly the opposite from anything she may 
 suggest; that a woman has no soul; she is not to be 
 allowed to read the Koran (their bible) or to make a 
 prayer. In Russia a man is not only allowed to knock 
 his wife down, but is taught at marriage by his "religion" 
 that he must do so once a week and that time may come 
 before or a few hours after, the wife has become a 
 mother; when she is about getting meals or at work in 
 the field. 
 
 In Algeria conditions in regard to women are un- 
 speakable; also in China and Japan. In all Oriental 
 countries a man may divorce his wife without further 
 ceremony if she talks too much to suit him, or his relatives. 
 That contemptible thing, the ducking stool (the weapon 
 of men of power) must have been, in its time, an effective 
 silencer; also so-called witchcraft persecutions and the 
 word "obey,"* the relic of "rule and morals a la Turk" 
 
 *That one adult human being should be obliged, or allowed, 
 to swear at the altar to obey another is an unthinkable ab- 
 surdity, and must end in wrong conditions. 
 
 ''Who best can suffer, best can do; 
 
 Best reign, who first hath well obeyed." 
 
 Both should be obedient to God ; Christ, Truth, the head of the 
 house and there an end. Who giveth this woman (chattel, 
 etc.), indeed! 
 
 27 
 
Preface 
 
 in the marriage service. In many countries, even now, 
 women have no rights man is bound to respect. We can 
 easily see why it might be more than possible that woman, 
 or the feminine principle, is not now expressed in any 
 country. It is beginning to be realized forcibly that con- 
 ditions in all countries are far from ideal. We must also 
 acknowledge that the direct influence of woman (to 
 whom has been given the only immaculate conception 
 of character ever vouchsafed to humanity) has been in- 
 consistently left out in council and achievement. Incon- 
 ceivable blindness as this is seen to be, it is none the less 
 as true as it is disastrous. 
 
 That even advanced women as a class (with one excep- 
 tion) now only express the opinion of men is true, but 
 not creditable to men, or right or helpful. 
 
 The following is an effort to show what woman really 
 stands for and what she should be allowed to express 
 for the good of the race. That she stands for peace and 
 purity no one who thinks will doubt. That she is not 
 allowed freedom to express peace and purity I am trying 
 to make as clear to others as it is to me. 
 
 Many a woman will understand the thought ex- 
 pressed in the story of "Chitra," taken from East India 
 books of looo B. C. "The Princess Chitra's grandsire 
 had been promised by his gods an unbroken line of male 
 descent, but it was broken in Chitra, so she was brought 
 up as a son one day clad as a youth she meets Arjuna, 
 the hero of the Kuru clan and the idol of her dreams. 
 The following day she, though unattractively plain, dresses 
 richly in woman's attire and seeks him. He is very short 
 with her and tells her he is vowed to twelve years' 
 celibacy. She then asks the gods to grant her superb 
 
 28 
 
Preface 
 
 beauty for one day; it is granted her for a year; then 
 she meets Arjuna again; he forgets his vow and kneels 
 at her feet ; she reminds him of his vow and says : "It is 
 not I ; go, my hero, go ; woo not falsehood, offer not your 
 heart to an illusion." But she finally answers his call 
 and accepts him as her husband ; and then she says : "I 
 woke to find that my body had become my own rival; 
 it is my hateful task to deck her every day, to send her 
 to my beloved and see her caressed by him. O God ! 
 take back thy boon. . . . It is the labor of a life- 
 time to make one's true self known and honored; had I 
 but needed time I could win his heart by slow degrees 
 and ask no help of the god."* (Page 57.) 
 
 Arjuna is puzzled. "I never seem to know you right," 
 he says. "I grope for that ultimate you, that bare sim- 
 plicity of truth." The next day he finds it : "The gift I 
 proudly bring you is the heart of a woman." Then Arjuna 
 says : "Beloved, my heart is full." "First must woman 
 see this truly truly know herself the place she should 
 fill, then she can reveal it to the man." This, woman is 
 now learning and teaching to man, and this is the woman's 
 movement, slow of growth but now culminating, thank 
 God. It all condenses itself in the sentence : "They shall 
 know themselves into one" (taken from Browning's 
 "Ring and the Book"), then shall we see unity of purpose 
 and harmonious living, instead of its opposite, at present 
 made evident in the number of divorces and separations, 
 wherein men and women appear to be and probably are 
 at cross purposes. They are of "minds many" when they 
 
 * We find the same thought expressed B. C 600 in a poem by 
 Sappho, whose brilliant writings were nearly all destroyed, and 
 her character attacked and blackened because she was an intelli- 
 gent woman. 
 
 29 
 
Preface 
 
 should be of "one mind," or in accord. We are all of 
 "one mind" in regard to the fact that twice two equals 
 four; it is always the same, in Egypt, Japan, or in the 
 United States; everyone can use it, it is inexhaustible. 
 That is the nature of Truth. Now, suppose that some 
 thought, twice two equals five, some that it equalled 
 three and one-half, and so on; "minds many" on the 
 subject would soon bring chaos and dire confusion. All 
 being of one mind will bring unity, not uniformity, as 
 each may apply the Truth to his or her own need, in an 
 individual way. We have an appalling number of national 
 and state laws; all are evaded and amended; we need 
 only one law, the law of Love, as all will admit. It is 
 "laws many" and minds many which gives trouble ; result- 
 ing naturally in the most disastrous war known to history. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 WE must begin with "the nature of formalities," 
 the right understanding of which is a key un- 
 locking much. It is certain that "every material 
 law, or embodiment of an idea, is but the symbol of its 
 mental or spiritual prototype which bodies forth an idea 
 conceived in the mental and again in the spiritual realm" 
 (a symbol of a symbol). In order to build, for instance, 
 a chair, one must first have a knowledge of certain laws 
 of mechanics, then get the idea and build the chair. 
 Knowledge is the first requisite. It presupposes discipline, 
 sacrifice (through which comes mastery), and constitutes 
 the only freedom. The better knowledge of the law one 
 has, the better chair can be built. Then all the chairs in 
 the world may be destroyed, and we can still make more, 
 because we have the idea. The idea is mental, inde- 
 structible, real, while the chair (its material embodiment) 
 is destructible as a chair. In other and more perfect 
 words, "The things which are seen are temporal and the 
 things which are not seen are eternal." We would say 
 that the chair was real and the idea visionary. We must 
 reverse the testimony of our senses in this case, as in many 
 others. Only that which is indestructible is real. The 
 chair is but the symbol of the idea, though it appears 
 otherwise. All that exists is the manifestation of mind 
 first get the idea and then manifest it. 
 
 So the painter embodies his highest idea or concep- 
 tion in a beautiful picture; the poet, his highest idea or 
 conception in a beautiful poem ; and the musician his in 
 a beautiful composition. Milton, perhaps, embodied his 
 highest conception in "Paradise Lost/' This was the 
 child of his brain. It was not apparently a matter of 
 
Foreword 
 
 cooperation (still less was it so in the Appassionata or 
 the Sistine Madonna), though we are told that it takes 
 two, or more, to generate thought. The character con- 
 ceptions of Shakespeare are mentally embodied, and are 
 humanly immortal. Mary embodied her highest concep- 
 tion in the flesh, that being perhaps the only way it could 
 be brought to the material comprehension of man at that 
 time ; and any idea or conception of the Christ* charac- 
 ter, no matter whose it may be, must be an immaculate 
 conception, and need not (apparently) be a matter of 
 cooperation.f 
 
 We must see that it symbolizes the conception of the 
 Christ character, which will come to every soul; and 
 must of its nature, be an immaculate conception to be 
 embodied in our lives. And so the immaculate concep- 
 tion, taken up into mind where it belongs, is a fact in 
 nature. No person should sneer at it, and say we are 
 "expected to believe that Jesus had only one parent," 
 because that is a gross way of looking at this spiritual 
 truth, and is harmful. 
 
 That form of expression is vital and necessary, as we 
 will find when we fully understand. Till then, let us 
 stand breathless before the mystery; be thankful that 
 Jesus Christ was born (made manifest) in Bethlehem, 
 as becomes us; and that there has been an immaculate 
 conception. It would seem that those who handle these 
 subjects carelessly are like children playing with dynamite, 
 endangering themselves and others. Mary changed the 
 human law and its method of generating, proving God 
 to be the Father of man, as Jesus put to silence material 
 law when he walked on the water, turned the water into 
 wine; and performed his other miracles (wonders), in 
 fulfillment of Spiritual (the only real) law. 
 
 *The Christ is the Truth which Jesus lived, and Truth is 
 immaculate always. 
 
 t See Appendix B, page 198. 
 
 32 
 
"Is it nothing to you, Oh ye that pass byf" 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 IF we can give woman (as a type not as we see her 
 manifested) her proper place in the scheme of life 
 manifestation, we can more intelligently work and 
 think toward true progress and helpfulness. Until this 
 is done, I believe there can be little real progress. It is 
 a basic problem, and must be solved, else we are working 
 at a disadvantage quite too great to be overcome. 
 
 I think we may all agree on this statement of the 
 vexed question. It is not what woman wants, but what 
 ought she to have for the good of the race? Not man's 
 rights nor woman's rights, but the rights of children, the 
 rights of humanity. The right of every soul to its full 
 possibility of development. The ballot is merely the 
 A. B. C. of the movement. It is not possible for one- 
 half the people to be mistakenly treated and the whole 
 not suffer. Who is willing to take the responsibility of 
 doing this ? It will be well for us if we can set this right, 
 not letting mere opinion or prejudice stand in the way. 
 
 In the evolution of cell life, we are told when the 
 simple cell evolved into the semi-sexual cell, death came. 
 According to material science the cell is the microcosm 
 of which the human body is the macrocosm. As in the 
 microcosm, so in the macrocosm. When the simple 
 human organism (Adam) evolved into the semi-sexual, 
 Adam and Eve, death came as a result. Thus we see that 
 the Bible account of the so-called material creation is 
 scientifically correct, according to noted so-called material 
 scientists; we will again, for purposes of illustration, at 
 least, use the Bible account here, as it is the only thing 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 of the kind to which we have access.* Then it appears, as 
 evolution declares, that life manifestation (creation) was 
 in the ascending scale ; woman as last, would be highest ; 
 or to use a better expression, more spiritual. This we 
 have stated to us over and over again in every conceivable 
 form of language, though from the existing state of 
 affairs, which is in some respects deplorable, we can 
 scarcely realize or acknowledge its truth. But the fact 
 remains, those taking an adverse view are simply not 
 inspired. 
 
 Again taking the second Bible account, Adam, man, 
 was formed of the dust of the ground, woman of once 
 refined (?) clay. An extension, another side of character, 
 was given; the receptive condition (that which makes 
 us receptive to higher things) was symbolized more 
 perfectly than before. The appeal of the serpent was to 
 the woman. To her he gave three reasons; to the man 
 she gave no reason. We know the result, the so-called 
 fall. Then it was said to the woman, as the result of 
 this, not as a command, nor that it was right, but as a 
 result of the "fall"; "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, 
 and he shall rule over thee." The lower nature ruling 
 the higher constitutes a fall, but does not make it right. 
 (Through this fall Adam and Eve [mankind] lost their 
 paradise, thrust themselves out of Eden.) If we are to 
 be personal, as we usually are; in Gen. 1-24, we read that 
 God "drove out the man" ; nothing is said regarding the 
 woman in this connection. 
 
 We say men have more animal spirits than women. 
 They hunt, go to war, etc., while to women, ideally typi- 
 cally speaking, is given the care of children (souls). 
 
 *A striking fact. 
 
 34 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One 1 ' 
 
 Compare the army of young women who (though ham- 
 pered by machine made routine) are teaching in our 
 schools, elevating themselves and humanity through the 
 children under their influence, trying to conserve life, with 
 the corresponding class of young men engaged in war or 
 preparation for it, destroying life ; and a wide difference 
 in results must be. apprehended. The sights, sounds, 
 and practices of war are (in a general way) not up- 
 lifting. 
 
 As is well known all "civilized" countries were using 
 three-fourths of their incomes to pay for "watch dogs," 
 thus leaving one- fourth to feed, clothe, house, educate, 
 and provide for the future of the family (first deducting 
 a large sum which goes for compulsory medical examina- 
 tion). Just now (1914-1918) we have a good object 
 lesson on war, with a prospect (in common with other 
 nations) of national bankruptcy and becoming "beggars 
 before barracks" in view. 
 
 The proportion of women in penitentiaries is very 
 small, two women to about one hundred men; showing 
 that men have more animal passion than women. The 
 assertion of a number of men of this class that they 
 were brought to this state through the fault of wife (or 
 some other woman) is to be expected; the Adam spirit 
 is strong, but the Adam story is fast losing force and 
 dignity. "In the first verse of the first chaptef of the 
 first book of Egotism, it is written." True, 
 
 handsome young women often escape conviction at the 
 hands of men juries: a fellow feeling sometimes makes 
 us wondrous kind ; but for one woman who thus escapes, 
 
 35 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 many men criminals are never even brought to trial, as is 
 well known.* 
 
 On the other hand, and by way of contrast, we are 
 accustomed to see an average of about six women to one 
 man in our (Protestant) churches; and say that women 
 are more easily affected by religious ideas, etc. Then this 
 is not a weakness, as some have imagined, but an evidence 
 of right understanding. 
 
 It is true that they have not often in the past been 
 among the great religious leaders; but what wonder, 
 with the words of St. Paul (the circumstances regarding 
 which are not generally understood) ringing in their ears, 
 and the fact that a husband was justified in getting a 
 divorce or knocking the wife down if she talked too much 
 to suit him. She has never been allowed to speak, has 
 not even been encouraged to think, in fact; has been 
 discouraged and wet blanketed by the jealous and small 
 minded of both sexes ; but now that she has worked her 
 way out in a small degree, she is showing what she can 
 do toward leading in higher ethics even against the 
 tyranny of custom and public opinion. Very few of 
 us realize, as we speak those words, their frightful 
 paralyzing import. The car of Juggernaut is a trifling 
 thing in comparison. f 
 
 *One man of experience who is a truth seeker, calls attention 
 to a number of women murderers who have been acquitted; 
 without discerning that their acquittal was due to the, fact that 
 the men jurors considered them justified by the brutal acts of 
 the man killed. And if attention is to be called to this condition 
 it should be noted that only one out of 75 murderers receives the 
 death penalty; and of those 75 the records show not more than 
 one would be a woman. It is encouraging to note that men are 
 beginning to consider the side of the woman in the case, as 
 never before. 
 
 fMany otherwise really fine women who have, and always 
 have had, a certain amount of independence (which comes of 
 
 36 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 This has not been a country of free speech for woman. 
 She has always been afraid of offending some man on 
 whom she was dependent (?) and, without realizing it, 
 has repressed her real sentiments. It was a stern neces- 
 sity, and she felt it so. Man is not to blame: he simply 
 did not "know." She was helpless and hopeless. She 
 had only one chance of expression, and that purely 
 physical. Is that sufficient? True it is that the average 
 man also thinks as custom (man) decrees, while woman, 
 too, must think as man decrees. Is not the feminine, 
 the woman thought, left out in this plan? Can we think 
 to advantage except as we complete the thought in word 
 and action ? Life is expression, and when we understand 
 that woman's knowledge is not the same as man's, but is 
 just as much needed for the development of humanity 
 as his; that while repressing her we are injuring the race, 
 and justifying ourselves for it with utterly selfish sophis- 
 tries, we will have taken a long step upward. George 
 Eliot says, "That which is peculiar to woman's mental 
 modification will be found to be a necessary complement 
 to the truth and beauty of life." 
 
 Almost any woman will admit, if she takes thought, 
 that in a general way she does not express herself, but 
 temporizes and agrees as far as possible with every one, 
 for the sake of semi peace and popularity in the family, 
 neighborhood, and town. This is considered commend- 
 able. She does not allow herself to think, except along 
 
 having private means) seem to be positively callous through 
 lack of sympathy or understanding of those who have not 
 even that type of independence; these women, and the men of 
 their class, are of the very highest type of Adam-material 
 "man"; there is apt to be little of real, or spiritual "charity" 
 in them; they swim with the tide of merely human affairs; 
 they are very popular, and receive much applause. 
 
 37 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the File" 
 
 lines and ways set and prescribed for her by those in 
 authority; she is even led to think and to say that she 
 likes to do this, also for the sake of semi peace, and 
 because it is easier. Now, she is told she may think 
 along the lines of eugenics, as far as certain noted people 
 have led the way, and in the way these may prescribe. 
 Ten years ago these things were entirely taboo. Really, 
 she is only just getting out where, in some countries, 
 she dares to say "her soul is her own," and to stand for it. 
 
 Men are also bound by limitations but not so hope- 
 lessly as is woman. A woman who does see clearly and 
 has courage to express her thought must expect to be met 
 by the Philistine thought with scorn and partial ostracism, 
 which is often an advantage in many ways, giving her 
 more time to live her own life; but her smile is apt to 
 be somewhat rueful as she endures "the spurns which 
 patient merit often takes." We should realize how 
 fallible and unworthy are mortal snap judgments and 
 inferences, with their often inhuman consequences. 
 
 Woman is, and has been in the past, so handicapped, 
 so at a disadvantage, one cannot but be glad to see her 
 getting on a somewhat more equal footing, even though 
 it be to deplore at the same time (however mistakenly) 
 the shattered ideals of the past and the unrest that is 
 bound to come in the transition stage of any great move- 
 ment. It only proves that this movement, which is sure, 
 if slow, is in the direction of progress ; that at last the 
 higher nature in mankind will find itself, know its value, 
 and gently lead humanity to better things, to something 
 real. We have here in all this, Goethe's philosophy con- 
 densed as in a nutshell, in the closing lines of the Helena, 
 written after a long life of extraordinarily varied ex- 
 perience : 
 
 38 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 "All of mere transient date, as symbol showeth. 
 Here the inadequate to fullness groweth. 
 Here the ineffable wrought is in love. 
 The ever womanly draws us above." 
 
 Dr. Gunsaulus presents this view in his "Man of 
 Galilee." He calls attention to the fact that women were 
 first to recognize and accept the Truth (the risen Christ). 
 The men doubted what was told them. He says the mis- 
 sion of woman to humanity was foreshadowed in this, 
 and quotes, "The ever womanly draws us above." 
 
 To Mary, the woman, was given the only immaculate 
 (pure) conception of character ever given to humanity. 
 Any idea or conception of the Christ character must, of 
 its nature, be immaculate. We all feel this to be true, 
 but have not seen how to reconcile faith and reason 
 with appearances (for which men are largely, if not 
 wholly, responsible). The fact that woman has suf- 
 fered most only bears out the analogy. This is what 
 would naturally happen. The higher the nature, the 
 greater the consequent suffering from the fall. 
 
 All through this we find a chance to reverse the testi- 
 mony of our senses, which, it is proved and acknowledged, 
 cannot be relied upon to give us exact or truthful im- 
 pressions. Plato says : "We are misled by the senses 
 when we seek knowledge through them. They are the 
 source of all our sinning. We should die to them, and, 
 by contemplation of and obedience to the ideal being, we 
 shall become more and more beautiful in this life; and 
 after, we shall enter the ideal world where we shall be 
 with perfect souls." Does not Christianity also teach this, 
 and more? 
 
 39 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Before going further, a digression may well be made 
 for the sake of a certain order of minds. And so, my 
 dear friend, you say you have plenty of means, a good 
 husband, and all the rights you want; and for that very 
 reason are you not responsible to those who have not, 
 and who are not good husbands? They are a legion, 
 when including the world, our universe, as we must; 
 they are all, the millions of little brown brothers and 
 sisters, our brothers and sisters, and we all suffer or gain 
 together. Advantages and privileges bring responsibilities 
 always. Unless we respond, our advantages are worse 
 than useless : we would be better without them. To whom 
 much is given, of him much should be required. We 
 are our sister's as well as our brother's keepers, even 
 though Cain-like we try to evade the responsibility. 
 
 Says the Chicago Vice Commission: "The time has 
 passed when the social evil, or any other great evil, that 
 affects society, must be spoken of with bated breath. 
 Adequate information must precede annihilation, which 
 is the ultimate of Christian intelligence." 
 
 Pioneer work is ever fraught with hardship (in an 
 earthly sense). It is never smooth or easy, either in 
 new country, fields, or in new fields of thought. It is 
 work that must be done by some, that life be easier, 
 happier, and safer for those who come after. It has all 
 the characteristics of a cross but to "quaff the cup" one 
 "must not shrink." Material results are not evident, as 
 in most work ; one must be content to be called a failure 
 (but in what glorious company!) by those who like 
 every one to go about the Father's business in their way. 
 Those who cannot, or think they do not want to com- 
 prehend, have been, are now, in the majority. 
 
 40 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 To discuss impersonal principle of any sort is never 
 indelicate. Indelicacy is only evident when personal ap- 
 plication is resorted to. Principles can never be personal 
 as each personal experience is a variant, while principle 
 is fixed. 
 
 If there is a cess-pool in your vicinity which is breed- 
 ing disease, you do not say, "Let it alone ; it is too filthy 
 to touch." Quite the contrary. If the thing itself is 
 pure, thought about it will not make it impure. If you 
 consider thought of how to right an evil filthy, what 
 must the thing itself be? Let us remove the cess-pool 
 if possible. The young (and some who are older) are 
 apt to scorn this thought. In all likelihood they will 
 see it in a different light when they are more mature in 
 years and thought, so let them not be too confident. 
 
 A modern writer, whose sayings are sometimes wise 
 and many times otherwise, has said, "We are mired in the 
 superstition that sex is unclean." His strong statement 
 is undoubtedly partially true; but why is it true and is 
 it merely a superstition? It is for woman to insist that 
 this subject be ventilated until we find out why. A reliable 
 daily paper makes this statement: "Oriental population 
 so reeks with immorality that more than fifty per cent 
 of the people are diseased. This applies not only to 
 adults of both sexes, but to mere children as well." As 
 is well known, latest estimates are said to show that 
 seventy-five per cent or more of our men belong to this 
 appalling and astonishing condition, with effects still 
 wider spread among innocent and suffering women and 
 children. 
 
 General Gorgas says that more men were taken from 
 active service in the eight months before May, 1918, from 
 
 41 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 this cause than from injuries. This is just one of many 
 statements of this kind which are being authorita- 
 tively made with insistent constancy that is ominous. 
 Zones have been established and segregated districts, 
 when they were near the camp, wiped out. The soldier 
 is punished if he refuses treatment, not for contracting 
 the disease be it observed with interest and all must 
 be examined for this horrible thing every two weeks. 
 Think what that means to clean-minded men. The 
 suggestion is bad and one would fear that they must 
 lose self-respect, if nothing worse. *Teach them all 
 that self-control is the mark of a real man. To take 
 these splendid fellows and teach them the stuff that is 
 taught them about this thing and about women, is 
 shameful; it is nauseating. Can it be right to take our 
 strongest men into such environment; inoculate them 
 again and again with poison virus, both materially and 
 mentally? Many of them resent it all, but some seem 
 to be satisfied. What is to be the effect on their char- 
 acter? 
 
 We are all familiar with above statements and others 
 like them. Two leading physicians have recently an 
 
 *One would think that Doctors themselves would recoil from 
 such morbid indecency, especially when the women co-respon- 
 dents are included, as they generally are, when they, and not 
 the men, are called "bad." 
 
 The vice regulations, by which all cases of this disease are 
 supposed to be reported, are not complied with, and of the poor 
 female creatures who are supposed to report for examination 
 at frequent stated times, only a small proportion comply; in 
 Paris only about five percent. So this abomination does not 
 even serve any purpose. The most horrible part of it is that 
 often innocent, decent women and girls are arrested and sub- 
 jected to these examinations, and other brutal treatment, never 
 recovering from the shock, which often ends in self sought 
 death for the victim. Have we no pity that we give such power 
 to these irresponsible men, who are themselves victims of a 
 faulty environment? 
 
 42 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 nounced that ninety per cent of the people are tubercular ; 
 seventy-five per cent of the children are said to be defec- 
 tive; insanity is said to be increasing. In one city alone 
 fifty- four thousand degenerates are said (with authority) 
 to be walking the streets, who have committed the most 
 atrocious crimes against little, innocent, helpless girls. It 
 almost makes one tremble to see any man touch or look at 
 a little girl or young -lady carelessly, even his own child. 
 The effect on the child should be considered, which it is 
 not at the present time. See Rousseau (Confessions). 
 This evil is the more insidious because it is often un- 
 recognized by those involved. 
 
 We speak of preventive medicine, of stamping out 
 epidemics ; yet it is undoubtedly true that we have more 
 and worse permanent epidemics than ever before. And 
 Adam is still naming material disease creations which 
 were not known in former years. The epidemic of opera- 
 tions alone, with accompanying suffering and expense, is 
 appalling. 
 
 Now, to take what will seem to be a different line, but 
 which leads to the same gate: "To adulterate" is to 
 vitiate at the primal source. If we take the commonly 
 accepted meaning of the word, one can readily see what 
 it is to vitiate the primal source of being or life. This 
 is indeed a crime. We have not words to express its 
 enormity. What is adultery ? Jesus, who never married, 
 but was a Universal Brother, expresses Himself plainly, 
 showing what can be proved true, that it is of thought 
 as well as deed. "Whoso looketh on a woman to lust 
 after her hath already committed adultery with her in 
 his heart." He does not say a woman who is not his 
 wife, but any woman. 
 
 43 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Where shall we place this saying? We can get His 
 meaning from an illustration. Looking over the past 
 (and oriental countries at the present time), we see 
 woman kept out of sight of man, or, if allowed to go 
 abroad, so disguised that no bit of physical form could be 
 seen. Why was this, except that man could not look on 
 woman without harmful thought? It was in the often 
 unconscious, but none the less dangerous, thought of 
 the man. Except for that, it would not have affected 
 him, and is the result of dwelling on the physical ex- 
 clusively. 
 
 In an article in a well known magazine, one man sees 
 that "women are walking over red hot plow shares, and 
 not always unscathed." Also that "the male Turk says : 
 It is for her own sake woman is confined to the Harem 
 and made to veil her face whenever she walks abroad. 
 He knows the effect of her appearance upon men's minds, 
 and he wishes to shield her from unlawful thoughts of 
 men." Why not suggest that the men improve their 
 thought methods and thus free the women. A woman 
 writer for a noted magazine says : "Men had to be cured 
 of the habitual impression natural to self centered con- 
 sciousness that women are always thinking about men and 
 were aware of the effect on men of their every little 
 action." 
 
 In the time of Jesus (for this very reason) it was 
 considered a disgrace for a man to talk to a woman. 
 Someway, it was not safe; and the reason not being 
 apprehended, generally speaking, the woman (usually 
 innocent) was considered bad, was blamed, while the 
 "thought" of man was the offender the old story. Jesus 
 talked with woman. He was pure enough to do so in 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One y 
 
 the right way (as many men are now), and that was one 
 of the things He answered for with His life. Public 
 opinion, an unsafe guide, was against it. 
 
 The temptation of St. Anthony means just that. There 
 was no real woman; the trouble was in his thought. 
 There lay his field of battle. In reality it is all in the 
 thought. The act is sensual, evanescent, and, in result, 
 worse than any other' sensual habit (like drinking, opium 
 eating, etc.) because through it life is lost. Through it 
 comes death, just as surely as it was said in the Bible 
 and scientific accounts to come. That which is wasted 
 is ten times richer than the blood. It is life. If life is 
 lost, it can readily be seen that death is the result. With 
 death belong sickness and pain; while we have one we 
 have the other. Please note St. Paul's position in this, 
 expressed in the last of the VI and VII chapters of 1st 
 Corinthians. Here he also speaks of conditions which 
 might make a difference; but what are those conditions, 
 right or wrong? It is not for us to condemn; but to 
 recognize and right the conditions, if wrong. 
 
 We are told that after entering a house of ill fame 
 the women recruits (white slaves) live only from three 
 to ten years and die in the most awful agony known to 
 surgery! Sixty thousand every year in our country alone, 
 "ruined/' as far as we know, body and soul ! The mental 
 and spiritual shock to woman is greater than the physical. 
 Of course, late hours and drink bear their part. There 
 is nothing else that so quickly and thoroughly degrades 
 the beautiful temple of the soul and its occupant. Can 
 there be a sadder sight? What a price is here paid by 
 these sufferers, ostensibly to protect other women, but 
 really that men may be indulged to their evil limit, to 
 
 45 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 self injury as well ! And the sentimental statement that 
 women are the ones who need to be and are protected by 
 men is exploded. It is only certain women who are 
 protected, and they are protected from men. The men 
 who frequent these places are sadly injured, though they 
 are physically stronger, and are not so constantly in 
 contact with it, and the effect is not so apparent as in 
 the women. Is not the trail of the serpent over it all? 
 It were more merciful to cast them into the fiery arms 
 of Moloch, as did parents in olden times a thought 
 which makes us shudder; but that was quickly over and 
 destroyed only the body. "That which is esteemed among 
 men is an abomination unto the Lord," surely applies 
 here. 
 
 War is a benevolent and attractive method of destruc- 
 tion beside this. Yet some try to justify ( !) the Social 
 Evil, which is the sin against motherhood, and probably 
 the sin against the Holy Ghost, the receptive spirit; of 
 which woman, motherhood, is the symbol. A thing 
 which in its results is as disastrous as this cannot be 
 justified. It is "unpardonable" (not necessarily unfor- 
 givable). Men pay money, and women who need, want, 
 and can get it no other way think they can thereby gain 
 money, attention, power even love the poor things hope 
 for through it. 
 
 Tolstoi sees and expresses this. He says these un- 
 fortunate women (and others also) think this all, or what 
 men want of women, and justify themselves as valuable 
 members of society. What wonder, when the attitude 
 of man is considered! o ls it right that women should be 
 forced into such positions, or called upon to bring chil- 
 dren into the world through suffering, for such an end? 
 
 46 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 Should the creative act ever be made use of except for 
 creative purposes? When used otherwise, is it not 
 dangerous? "Sensuality palsies the right hand and causes 
 the left to let go its grasp on the divine." Mrs. Eddy. 
 
 The Christ character shows us the result and points 
 to the knowledge that "pregnancy (at least) should have 
 the sanctity of virginity." Ibid. This is beginning to 
 be more generally understood and observed. Guatama 
 Buddha (a remarkable man for his time, about 600 B. C, 
 who was also said to be of this immaculate or pure con- 
 ception), after reaching the age of responsibility, went 
 away, leaving a wife of unusual beauty and character, 
 and his only child. Bjornson discerns this truth partially : 
 "Sigurd Slembe" leaves the beloved of his heart, going 
 to a war of conscience. But has he thus attained any- 
 thing more than a pure monasticism ? What will be the 
 latter days of either? Surely there is no profit in them. 
 The wife in Bjornson's story acquiesced, but the impres- 
 sion left was that of a wasted life, nothing ideal attained 
 in either case. Self control for men is the only solution, 
 and that with no accompanying sense of martyrdom. 
 
 Some persons are quick to apply the hypnotic and arbi- 
 trary statement that for a man and woman to live to- 
 gether without having children is immoral ; which it might 
 be to those making the statement who are judging others 
 by themselves ; but why should it be why is it not possi- 
 ble to live a pure life under any circumstances it is ; and 
 it is done, with good and justifiable reasons, and often 
 with ideal results in important directions. "Marriage is 
 honorable in all, and the bed undefiled." I suppose there 
 are those who cannot understand that situation, but that 
 does not prove it wrong or impossible by any means. 
 
 47 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 "Judge not that ye be not judged." Just the fact of hav- 
 ing had one or more children does assume so called im- 
 moral acts in the majority of cases, as all know. One 
 gentle and sensitive woman soul said in the writer's hear- 
 ing with a shudder of horror, " After a child is born then 
 everybody knows what has happened." Tolstoi records 
 that late on his sister's wedding night (which was spent 
 in the paternal home) she came flying down the stairs 
 from the nuptial chamber in terror, and "Not for worlds 
 would she tell what he wanted of her." 
 
 One noted man wastes sympathy on people who have 
 not suffered in this war; they should have children to 
 send out to be killed or maimed, or they are unworthy of 
 consideration. He was recently waked up, evidently, to 
 the danger of generalization, and begins to hedge his posi- 
 tion by saying 'If God had not sent them any or only one' 
 then he 'exonerates them in their sad estate.' But why 
 God should refuse to send them to parents who desire 
 them and who would take good care of and bring them 
 up well; and send them to the parents of those poor 
 abused children in the power of the "huns" of all nations, 
 married or unmarried, he does not explain, and of course 
 there is no reasonable explanation to be found. For such 
 a false premise and process there is no solution. 
 
 And why should anyone have only one, or few, and 
 what becomes of the individualities of the potential un- 
 born children ? At the rate of one thousand a day Euro- 
 pean cradles are said to have been robbed during the war 
 (and after for many years) as an effect of deaths, wounds 
 and hardships wrought to both potential fathers and 
 mothers. It does not seem possible that immortal souls 
 can wait on chance, caprice or lust for manifestation or 
 
 48 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 existence. It is not a dignified or reasonable supposition 
 that they should; and if human manifestation is so neces- 
 sary and valuable what becomes of these potential 
 individualities who are not humanly conceived and brought 
 forth; or who are untimely cut off by war, accident or 
 disease. This (or any) war both fills the graves and 
 robs the cradles, as do many other accepted institutions. 
 This view calls for consideration at least, we cannot very 
 well ignore it. 
 
 Thomas Jefferson and John Adams in their corre- 
 spondence quote with approval the "Principles of the 
 Pythagoreans concerning the laws of interprocreation of 
 men." "It shall be according to the laws of modesty 
 and sanctity. We do not commix for the sake of pleasure, 
 but for the procreation of children." 
 
 Women (and men) through the suffering in childbirth, 
 which is becoming too great to be borne, inflicted by 
 any other plan ; if they do not by the effect on the off- 
 spring, of inherited lust and disastrous secret vice, must 
 learn to control circumstances. Then might mother- 
 hood be considered a privilege, which it can scarcely be 
 while it is, in most cases, "an enforced burden." Then 
 we may look forward, as did Jewish parents of old, to 
 the Saviour who may be born to us. I have no doubt 
 there have been such (and now are being born) who 
 are to be allowed to help save and uplift the race in kind 
 if not in degree. Whatever there is of saving grace in 
 anything, makes it a savior. 
 
 Is it not reasonable that motherhood is symbolic of 
 the Holy Ghost (or Spirit) ? This may sound startling, 
 until we are accustomed to the idea and look it squarely 
 in the face. They are alike, in that both are considered 
 
 49 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 and acknowledged the highest, though about us we may 
 see motherhood so dragged in the lowest that we scarcely 
 recognize in it anything of its true nature. Goethe speaks 
 of "Die Mutter, the creative and generative forces of 
 earth." "As in everything which receives new life on 
 earth, the female principle is most in evidence; the 
 august title of 'The Mothers' may be rightly given them." 
 Science teaches that the female principle was first, and is 
 more highly organized. 
 
 Was it not this sin against motherhood of which our 
 first parents were guilty? The definition of "sin" is "to 
 miss the mark" (i. e., to make a mistake). After they 
 had eaten of the fruit of the "Tree of Knowledge" which 
 was in the midst of the garden, they were ashamed and 
 made themselves aprons of leaves, thus perhaps indicat- 
 ing the nature and wrong character of the sin (mistake) 
 committed. Why were they ashamed if what they did 
 was right; and if it is not right, if it is a mistake, why 
 continue it? Milton, in a finite way, summed up Eve's 
 reasoning : 
 
 "So to add what wants 
 In female sex, the more to draw his love 
 And render me more equal, and, perhaps, a 
 Thing not undesirable, sometime 
 Superior; for inferior who is free," 
 
 It is, I think, the reasoning of the mortal (or man's) 
 woman. The premises are surely wrong, and drawn from 
 them the conclusions are incorrect. Man sees it, but can- 
 not reconcile appearances, nor explain, nor believe; and 
 thus blindly men and women are at cross purposes, instead 
 of pulling together. 
 
 50 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 A doctor, in advising young wives, tells them not to be 
 "disturbed if, after this, their husbands turn from them 
 in depression and coldness ; it is quite natural," etc. But 
 does it not indicate something? Consumption, scrofula, 
 and kindred ills are known to be its followers. Must 
 there not be something intrinsically wrong when such an 
 effect is produced. Tolstoi and Milton both give clear 
 instances of it, plainly told. After this the Adam and 
 Eve of Milton (as also in the case of Paola and Francesca, 
 who were all justified by love if any are ever justified, 
 being made for each other) are despondent and quarrel- 
 some. Gone is the glory of love and the delight which 
 was theirs before the fall (love was killed, slain). Even 
 we speak of "fall-ing" in love. Physicians also teach 
 that men past forty-five should guard it as their life. 
 "If this power which is dissipated be retained, attrac- 
 tion is doubled." Why, if the so-called natural (material) 
 conception is right, should another kind be necessary to 
 an immaculate conception (of character) as if distinc- 
 tively. The ideal is so precious, and it is so marred by 
 present practice. 
 
 St. Paul says : "Flee youthful lusts," and again, "Flee 
 fornication, all other sins which a man commits are out- 
 side himself," and not so corroding. 
 
 St. Augustine of Hippo, who before his Saintship 
 learned certain hard lessons in the school of experience, 
 carries the idea that fornication was the original sin. 
 Nietzsche acknowledges that the material creative gratifi- 
 cation interferes with man's higher or mental creative 
 work, and again blames woman, seeing her as a temptation 
 to man ; an utterly one-sided and unjust conclusion. Also 
 the Bible tells us that Jesus knew men ; he needed not 
 
 Si 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 that any should tell him what men are." "The heart is 
 deceitful and desperately wicked." These are all familiar 
 statements and should be seriously considered. 
 
 A wicked and adulterous generation is spoken of in 
 the Bible. Jesus said, "This generation" as He evidently 
 did not mean the generation then living, what could He 
 have meant but this kind of generation? "shall not pass 
 away until all be fulfilled." Did not the vital necessity 
 for it pass when the Christ was embodied? But it will 
 continue till all be fufilled, and that will be perhaps 
 ages from now. Then will be the at-one-ment with the 
 Father, when all is Spirit. We shall then, and only then, 
 be the pure in heart, who are at one with, or see, God. 
 
 "Which were born, not of blood, not of the will of the 
 flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 
 
 "Made not after the power of carnal commandment, 
 but after the power of an endless life." 
 
 The poets* have given us Arthur, Parsifal, Galahad, 
 "whose strength was as the strength of ten." Why? 
 Because his heart was pure. 
 
 "My good blade carves the casques of men, 
 My tough lance thrusteth sure, 
 My strength is as the strength of ten, 
 Because my heart is pure. 
 
 How sweet are looks that ladies bend 
 On whom their favors fall! 
 
 * The meaning of the word poet is found to be maker, creator; 
 and a poem is something finished, harmony. Shelly's definition, 
 "All who display higher imagination, the higher creative sense, as 
 distinguished from the (material so called) logical reason, are 
 poets," is generally accepted. 
 
 52 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One 
 
 For them I battle to the end, 
 To save from shame and thrall: 
 
 But all my heart is drawn above, 
 
 My knees are bow'd in crypt and shrine; 
 
 I never felt the kiss of love, 
 
 Nor maiden's hand in mine. 
 
 More bounteous aspects on me beam, 
 
 Me mightier transports move and thrill; 
 
 So keep I fair thro' faith and prayer 
 
 A virgin's heart in work and will. 
 
 A maiden knight to me is given 
 
 Such hope, I know not fear; 
 
 So pass I hostel, hall and grange; 
 By bridge and ford, by park and 
 All-arm' d I ride, what'er betide, 
 Until I find the holy Grail" 
 (Or until I find the Truth.) 
 
 Percivale's sister "Who gave herself to prayer and 
 praise" taught Galahad "First to see this holy thing" 
 (the Truth or Grail). 
 
 53 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 THROUGH legend, elementary truth is said to be 
 handed down to us. In Abbey's famous frieze in 
 the Boston Library, Galahad is portrayed as having 
 been under the care of nuns till about his thirteenth year, 
 when he is handed over to Guernamez for instruction in 
 worldly knowledge ; after which he starts on a quest for 
 the Holy Grail, the blood (or life) of Jesus (the Christ 
 or Truth) which can only be found and held by one who 
 is pure. The Grail (Truth) when found (or known) 
 would do away with sickness and sorrow.* It has been 
 in the hands of Amfortas, but was lost, through his 
 wrong defense of an immoral woman, and he was left 
 with a wound which could not be healed until the Grail 
 was restored. 
 
 Galahad watches his armor all night at the altar, in 
 prayer, as was the custom of those starting on a quest 
 (keeping the thought pure all night). Sir Percival and 
 Sir Bors may fasten on his spurs, but as they have each 
 "sinned" once, they may not find the Grail. Galahad 
 next finds himself at Arthur's court, and safely occupies 
 the chair in which to be seated is death to one who is 
 impure. Next, followed by Arthur's knights, he journeys 
 to the castle of Amfortas, where he finds the people of 
 this court sunken in a deep sleep of the senses, so that, 
 while the Truth (Grail) passes through their midst at 
 intervals, in procession, they cannot see it. 
 
 *Did not Jesus say: "Ye shall know (or find) the Truth and 
 the Truth shall make you free." A matter of knowing mental 
 entirely. St. Paul says : "Prove all things, hold fast to that 
 which is good." 
 
 54 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 Galahad sees it. but trusting to his worldly wisdom to 
 give him its meaning, he does not ask questions as he 
 should, and so loses his chance for the Grail, for this 
 time. (A warning is here to be found.)* He then rides 
 on and encounters the three loathly damsels, who are 
 doomed to entice and slay men, until the pure man comes, 
 who alone can rescue them. The inference being that 
 when man is pure the world will be redeemed. Until 
 then, woman is condemned against her will to accede to 
 man's evil desires. But Galahad has, for the time, lost 
 his chance to free them, and they part from him in sorrow. 
 Next he encounters the seven deadly sins, symbolized 
 by fierce men in armor, who are guarding the imprisoned 
 virtues, typified by lovely, gentle, modest women. Galahad 
 conquers them and so liberates the virtues. Then he 
 goes on and meets Blanche Fleur (white flower), a lovely 
 representation, pure, ascetic. Her he marries, but de- 
 parts immediately on the quest ; thus, by absolute chastity, 
 he proves his right to the Grail, which he receives, heals 
 Amfortas, and is carried in a boat by angels to Shiras. 
 Here he is seen, a throng of angels in the background, 
 and at last his earthly robes of materiality are to fall 
 away. 
 
 Wagner personifies woman in "Kundry," who is half 
 the time doomed to tempt and drag man down, but spends 
 the other half of her time in good, uplifting work. She, 
 like the loathly damsels and the Virtues in Abbey's con- 
 ception of the quest, can only be freed by an absolutely 
 chaste knight. Klingsor (typical mortal man) calls 
 
 *Moses when he saw the burning bush turned aside to 
 question, instead of antagonizing, an unusual thought or ap- 
 pearance. Abraham entertained Angels (unusual ideas) un- 
 awares, and received a blessing. Darwin's attitude toward 
 so-called impossibilities is well known. 
 
 55 
 
Taking ''Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Kundry, the woman of his (man's) desire, the woman 
 of his creation, his slave, up from the depths. She comes 
 in sackcloth, bowed and weeping. Klingsor jeers at her 
 and commands her to do his bidding: to lure men to 
 their destruction by sensuous and sensual means. This 
 he forces her to do (witness its extreme in white slavery) ; 
 but Parsifal, higher type of man, is strong enough to 
 resist; to free himself and her also from her enforced 
 task. Then all she asks or ever has asked is "Service." 
 Thus the "eternal womanly," which the average mortal 
 man has never once seen, is brought to light. Wagner 
 builded better than he knew. 
 
 Wagner sees that Tannhauser is never free from the 
 Venus or sensual lure, while Elizabeth lives; though 
 neither he nor she is conscious that she is at all connected 
 with it. Many advanced writers have had that concep- 
 tion ; they could not connect any such idea with a refined 
 or ideal woman. They felt the desecration of it; without 
 seeing the solution pure and ideal manhood, as a mate 
 and companion for the ideal woman with whom only 
 could they be happy. 
 
 Goethe's experiences were likely of this order. He was 
 probably a pure spirit, though after years of material life 
 he was persuaded that he was someway mistaken and he 
 married an uneducated woman with whom he had had 
 relations, and of whom he spoke as "a convenient loaf of 
 Brown Bread." 
 
 Goethe, who sums up all womanly charm and beauty 
 in Helena, puts these words in her mouth when asked to 
 name the penalty to be imposed on a man beneath her 
 in station, who had addressed words of love to her : 
 
 56 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 "The evil to chastise myself have caused 
 Were most unmeet. 
 Woe's to me, what ruthless fate 
 Pursues me, that where'er I go I thus 
 Befool men's senses, so they not respect 
 Themselves, nor aught that's worthy! 
 Now by force, 
 
 Now by seducive arts, by warfare now, 
 Now dragging me about from land to land, 
 Gods, heroes, demigods, yea demons too, 
 Have made my life one wild and errant maze. 
 I sowed confusion o'er the world; it grew, 
 And now it spreads, confounded worse and worse. 
 Remove this worthy man and set him free; 
 Light never harm on him the gods have crazed."* 
 We are beginning to realize that the gods have nothing 
 to do with it. Man's self-indulgent weakness is the 
 cause. Let us face the truth and not forever falsely blame 
 God and the woman. 
 
 By extending the vision we see that when man's desires 
 are eliminated, woman will be free to be herself all the 
 time, and no longer a sensual slave, which is abhorrent 
 to her nature, but has been forced upon her through the 
 desires of man enforced (custom and education being 
 factors) ; thus we may "escape the corruption which (the 
 Bible says) is in the world through lust." Ibsen's "Peer 
 Gynt" is saved by his virtuous wife and mother (who 
 hold the real man in their hearts), though he deserts, 
 neglects, and makes them suffer while he is off following 
 his will, which would have lost him his soul except for 
 their devotion. There are those who affect to see right 
 * See page 29. 
 
 57 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 conditions in this state of affairs. Why? Because it is 
 common, not reasonable; reason on this subject is out 
 of place ; man decides. 
 
 Spenser's Britomarte (the Maiden Knight, Chastity) 
 could pass through fire unharmed; an indication. This 
 I think is also Tolstoi's final ; and his " 'Tis only when 
 man learns to look on woman as a sister woman, even 
 as he looks on man as a brother man, can he see aright," 
 means, I take it, just that, and sums up his gospel. Did 
 not the Magdalene of the Scriptures turn to the chaste 
 and pure Christ Jesus for salvation (escape from bond- 
 age) ? Doubtless he saw in her not a willing sinner but 
 an unfortunate; and was she not the first to see, in his 
 compassion and purity, the risen Saviour? 
 
 The Japanese see and express this in the names given 
 their so-called fallen women: "Soiled Dove," "Lotus 
 in the Mud" ; showing that they understand the awful cir- 
 cumstances of a pure being forced into such an abhorred 
 state, and kept in constant contact with it until freed 
 by death. English and American soldiers who are sup- 
 posed to guard and protect visit these torture chambers 
 and have no mercy. Men can scarcely conceive how 
 horrible this is, as can a woman ; but they should under- 
 stand and stop it, as they alone can at the present time. 
 They are responsible as a class. Reliable commissions 
 report that all of the "bad" women in certain large cities 
 (and probably in all) "are driven to that life through 
 wrong conditions, of which they are the victims ; and are 
 supporting a child or children whose father has deserted ; 
 but while all these things are contributing causes man 
 is chiefly responsible for their fall." Think of this being 
 
 58 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 callously called "the oldest profession in the world" ; and 
 of the misery and wrong ensuing, with woman helpless 
 and in subjection all the time. Even now she is working 
 (at a disadvantage) to change these conditions. Good 
 men and women are helping her and they acknowledge 
 that the women lead in this fundamental work. 
 
 Judge Gemill of Chicago is quoted as saying, from 
 observation in domestic courts : "For the most part it 
 seems to me it is just pure cussedness on the part of the 
 men." 
 
 The Adam spirit would, as of old, wrongly place the 
 blame on the helpless woman ; we even hear of "defence- 
 less Adams" who are overcome by girls who are mere 
 children, and they are given maudlin sympathy where 
 they should be made to see themselves for what they 
 are worse than cads. This point must be insisted on as 
 only when men recognize it as truth will conditions be 
 corrected, as they should be for the good of all. 
 
 In the morality play, Everywoman, the author (a 
 man) thinks he sees that every woman sooner or later is 
 deserted by Modesty (which he personifies, as he does 
 the other qualities of womaniety). He does also see that 
 Modesty always returns in time. What he does not see 
 is that woman only loses modesty in appearance and on 
 account of life conditions, and not in reality only another 
 presentation of this same truth. 
 
 Rousseau sees that Madame W. was simply unmoral, 
 not immoral, as she only conformed to custom and not 
 through desire. He said he had observed it in cats and 
 dogs, but saw nothing attractive in it; and he said he 
 thought two people must know each other very well to 
 
 59 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 be willing to sleep together. He admits that he shrank 
 from it, and I think it will ke found that all normal young 
 people, boys or girls, do so shrink, and are only led on 
 by an immoral force which supposes such things to be 
 right and normal ; and through the dread of being thought 
 abnormal, unnatural, or ridiculous, as is often the case 
 in commencing to steal or smoke. Later the habit 
 becomes confirmed, often uncontrollable, and lives are 
 injured or absolutely wrecked through it. "Happy season 
 of virtuous youth/' writes Carlyle, "when shame is still 
 an impassable celestial barrier !" 
 
 The following quotation from Ibsen may not be out of 
 place. He says : "For I believe this : a woman is the 
 mightiest power in the world and in her hand it lies to 
 guide a man whither God Almighty would have him go." 
 Dante was led in his ascent to Paradise by the light on the 
 face of Beatrice. 
 
 The word Elohim (feminine root masculine plural) 
 in first chapter Genesis, is now translated Father-Mother 
 or Mother-Father, indicating the tender love and care of 
 that relation. In this first and true account, Elohim 
 (the word is used only in the plural) is said to have 
 created male and female (generic man) in his image and 
 likeness. Then Elohim must be Father-Mother. Know- 
 ing that the mother principle is so much in evidence in 
 physical birth, one wonders that his mistake has remained 
 so long uncorrected. Others of like nature are being 
 discovered. The text that has heretofore been rendered : 
 "The Lord giveth the word; great was the company of 
 them that published it," is plainly seen to be: "The 
 Lord giveth the word; the women that published the 
 
 60 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 tidings are a great host" also much more true to the 
 real state of affairs. 
 
 In corrected translations of the Bible account of crea- 
 tion it is seen that Eve was "thoroughly deceived, caught 
 in a snare." She saw her mistake and acknowledged it; 
 Adam did not, and Eve then turned away from God to 
 follow her husband, and became subject unto him. Had 
 she turned to God as her intuition would have led her 
 to do, he (man) would have come to her on a higher 
 plane. He will yet do so and all will be well. All the 
 time, as we know, she has turned to God, as far as pos- 
 sible, and not let go of man entirely witness the Pro- 
 testant churches; of them it is well said that, but for the 
 women cobwebs would grow over their doors. Men 
 give to the churches generally at the instance of their 
 wives ; but men must be in complete authority, for if 
 they are not, they will not have anything to do with it. 
 As in many other directions, the result is not wholly 
 satisfactory; but woman has yielded, as man would not 
 play at all if she did not. 
 
 When we understand that there is no sex in mind, we 
 will see that sex is but an artificial distinction.* 
 
 *The French language has no neuter gender, while the German 
 has a decided scattering of them; a turnip is she, a young lady 
 is it, a tree is male, its buds female, and its leaves neuter ; horses 
 are neuter, all dogs male, and all cats and mice female; woman 
 is female, but wife is not. Our use of gender is somewhat arbi- 
 trary, we call he moon and a ship she, the sun he, and a Zeppelin 
 it. We speak of mother ships and tanks, and of fathering an idea, 
 and so on. A close observer notes that while male animal pro- 
 genitors are never (one might say) referred to as "father," female 
 animals are called "mother." This may seem to be a small matter, 
 but it is not. If the word father is sacred to humanity, the word 
 mother should certainly be so. Neither should the words denot- 
 
 61 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Gender is masculine and feminine, and refers to 
 qualities. There is also a neuter gender in which there is 
 evidently no sex, only another quality. When this is 
 understood by our savants, who know all things, then the 
 wise discussion as to the relative value of brain in man and 
 woman will cease, and a saving in time be accomplished. 
 God is good and there is no sex in good, nor do men have 
 a monopoly of good. God is Love, and Love is thought 
 to be feminine; but really there is no sex either in love 
 or good, only principle. Good is good wherever found. 
 Sex belongs with the Adam, dying, physical, mortal, un- 
 natural; not with the Christ, Truth, spiritual, natural. 
 
 One of the reasons for man's fancied superiority is, I 
 suppose, that he has been said to be made in God's image 
 and likeness, and God is always spoken of as Father. 
 Also see page 6p. That this is a man's view is evident ; 
 let us look into it, in the light of higher criticism. God 
 is good, and good is both male and female. It is not 
 wholly confined to the male sex : it is generally supposed 
 that there are a few good women. And if, as stated 
 earlier, we have any doubt we have only to step into a 
 church where God (good) is supposed to be especially 
 worshiped and emulated, and we see a great majority of 
 women. In case we are not yet convinced we may go to 
 a penitentiary and find there among the criminals only 
 about two per cent of women. To the mind incapable 
 of forming correct conclusions this carries no convic- 
 
 ing the offspring be used interchangeably. Women have not so 
 close affinity for animals as have men, but man "Adam" has 
 the naming or calling of mortal creations ; and he does not 
 always consider the other or feminine part of creation as he 
 should. A protest must be registered before it can become effec- 
 tive. 
 
 62 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 tion, because we have always been told that woman was 
 inferior. Why trouble about anything further? Mere 
 statement is quite sufficient in any case where woman is 
 concerned. 
 
 Again we refer to the popular statement, "Love is of 
 man's life a thing apart, 'tis woman's whole existence" ; 
 does this prove that woman is limited and inferior? We 
 have had a good illustration of this kind of reasoning 
 in the attitude of the Filipino soldiers, for instance, 
 toward our forbearance and kindly feeling; because they 
 could not appreciate it they at once regarded it as weak- 
 ness and cowardice. Surely it is the feminine attitude, 
 but is it weakness or cowardice ? Is it not rather evidence 
 of strength and courage (reversal of sense testimony 
 again) ? Did we think so in the case spoken of, and was 
 it not somewhat trying to the patience of our soldiers to 
 be so judged? That fact that such a spirit is in our men 
 to be manifested in mercy and reason is it not because 
 in our country the feminine thought (which is often 
 expressed through masculine form and vice versa, thus 
 approaching the ideal) is partially emancipated and is 
 having its effect? This comes partly, through the teach- 
 ing in our schools, of women, which is so deplored by 
 our dense German friends and others. 
 
 Galahad, as will be remembered, was in the care of 
 Nuns (good, modestly dressed women) until his four- 
 teenth year; his life later, in the world, did not undo 
 their work, it only delayed the climax. The influence of 
 the first seven years of human life is said to be the most 
 lasting and that is usually passed under woman's care 
 a good foundation for ultimate spiritual progress. 
 
 63 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 Mothers teach their children morality in the home 
 world ; and when these children get out into the world 
 of 'men, or man's world, they find their mothers dis- 
 franchised and discredited, and much of their work is 
 in vain. Does not the unregenerate man need an object 
 lesson on the dignity of womanhood, at present, which 
 the ballot would give, and which would break the mes- 
 meric spell under which all too many people, both men 
 and women, have fallen as to woman's place, its extent 
 and manifestation. 
 
 Many will remember that the "Moseley Commission" 
 which was sent over here for purposes of investigation, a 
 few years ago, gravely announced as one of its findings, 
 that our young men were lacking in virility and had be- 
 come effeminate through the influence and teaching of 
 women* in our schools, and otherwise; (a truly Hun- 
 nish conclusion). And now when our boys are proving 
 these findings of the Moseley Commission to be crimi- 
 nally false, no inference is publicly drawn as to the op- 
 posite good effect, which is surely evident enough. It is 
 so fatally easy to make profound deductions from false 
 premises (when no proof is demanded) to get credit 
 and applause for them ; and later when they are proven 
 untrue it is so very convenient to forget them. Really 
 it is pitiful. 
 
 It looks as if the children from now on would be left 
 more to the care of women ; the men are being taken out 
 of the way by forces now beyond their control, but which 
 
 * All intelligent persons will agree that the "Dotheboys 
 methods" used in schools for boys in the past, when women 
 had no influence at all, were simply fiendish; could not have 
 been worse, and were greatly in need of improvement. 
 
 64 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 they have set in motion through their injustice to and 
 domination of women. Through the resultant change I 
 think the future looks more hopeful. We certainly need 
 a ray of light now and then to temper the gloom of 
 present day conditions, when there seems to be little 
 consistency of thought even among so called leaders. 
 
 And now to return to our first proposition God is 
 good and God is Love impersonal. It is the personal 
 idea that has been our stumbling block; we must get 
 away from it to the impersonal savior the Truth if we 
 would be freed, saved from error. Instead of a manlike 
 God, let us find the Godlike man and woman. Our 
 awakened thought in regard to the vexed question which 
 presents itself under the name of Woman's Rights, we 
 can well understand as not being entirely a question of 
 rights but of expediency; a war measure in our battle 
 against universal slavery to the senses. Let all Israel of 
 the Spirit come up out of worse than Egyptian bondage. 
 
 Certain "philosophers" teach that the true marriage 
 is based on sex; when sex is merely an incident, as any 
 thoughtful person will admit. The attempt to base it 
 otherwise would make it depend on and end at the death 
 of the body, and is responsible for the present divorce 
 situation, with all its evil consequences. It is expressed 
 in Douglas Jerrold's epigram, "A man who has a wife 
 at forty wishes he could change her for two twenties" 
 presumably a man at sixty or at eighty draw your own 
 parallel. From certain appearances one might think that 
 it is not far from the hypnotic state indicated.* In this 
 line the sisters are fighting a losing battle, even if car- 
 ried on indefinitely. Scripture says there is no marry- 
 ing in Heaven, and it does not specialize as to cere- 
 
 * Appendix J. 
 
 65 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 monial, simply uses the word marriage. Read the 
 whole statement given. Matthew XXII, 30 and Luke 
 XX, 34-36. 
 
 As our ideas seem to be colored largely, if uncon- 
 sciously, by Scripture teaching, let us see if we can find 
 out what it really does teach. Why may we not be con- 
 tent with the account given in the first chapter of 
 Genesis, which leaves things in very satisfactory shape ? 
 Male and female created He them and told them to 
 have dominion. According to this account God Spirit 
 created everything; called it good (spiritual) and 
 finished. That which is created by Spirit is spiritual ; 
 and here we have a good, satisfactory starting point 
 from the highest; why not rest content? All is fin- 
 ished ; no evil has appeared, nothing to be forbidden. 
 
 The next and contradictory account (second chapter) 
 is unreasonable enough surely: man is "formed" from 
 the dust of the ground, the lowest, most material; then 
 a mist went up, etc. A deep sleep fell on Adam and 
 he dreamed a dream a man's dream from which he 
 has never awakened; the poets all tell us this. Words- 
 worth's "Immortality" begins : "This life is but a sleep 
 and a forgetting" ; one could quote indefinitely. In this 
 sleep the "Lord" God is said to have formed from Adam 
 a helpmeet for him ; but a helpmeet is one who helps, not 
 one who hinders. Did God make a mistake, or is it 
 possible that man did? Into this dream, evil enters 
 and tempts these dust- formed creatures ; then Eve formed 
 from Adam is said to be worse than Adam formed from 
 dust. Is her origin more impure than his? Really, I 
 suppose Eve told the truth when she said that impersonal 
 evil (d'evil) was the tempter; it was, but Adam wanted 
 
 66 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 something more tangible to blame ; so to make his action 
 appear more excusable, he said : "The woman whom Thou 
 gavest me" (both God and the woman to blame) ; and 
 so it has gone on, man blaming, woman forced meekly to 
 accept, trying to help work out salvation for both, under 
 severe handicap. 
 
 Jesus referring to the Devil says : "When he speaketh 
 a lie he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the 
 father of it." (Also see page 64.) We might from this 
 judge the devil to be masculine, and the lie neutral or 
 impersonal. Then it follows that the tempter was the 
 masculine quality and the successful result reacted on 
 man in the human misconception of the divine ideal. 
 Knowing that he has done wrong, and of course influenced 
 and biased by that fact, did he add one wrong to another 
 by evading the blame in attempting to right himself with 
 God; a measure often resorted to. That two wrongs 
 never make a right is the lesson which mankind must 
 learn ; as it is true. 
 
 If Adam was created first he was not brought forth 
 from a human, material egg. Eve was taken from Adam's 
 side, not from an ovum. Whatever idea may be put forth 
 in a general way in regard to the origin of human beings 
 will become a fact to mortals. Able naturalists say: "We 
 have no right to assume that individuals have grown or 
 been formed under circumstances which made material 
 conditions essential to their maintenance and reproduc- 
 tion, or important to their origin and first introduction." 
 
 "It is very possible that many general statements now 
 current, about birth and generation, will be changed with 
 the progress of information." "Certain animals, beside 
 
 67 
 
Taking ''Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 the ordinary process of generation, also increase their 
 numbers naturally and constantly by self-division." 
 
 The consensus of learned opinion now is that life 
 begins in the egg. But the old question of what produced 
 the egg will still present itself in the mind of the intelli- 
 gent being. So-called mortal life must begin as it ends, 
 in nothingness dust to dust. How can there be mortal 
 (or dying) life; how can life die? It takes much 
 credulity to believe that all the characteristics of man 
 can be found in the simple elements forming an egg. 
 We should consider these things. Sleep has dreams and 
 illusions and Adam's sleep is like that of others. Study 
 Genesis I if you wish to get a satisfactory starting point ; 
 everything good, no evil at all, and consider that the 
 second chapter is manifestly a contradiction of the first. 
 It is an account of a mortal dream which has the ap- 
 pearance of reality ; it is not good but is the contradiction 
 of good. Hegel and other noted philosophers have long 
 ago taken a logical stand that there must be and is ulti- 
 mate good which knows no evil, or it would not be good ; 
 how could it be? Use your logic. 
 
 We can easily see that good only is creative and 
 perpetuates itself evil destroys itself. 
 
 A strange thought that the only thoroughly well known 
 part of the Bible is this whole Adam story, temptation and 
 fall. Eve formed from Adam's rib, and so, inferior. 
 Thy desire shall be, and he shall rule. Increase and 
 multiply (said to be the only command man has kept). 
 Every one old enough to think seems some way able to 
 grasp and believe this to the exclusion, often, of all the rest 
 of the Bible. You will not find many men who do not 
 know somewhat the story of Solomon's 600 female 
 
 68 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 slaves; of David's fall; of Lot; of Joseph; and of 
 Pharaoh's daughter; many putting on them the lowest 
 construction, learning nothing good. Even the Queen 
 of Sheba could not escape these insinuations.* Why 
 should this phase appeal to mortal man more than all 
 the lovely ethical truths in the Bible? 
 
 The Hebrew scripture contains such a marvelous ex- 
 position of life. Its types, symbols, and experiences are 
 so human ; part given for precept and part for warning. 
 It almost makes one impatient to hear those who do not 
 know attempt to belittle it. 
 
 The facts which we have found hard to reconcile with 
 reason are tremendous verities ; we may as well accept 
 them as such, for they remain; it is for us to adjust our- 
 selves to them or be the losers. They would not have 
 been so persistently handed down to us for nothing. I 
 am sure we are all glad to feel that we need not to discard 
 the faith of our fathers; but may safely build on the 
 foundations which they have laid. 
 
 What I have said in regard to all this, I believe, strikes 
 a responsive chord in every womanly heart. Only those 
 who are still in fear, and feel that they must flatter and 
 please men, or, from force of habit, say otherwise. If 
 woman stops to reflect she will acknowledge that this 
 is true, to her own surprise perhaps, so little has she 
 been accustomed to think in this direction; for the sake 
 of semi-peace, she has accepted what has been forced 
 
 *Do you know why St. Simon Stylites remained on the pillar 
 top (a few feet square) in the market place of Palermo? It 
 was to prove to all that he was chaste. But even though he 
 stayed there night and day for many years, drawing his food 
 up in a basket, he still could not escape malicious insinuations, 
 which are so trying to a pure-minded person. 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 upon her by others, as her own thought. All doubt of 
 this would be removed could she be brought to see that, 
 through her enforced sacrifice, men themselves, and so 
 the race, are being injured instead of benefited; as she 
 had so vainly imagined, and accepted in the spirit of duty, 
 necessity, and sacrifice. When will we cease to depend 
 on the evidence of the senses? 
 
 Suffering seems necessary to bring us to think of 
 spiritual things. If we are passably well, the body and 
 material things seem sufficient; we are satisfied. Tis 
 only when suffering comes that we look for spiritual (the 
 only) comfort. When we understand that the harmoni- 
 ous, spiritual, immortal, undying, is the real and natural, 
 and not the animal, suffering, inharmonious, mortal, 
 dying physical which is unnatural and material the 
 need for suffering may have passed and it will be no 
 more. This understanding does not, for some reason, 
 come without effort; we must struggle until certain 
 principles are learned, after which as in the other lessons 
 of life everything comes easily. As mortals "we fall to 
 rise, are baffled to fight better." It is said that when one 
 begins to realize the unreality of material things, and 
 their lack of power to satisfy, then only do they begin 
 to live. The road for a little way is apt to be dangerous, 
 but if they are in the right path, they soon come out on 
 solid ground and in a new country. El D'Orado. 
 
 Often some noted person is quoted as saying with 
 finality: "Life is only a preparation for death/' or 
 "Death is as natural and inevitable as birth"; and this 
 is applauded as wise wisdom. Now, we all ought to, and 
 do know that death at least is unnatural ; and we try to 
 evade it as long as possible by every means in our power. 
 
 70 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 Why death is the "wages of sin" (i. e., the result of 
 mistakes). We put criminals to death as the extreme 
 punishment. We should all be beyond applauding such 
 unnatural and untrue statements. 
 
 We become enthusiastic over the old and exploded 
 idea that we must provide healthy bodies before we can 
 have healthy minds, putting the cart before the horse; 
 so it works poorly. or not at all. The human body is 
 found to be eighty-five per cent water and fifteen per 
 cent organic salts; the foods which sustain it, and all 
 material things, are of the same elements in slightly 
 differing proportions. What is there to be healthy, un- 
 healthy, or indigestible? We all know, if we stop to 
 think, that mind is the law giver; and if it is healthy it 
 manifests in a healthy body, as everything is a manifesta- 
 tion of mind. Also we know that when our earth was 
 considered the center of the universe, there were many 
 discrepancies which had to be overlooked or accounted 
 for in some way ; but when the sun was reckoned as the 
 center, all was seen to be harmonious, as it had been all 
 the time; our mistaken belief did not in any way affect 
 the reality, the Truth, in one case more than the other. 
 
 As a drop of water is one with the ocean, having all 
 the qualities of the ocean, and no other qualities ; as the 
 ray of light is one with and has all the qualities of the sun ; 
 as tones are one with music, having the same qualities ; 
 as numbers are one with the principle of mathematics, 
 useless each without the other, coming into existence at 
 the same time, always individual but varied; so man is 
 one with Good (God), Mind, Life, Truth, Love, having 
 all the qualities of Good, of Mind, of Life, of Truth, of 
 Love, and no other qualities. We have written figures, 
 
 7i 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 numbers, and principle of mathematics, sound or tones, 
 music, and its principle; body ego, and principle, God 
 (good). Now erase the figures, silence the tones, return 
 the body to dust, yet music, numbers, ego, still survive, 
 each in constant relation to its principle. The ego is 
 like the tone or number, perfect nothing can be added 
 to it and nothing taken away without losing its relation 
 to the principle, and then what is it but a mistake, a dis- 
 cord? Nothing. You did not originate health, strength, 
 or wealth, nor did I; we cannot therefore lose health, 
 strength, or wealth, or any good thing (a calamity it 
 would be if we could) ; they are not ours to lose any more 
 than the fact that twice two equals four, is our personal 
 property; we can use them all and all are inexhaustible 
 because all are mental and not material. The stirring 
 words : "Your Flag and my Flag" refer to the one Flag, 
 the Flag of Our Country ; and moreover that Flag stands 
 for an ideal of liberty and protection for each one of us ; 
 not for a lot of little flags for individuals, which would 
 be helpless alone ; yet each one has its meaning and value 
 to each individual as a part of, or one with, the Union. 
 Life is not an eating or a breathing process : life is a 
 knowing process. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 "So dear to heav'n is saintly chastity 
 That when a soul is found sincerely so 
 A thousand livened angels lackey her." 
 
 TOLSTOI says, "All any pure young girl wants is 
 children," and many, many women say in their 
 hearts (though they hardly dare to think it, so long 
 and patiently have they borne the yoke, either from 
 the thought of stern duty or from force of example and 
 seeming necessity), "Life would be a paradise were this 
 left out, except where children are really desired." And 
 so it would be. There is so much that is delightful in the 
 relations of man and woman which is ruined by this thing. 
 The pity of it ! We must see that it is not necessary now, 
 when so many ways of thwarting nature are devised and 
 used. The result is being practically done away with, and 
 only the dissipation part is left. To read the advertise- 
 ments promising relief ( !) from "consequences" in the 
 personal columns of some papers, must open the eyes 
 of thoughtful persons to what is going on. There is no 
 permanent relief. The woman always suffers, desperately 
 and frightfully, sooner or later ; and through her humanity 
 suffers beyond computation, if mechanical means are used. 
 Is it not time for us to open our eyes and ears to the 
 truth, and act on our knowledge as to what is right for 
 humanity? We must be content to "let the dead past 
 bury its dead," without hard feeling. But, in the present 
 time, can we see no other way, but that woman must 
 be tortured, for she is that, with fear and dread alone 
 even at the possibility, though she tries to throw it off? 
 
 73 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 A strange thing to read, in a story written by a noted 
 author, with* all men characters. They are discussing 
 characteristics, especially the fear of death, which in the 
 case in point is spoken of as being from prenatal influence. 
 One man is moved to remark: "Jove, I don't see how 
 women stand it! To look forward nearly a whole year 
 to death as the possible end of all they're hoping for or 
 suffering for. I wonder we are not all marked." The 
 American man is certainly getting a new viewpoint. Not 
 only a year, but the better part of a woman's life is spent 
 thus aside from the ordinary fear of death, which we all 
 subconsciously must have, being apparently doomed to 
 death as soon as we are born. Let us look at this squarely 
 for once. What must be the natural result ? 
 
 After the fall Adam's first statement is found to be, "I 
 was afraid" ; but we know that "Perfect love casteth out 
 fear." Lust and fear are companions; they must and 
 will go out together before we can know perfect love, 
 and the confidence which is its companion. Jesus said: 
 Unless ye are converted and become as a little child ye 
 cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven ; we know he could 
 not have referred to little physical child bodies, also he 
 said : "Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such 
 is the kingdom of Heaven." What are these characteris- 
 tics, then, which it is so important to possess? Not 
 alone trust, faith, but scientific innocence which knows 
 no wrong; purity without taint. Children know no sex; 
 one little fellow, on being told that he had a sister, said, 
 "Can't we put pants on it and have it for a boy ?" Another 
 said hopefully of a little brother, "They think it is a boy 
 now, but its hair has commenced to grow and I think it 
 will turn out to be a girl." Children neither marry nor 
 
 74 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 (in Christian countries) are they given in marriage. In 
 mother love, acknowledged to be the highest and purest 
 love, there is never a question of sex; neither is there 
 in sister love ; too often is it recorded of human father and 
 brother love. We learn with horror why the lovely 
 Beatrice Cenci is called the "fair parricide"; she was 
 not the only victim of her kind, as even today's papers 
 bear witness. Thirty per cent of assault cases in England 
 are of this class. (That the laws of England exploiting 
 women and children are so vicious and ill enforced is the 
 sufficient reason for militancy in that country.) The 
 English government has had to make a law in India for 
 the Hindoos, that no man over forty may marry a child 
 under eight. This means that men under forty can and 
 do marry children under eight. They are brought to the 
 missionary hospitals physical wrecks at two years of 
 age isn't it ghastly and worse than beastly ? They marry 
 children under twelve because "they cannot conceive" ; 
 see Missionary Text Book for Class Study. A man of 
 any age or condition, leprous or maimed, may marry any 
 poor child, especially a little widow, if he has money. 
 One is ashamed to narrate this, but it must be uncovered 
 and stopped. It is terrible to face these facts ; then what 
 must it mean to those who endure and indulge in the con- 
 ditions something should be done about it. We know 
 that the first thing to do is to uncover and bring it out 
 from hiding and skulking, and then we have a better 
 opportunity to scotch the snake. 
 
 A physician of much experience reluctantly but freely 
 acknowledges that nine-tenths or more of the children 
 born are accidents, and not welcome at the time; and 
 accounts for it in these words: "Women have been so 
 
 75 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 imposed on in the past that they have grown to hate and 
 despise the whole thing, and their daughters inherit from 
 them." Statements like this and others heard from 
 divorce courts, hospital patients, and matrons go to prove 
 that all is not what it seems or as it should be. This is 
 known to be true why try to deceive ourselves? Only 
 by reasoning together frankly and facing truth squarely 
 can we arrive at a correct solution. Can we see no way 
 to ease "the burden which no one should ever have been 
 asked to bear" and which is becoming too heavy to be 
 endured ? Can they not ask for a little or much self control 
 on the part of men, after all that has passed, without 
 being thought unnatural, or to be shirking duty? One 
 must rise to righteous indignation that it is necessary to 
 ask the question to beg for mercy, as it were, at the 
 hands of those sworn to love and protect. Save us from 
 the love which manifests itself in torturing and injuring 
 both parties. "A beast that wants discourse of reason" 
 does better. "The pain and peril of childbirth" is not 
 of modern origin by any means, but has been for all 
 time, since the memory of man runneth not to the con- 
 trary; there are records to prove this if any one doubts. 
 Doubtless it will be hard, but may not man need to 
 learn the meaning of the word sacrifice, as well as woman ? 
 The attitude of the average man in this case appears much 
 like A. Ward's willingness to "sacrifice his wife's rela- 
 tions." It is so easy to sacrifice some one else. Some 
 one has wrongly said: "This woman's flesh demands 
 its natural pains." Be sure this is a man's idea. Woman's 
 flesh does not demand anything of the kind more than 
 man's. She gets her so-called natural pains (so, alas, 
 does man), and it is not necessary for her happiness or 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 well being to add unnatural pains, as is done by the present 
 method. An unusually sensible and lovely mother seemed 
 to think the problem well solved when her son told her 
 he was making every effort to keep from this until he 
 was married. There was no thought of exhaustion for 
 both, or what the wife might then undergo ; that part is 
 taken for granted but is it right or fair why not teach 
 that absolute self control is the highest state? [Read 
 understandingly Tolstoi's "Kreutzer Sonata."] It has 
 been said : "the caresses so dear to the heart of a woman 
 have only one ending in the thought of man, and that apt 
 to be disastrous." 
 
 We so often hear it said in a slurring way that woman 
 has no sense of humor, as if it were a lack, and her fault. 
 What wonder, if it is purely masculine humor, and when 
 she has imposed upon her, over and above the ills to which 
 all flesh is heir, an added burden which in itself is 
 enough too much for human nature to endure ! 
 
 The responsibility is laid on her shoulders, to do or 
 not to do. Either way, she has been blamed, and her 
 conscience, if she has one, is on the rack most of the 
 time. The nervous and mental strain is intense. This 
 is hardly understood. The responsibility should be lifted 
 from her shoulders and placed where it belongs. Of 
 course, this involves a conscientious desire to do what is 
 right on the part of both, and a willingness to make any 
 reasonable sacrifice for the good of the world, and the 
 benefit and delight which comes with health and healthy 
 children. The immediate sacrifice is not one at all. A 
 much higher pleasure will come in its place; only give it 
 a chance. 
 
 77 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 I have in mind a case where the husband and wife 
 were told that an addition to their family of children 
 would mean certain blindness and probable death to the 
 wife and mother (one of the salt of the earth). Though 
 the husband was a minister, well along in years, the con- 
 dition referred to came about, with result as predicted. 
 Soon after, this old man, who was a college president 
 as well, married one of the students ; another family, and 
 a wife with nervous prostration was the outcome. Such 
 a thing looks very much like brutality and murder of the 
 most unnatural kind, with results as desired. So, some 
 men kill the thing they are said to love. No wonder a 
 noted writer calls marriage "legalized assault."* 
 
 If a man, in rage or passion, or to get rid of someone, 
 killed another human being, he would be imprisoned at 
 least. A woman has no way of killing her husband which 
 would be sanctioned by law; nor does she wish one. 
 What can we say in favor of this passion, which is utterly 
 regardless of consequences, so it may be gratified (not 
 satisfied) to its own loss? What miserable, terrible 
 selfishness is here] Can any good come from a thing 
 so degrading? Can a thing so abhorrent in one phase be 
 good in another? (We can any of us recall many cases 
 similar to the one above cited, though with varying 
 results.) The Equitable Life Assurance Company tells 
 us that eighteen per cent more married women than 
 single ones die between the ages of 20 and 29, while fifty- 
 seven per cent more single men die between these ages 
 than married men. Draw your own conclusions. The 
 question is asked, "Is marriage a test of courage?" If 
 it is, women have to show more courage than men when 
 they marry. Is that one reason they have been kept in 
 
 * See Appendix M, page 213. 
 
 78 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 ignorance? Records of the past would show a much 
 greater proportion in favor of men. Not so long ago 
 it was not uncommon for a man to have had and lost 
 five or six wives. The man was not to blame, when 
 celebrating his golden wedding with his fourth wife; 
 oh no, the Lord afflicted him; so goes a story as told 
 jocosely by a minister in my hearing; consecutive polyga- 
 my, a la divorce,' seems more humane and advanced, 
 doesn't it? 
 
 A fountain sends not forth sweet waters and bitter. 
 Why should anything which has good in it be so per- 
 sistently and entirely hidden? The normal average 
 person may see nature function in any other way than 
 that; but that never. In the so-called brute creation the 
 female fights, and can protect herself against anything 
 which is not expected to be followed by results. 'Tis 
 only the sensitive human being who is expected and 
 trained to accept at all times and seasons, when results 
 are not desired, on pain of being thought unnatural (a 
 powerful lever a blow from the fist is not the only 
 knockdown argument). True, there are among brutes 
 those who are apparently content to wallow. 
 
 I sometimes wonder if I am missing a point here; and 
 then comes the vision of Phillips Brooks, of Plato, of 
 St. Paul, Jesus, and others a long line of good men and 
 women and I am content. Platonic love, St. Paul's 
 position "Whoso looketh" are they not different ex- 
 pressions of the same thought? Than these no other 
 lives have been so instrumental for good. They embodied 
 no ideas physically. I would not be understood to be- 
 little this function. So far from it, that it seems to 
 me necessary for the present. Had these great ones not 
 
 79 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 been embodied, what must have been the result, as we 
 see it ? All honor to the mothers who made them mani- 
 fest, though we agree that mother and fatherhood is not 
 wholly physical. Otherwise who would help to better 
 conditions for the submerged children of misery? These 
 children arise and call the name Addams, Young, Lathrop, 
 Montessori, Willard, Washington, Plato, St. Paul, Jesus, 
 and many others, blessed. 
 
 The following quotations are pertinent: "The ideal 
 woman is without desire." Milton, Tolstoi, and others 
 (honest physicians) tell plainly of the immediate result: 
 depression and disgust. Their statements are known to 
 be correct, if thought is taken. Milton makes the angel 
 say, in response to Adam's questioning : 
 
 "... think the same 
 
 Vouchsafed to cattle and each beast; which would not be 
 To them made common and divulge if ought 
 Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue 
 The soul of man, or passion in him move. 
 What higher in her society thou find'st 
 Attractive, human, rational, love still; 
 In loving thou dost well, in passion not, 
 Wherein true love consists not: Love refines 
 The thought and heart enlarges; hath his seat 
 In reason, and is judicious; is the scale by which 
 To heavenly love thou mayst ascend, 
 Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause 
 Among the beasts no mate for thee was found!' 
 
 Attention is called to a series of books under the caption 
 of "Life's Problems," "Sex Hygiene pamphlets issued by 
 the Council on Health and Public Instruction of the 
 American Medical Association." The thoughtful reader 
 
 80 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 finds that throughout these pages neither morality, char- 
 acter, mentality nor spirituality are so much as mentioned. 
 In reality we may suppose that sex has nothing to do with 
 these higher and most important attributes. It is purely 
 physical and animal and is so dealt with in these booklets, 
 in an idealistic way, which is far from the practical norm 
 at this time. As their price is low, one foresees their wide 
 perusal and influence. Now the question is do we want 
 our children and young people to be taught to look on this 
 problem from a wholly material and animal standpoint. 
 In the domesticated animal creation this impulse is con- 
 trolled by their instincts and by their individual oivners. 
 Humanity has no such safeguards against over indul- 
 gence, and has proven so very untrustworthy in the past 
 that higher laws must be invoked, not ignored; if we 
 are ever to attain the right attitude toward future im- 
 provement. 
 
 In justice to the typical American husband, it must be 
 said he begins to see this, to appreciate and to act. He 
 is very nearly an archangel by comparison, but he hardly 
 knows what to make of his own state of mind. He does 
 not see yet that his will power was given him for the 
 purpose of self control. 
 
 You will notice how instinctively men bare the head 
 in the presence of women. Tis out of respect for woman- 
 hood, motherhood not for the individual. Contrast it 
 with the scorn and hatred shown (by men even more than 
 women) for the same womanhood "fallen and aban- 
 doned." Is it just that we name and recognize it, but 
 do nothing to change? Among thoughtful people it is 
 conceded that few women go astray except as victims 
 of misplaced confidence; and often in men old enough to 
 
 81 
 
Taking '''Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 be their fathers, by whom their minds are perverted. 
 These women are hated and persecuted, hunted by men, 
 one might say, and are forever debarred the society of 
 the so-called respectable. They do not dare to so much 
 as lift their eyes to, nor do they expect to be recognized 
 on the street by, the very men who have ruined them 
 and are their equals and companions. Give the word 
 ruin its true value, and we see at once what has happened : 
 A woman, God's last, best gift to (hu) man (ity), is said 
 to be "ruined." Can we by any sophistry justify ( !) such 
 a catastrophe? Instinctly we feel what a desperate sin 
 (mistake) they are committing, and the feeling mani- 
 fests itself unconsciously. A well-known modern writer 
 speaks of "the only sin a woman can commit." 
 
 Mesphisto's sneering, cold-blooded reply (to the words 
 of Faust, wrung from him as a groan when contemplat- 
 ing Marguerite's situation), "She is not the first," reflects 
 the careless attitude of the average mind in such a case. 
 Faust's rejoiner, "Not the first! Woe! Woe! By no 
 human soul is it conceivable that more than one human 
 creature has sunk into a depth of wretchedness like this, 
 or that the first in her writhing death agony should not 
 have atoned in the sight of all-pardoning Heaven for 
 the guilt of all the rest. The misery of this one pierces 
 me to the very marrow and harrows up my soul; thou 
 art grinning calmly over the doom of thousands !" por- 
 trays the reality. "Art thou the man?" And should not 
 the often unconscious or embarrassed grinning be changed 
 to intense indignation? We say we are not right to feel 
 and do as we do, but we continue so to do and feel. And 
 their mistake is a fearful one and so it probably must be 
 made prominent. But the man, physically at advantage 
 
 82 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 and protected by man-made conditions, should not be 
 allowed to go scotfree as he generally does, and then it 
 would not be such a joke to him. Some one has said : 
 "For the man a moment of so-called pleasure, for the 
 woman perhaps a lifetime of misery/' Woman is not 
 forever going to be made a scapegoat. 
 
 We do not realize that the same sin is being carried 
 on all about us, supposed to sanctioned by law through 
 a few words, and thus is thought to be made respectable, 
 but in reality it is just as much of a sin as the other. 
 When we realize this, we will feel as strongly against 
 the one as the other, and our smug complacency will 
 vanish. "Marriage is honorable in all and the bed unde- 
 filed." This has been and is being realized by many as an 
 ideal state, and it is not a condition to be sneered at, but to 
 be respected as well, and more, than is absolute temper- 
 ance in other ways, as an evidence of self control. 
 
 The summary and awful punishment meted out to 
 negro criminal assaulters (men) does it not show that 
 we recognize this sin against motherhood as the crime 
 against humanity? As long as the crime continues, the 
 result probably will and should be what it is. Is not what 
 has been called the "white man's sin" largely responsible ? 
 The negro men, who rarely dare to lift their eyes to a 
 white woman, are only retaliating in kind, though at a 
 disadvantage. The shame of it all ! 
 
 The logical conclusion would seem to be that it is 
 through the violation of the receptive principle (woman- 
 hood, motherhood, Holy Spirit), present or inherited, 
 that we suffer physically, mentally, and spiritually as we 
 do. Any violation of this kind must be disastrous. We 
 know it is so physically and mentally, and we have the 
 
 83 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Scripture statement that the sin against the Holy Ghost 
 (the receptive principle) is unpardonable. The Holy 
 Spirit has always been regarded in sacred teachings as 
 that which makes us receptive to higher things, one 
 definition of the trinity being: "Father" (God, the Giver), 
 "Son" (Christ, the Gift), and "Holy Spirit" (the pure 
 Receiver, or that which makes us pure enough to receive 
 the gift). 
 
 "A virgin" (an unmarried woman) is distinctively 
 called pure. A pure virgin. What then is it that makes 
 a change in this person at marriage is it association 
 with man? Are his thoughts usually unnaturally and 
 artificially trained to be impure, and does he insist upon 
 certain "rights" until the woman is also perverted, as she 
 does many times become to a certain extent? I ask for 
 information not for controversy. We recognize that a 
 virgin, young woman, seems attractive to the average 
 man. Now, why should he wish to make her unvirgin? 
 "So each man kills the thing he loves." We often hear 
 it said, and know it to be true, that there are women who 
 are very impure ; but I believe that were we to look into 
 the history of each case we would find that her ruin 
 had been accomplished at a very early age by a man much 
 older than she, and then her thought dwelt upon it till 
 it became perverted. She could never be the same again. 
 She bears the marks on her person, even possibly in her 
 circumstances as a mother. Mayor Gaynor said: "Wo- 
 men are the victims of men; this will continue until the 
 passions of men have been softened and lessened. These 
 unfortunate women are what men have made them. Very 
 few of them entered into such a life as a matter of choice. 
 So long as the passions of men are so strong will women 
 
 84 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 be the victims of men." Reports from the Chicago 
 Court of Domestic Relations and the Rockefeller inves- 
 tigations agree with above. W. L. George and others 
 please take notice. These returns cannot be evaded. We 
 read in our papers almost daily, "Girl Missing," who 
 might be your child or mine; think of the outcome; 
 68,000 is the record for A. D. 1919. 
 
 To call an act which is subject to the fiendish abuse of 
 which we have recently had object lessons of stupendous 
 and super shocking import, to call such an act an expres- 
 sion of romantic love (as is often done in stories) is a 
 perversion of sense. It is an expression of lust and should 
 be considered as such. 
 
 Read Kauffman stories "Why the girl goes wrong/' 
 Kauffman has studied this question at first hand and 
 speaks with authority. 
 
 The amazing fact is brought out that an "artist" 
 (musician, painter or otherwise) is encouraged to believe 
 that he can only do his best work after experiencing 
 physical "passion." (illicit usually). The extreme 
 opposite is the truth, as any thinking person must admit. 
 If under such conditions they do express anything fine it 
 must be in spite of, instead of because of, such experi- 
 ence. Only a pure mind free from physical passion can 
 rise to the highest expression of art ; the best authorities 
 agree as to this. 
 
 It is a shock to a person of normal mind to be made 
 aware that the prehistoric "Cave Man" and his female 
 (whatever they may have been) are often in modern 
 parlance (novels, plays and movies) used as fitting ex- 
 amples for action at this day. If such tactics seem effec- 
 tive up to a certain point, with weak-minded people, the 
 
 85 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 semi-final even, can only be disastrous, as is proven in 
 real life. 
 
 The average mind is nearly dazed before these revela- 
 tions, and it seems almost as if they should not even be 
 mentioned in decent society but they are set before us in 
 daily papers and publications, and when we find that they 
 are vitiating the very fabric of that society, and that the 
 devil is only hoping that they will be ignored until he can 
 anihilate existing society, we are convinced that it should 
 be uncovered and destroyed with other anarchistic vipers 
 and serpents ere it be everlastingly too late, and the 
 history of Sodom be repeated in a world-wide situation 
 which seems to be facing us unless met with drastic 
 remedies. Few thinking people can escape this conclu- 
 sion. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 MOST of the feeling evinced by women for men, 
 either older or younger than themselves is it 
 not really the natural, perfectly pure, filial or 
 sister love, though it often receives a different name 
 and is not considered' creditable? Often it is what George 
 Eliot calls "the longing for living fellowship with the 
 like-minded, which is so stimulating to the intellectual 
 life." Women suffer from this more than men, she 
 says, being more circumscribed in their opportunities. 
 She wrote of a time that is fast passing away. Through 
 wrong education and false standards, the attitude of the 
 average man (and woman) in such cases must be ac- 
 knowledged as of a different character ; and at the present 
 stage of development it does not seem safe, but is like 
 playing with fire: some one is very sure to be burned. 
 Many women flatter or beguile men through affectation 
 of ability and desire to fulfill certain conditions when 
 they know, and men should know, that they can not and 
 will not "deliver the goods." It must be said that men 
 are easy victims of their own desires, not of the woman. 
 
 The spectacle of a young woman being punished by 
 a community of people for leading astray a number of 
 married men, each old enough to be her father, is a case 
 in point, which has been known to occur, and which 
 should need no comment for fair-minded people. The 
 men could not be reached, so the woman was made a 
 scapegoat for their silly iniquity. 
 
 To quote from Maeterlinck. "For my part, said a sage 
 to me one day, I have never come across a woman who 
 
 87 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 did not bring me something great." He was great him- 
 self first of all. (He had seeing eyes.) He then goes 
 on: "For most men the soul must be banished from life, 
 and every impulse that is too deep must be brushed aside ; 
 and therefore it is that woman, who is so much nearer 
 the truth, can scarcely ever live a moment with them." 
 He might have added, except as she effaces herself for 
 the sake of seeming peace (where there is no peace) . Oh, 
 the awful double waste of precious force! This con- 
 stant warfare in thought is manifested in present 
 disturbed world conditions. Peace, of course, as is 
 everything, is a manifestation of mind. 
 
 Masonry, with its spiritual, symbolic teaching, was only 
 for men. They needed it ; woman perhaps did not. The 
 executive mind attends to these things, and the construc- 
 tion we put on the reason for any process must be well, 
 amusing to the infinite mind, if one can use such a word 
 in this connection, and I see no reason for not doing so. 
 Ask Leonardo why his "Mona Lisa"* smiles. 
 " Plato calls the "Soul" and "Philosophy" "She," making 
 them feminine attributes. His "Wise Woman" in the 
 Symposium says, "Love is essentially love of birth and 
 beauty." Some, she says, beget earthly children, but 
 others are more creative in their souls. "He who in his 
 youth has the seeds of temperance and justice implanted 
 in him desires to implant them in others. Above all, 
 when he finds a fair and noble and well nourished soul, 
 he is full of speech about virtue and the nature and 
 pursuits of a good man, and he tries to educate him, and 
 they are married by a far closer tie and have closer 
 friendship than those who beget mortal children, for the 
 
 *Probably the world's greatest picture. 
 
 88 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 children who are their offspring are fairer and more im- 
 mortal. ... In such deep fashion would Plato, the pagan 
 (?) realize the maxim, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as 
 thyself." 
 
 It is in the family that each has an opportunity to learn 
 of the fatherhood and motherhood of God. While there 
 are those who never had husband, wife, or child, all have 
 fathers and mothers. None of us are left without a 
 chance at knowledge of that most important relation- 
 ship of all. God is Father-Mother, principle or divine 
 wisdom guiding us. 
 
 In Jeremiah 33 :i6, we read : "In those days shall Judah 
 be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the 
 name wherewith she shall be called, the Lord our right- 
 eousness." "Wisdom is justified of her children." 
 
 It is interesting to know that cells increase until the 
 body is twenty-five years old, hold their own for a number 
 of years, then grow senile and die, seemingly. But science 
 tells us that they are superior cells and do not really die 
 the life is still there. (See page 35, third paragraph.) 
 
 Among the cells which make up our bodies we find 
 some, as the brain cells, cease to propagate early in 
 prenatal life, and only improve in quality thereafter. Some 
 cells do not propagate at all, but their part is to help 
 others. To preserve already existing life may be better 
 than to reproduce it. "It would be prettier and more 
 convenient to pick children from the trees," as Goethe 
 expresses it. We find one of Goethe's characters saying : 
 
 "Nay Heaven for fend, 
 That ancient method begetting 
 Is now from its high honor thrust. 
 If brutes this way still sate their lust, 
 
 89 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Man with his mighty gifts henceforth I wis, 
 Must have a source more pure than this" 
 
 This idea is vaguely foreshadowed in Euphorion, the 
 offspring of Helena and Faust's mental communion in a 
 garden. 
 
 A query here and there in a daily paper shows that 
 some have at least begun to wonder, why? Why not 
 improvements in methods which are so in need of im- 
 provement; as follows: "The household can make its 
 own ice. Soon it can buy a little machine that will turn 
 out butter from chemicals. Why cannot science give us 
 satisfactory men and women without the trouble of 
 growing them." We never say we produce life it is 
 already existent and never dies that of course follows. 
 "A preternaturally reanimated body would be a wonder- 
 ful thing in the economy of nature." 
 
 Many are encouraged in the attractive thought and they 
 desire to see, in human children, the gift of God. The 
 following illustrations may make a phase of the apparent 
 situation clear : A man in search of a child to adopt went 
 to a home finder's institution ; there he was closely ques- 
 tioned as to his habits of life; when it was found that he 
 occasionally drank whiskey, went to Sunday horse races, 
 etc., he was not allowed to take the child because he was 
 not considered fit to have charge of one. "H'mm !" he 
 said, "you are more particular than the Almighty." If 
 God sends any human child then he sends all ; and do we 
 think God would send helpless children into places where 
 they can have no chance for a good life ; when we would 
 condemn ourselves and others, and be condemned for 
 doing such a thing? Well, then, are God's ways worse 
 
 90 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Info One" 
 
 than ours? No, God's ways are higher and better than 
 our ways, not worse and lower. Do we apologize for 
 Him. 
 
 What would be thought of a person who would drown 
 a little child; yet we give God credit for doing just that, 
 when we call such a catastrophe a "dispensation of 
 providence," and say "God's will be done," in regard to 
 it. God's will is not done, and that is the cause of the 
 disaster. And we who theoretically are supposed to have 
 only one God, are crying "Good God, Good Devil!" In 
 practice acknowledging two gods or powers, good and evil, 
 proving ourselves true children of Adam and Eve, who 
 in Paradise listened to the thought that there was a power 
 apart from God, when God is one is Good is all. If 
 mortal children are the gift of God how is it that they 
 are killed off like flies in war, pestilence, earthquake, 
 famine, avoidable accidents, murder, etc. Do we thus 
 give them back to God or does He thus take them? Can 
 anyone offer a reasonable explanation? "I know the 
 thoughts which I think toward you saith the Lord, 
 thoughts of good and not of evil, to give you an expected 
 (a reasonable) end." 
 
 A noted semi-religious writer takes space in his own 
 well-known magazine to say: "God gives us children to 
 finish for Him." One wonders then what God was think- 
 ing of, and what He thinks of the result of "His" plan ; 
 apparently He will have to try again, if this writer's idea 
 is true. Fancy omnipotent God taking such devious, un- 
 certain, and futile courses if you can; I cannot. I must 
 say it sometimes seems as if men (and some women) 
 wanted children as they want others things; because 
 other people have them for entertainment and show ; to 
 play providence to, and because of a vague hope of some 
 
 91 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the File" 
 
 way gaining "immortality" through them. They do not 
 know how, nor do they ask what becomes of this sort 
 of immortality when the children die, and have no issue, 
 or the succeeding generations die out as they often do. 
 If mothers have "plenty of healthy children" then fathers 
 will be super-immortal. Is that the idea? The mothers 
 do not usually figure in these calculations, I observe, 
 except as mediums. This is reasoning on a very weak 
 and low plane. It gives us no reason for the hope of im- 
 mortality. Read Matthew XIX, 12. 
 
 Isaiah LVI, 3-5 reads: "Neither let the eunuch say, 
 Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto 
 the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things 
 that please me, and take hold of my covenant ; even unto 
 them will I give in mine house and within my walls a 
 place and name better than of sons and daughters : I will 
 give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off." 
 
 But the inspired o-ne has little claim on our attention 
 when some of the wise men of the present day are speak- 
 ing. Also we know that "There is a resemblance between 
 the birth of a real book and the birth of a child. The 
 book, like the child, has its inception, incubation, birth. 
 The book is the "offspring of the intellect, vitalized by 
 genius." "Mental children grow as physical children do 
 and are named that they may be individualized." 
 
 As to the pompous question asked in the movie film all 
 over the world in big letters, "WHERE ARE MY CHIL- 
 DREN," it might be pertinent to put into the mouths of 
 tens of thousands of children, "Where are our fathers?" 
 The answer would be in many cases, they have died or 
 have deserted us and left us to starve, for all they or the 
 
 92 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 man controlled municipality care. Race suicide indeed.* 
 The movement to "give a husband to every mother and a 
 name to her child" may have only the effect of loosing the 
 bonds of morality, as can easily be seen. Who is to hold 
 the man to his responsibility ? 
 
 Jane Addams says: "At the present moment women 
 in Europe are being told : "Bring children into the world 
 for the benefit of the nation: for the strenthening of 
 future battle lines; forget everything that you have 
 been taught to hold dear; forget your long struggle to 
 establish the responsibility of fatherhood.'' "All such 
 consequences of war mitigate against the age long efforts 
 of women to establish paternity of her child and the 
 father's responsibility for it." 
 
 The one thing on which we may base our hope for per- 
 manence as a nation, is the great fact that our government 
 does not stand for oppression or immorality in private or 
 public life. The private life of all our Presidents, with a 
 
 * Quite recently a young woman in one of our large cities 
 whose husband had been taken in death, killed herself and her 
 seven boy children rather than face the future in this civilized 
 country; and no thoughtful person can blame her; she had 
 been taught that she should have children, and love them, 
 which she did, better than her own life, which doubtless held 
 little beside her husband and these children for her. Then 
 comes the climax; they are to be taken from her and scattered 
 about as if she and they were animals or slaves; and she left 
 to face the world alone with probably no training for anything 
 but an existence of poorly paid drudgery. Let those whose 
 daughters escape such a fate withhold their judgment. A partial 
 remedy for this terrible situation is being applied in some states 
 and cities at this late day, through the efforts of women, who are 
 hampered by the lack of direct influence through the ballot, which 
 they should have had long ago. 
 
 93 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 few exceptions, has been above excuse for reproach ; and 
 public opinion in this country is loudly expressed for de- 
 cency and justice. This means much as a necessary ex- 
 ample and object lesson for the children; and to our 
 people generally.* 
 
 * See Appendix C, page 201. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE late Professor Fiske capped Mr. Darwin's 
 climax by claiming to state, with authority and 
 originality, that the evolution of the animal body 
 was complete in the human body as we see it now. Its 
 manifestation, alas ! seems lacking, and the wail from 
 a modern writer that the hands of the Potter are not 
 steady, that in the moulding of human forms the thought 
 seems to be "not how good, but how many," seems justi- 
 fiable. But here, again, may we not be shifting the blame 
 from ourselves (the old story, the Adam within), when 
 it really belongs to us? We may be jarring the hands of 
 the Potter. If we are tending toward unity one-ness 
 and are to be at all logical, should not our motto really 
 be, "Not how many, but how good?" We know it to be 
 best in the end, in material things, and "as above, so 
 below." 
 
 Our interest in the education of the masses is great 
 and we are sure it is the thing needed; then if educa- 
 tion educates why do we not accept its conclusions ex- 
 pressed in action, in one direction as well as in another. 
 I think it is perfectly fair to say that those most highly 
 educated are the ones who yield to this least and who 
 have the fewest children (are said to scarcely reproduce 
 themselves). Are they incompetent to judge for them- 
 selves? Such a position is surely far from logical. 
 
 Ideas in regard to the size of families are changing 
 (and probably rightly so) ; to quote from a modern 
 writer: "Two or three children are a necessary part of 
 every good woman's education"; when not so long ago 
 
 95 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 a dozen or more were not considered too many. The 
 world moves. We are apt to think, with Matthew 
 Arnold's British Philistine, "That it is only necessary 
 to present ourselves before the Great White Throne with 
 our twelve children, our big family (anything big is so 
 impressive), to be received among the sheep as a matter 
 of right." Where have we gotten this idea? From the 
 Jews, I suspect, who wished large families, because 
 among their children might be the expected Messiah. 
 
 But if we read their history we find that it was the 
 child of promise long deferred, often the only offspring, 
 who was most useful. Isaac, in whose seed all the 
 nations were to be blessed, was an only child, born 
 after long years of preparation. Sarah, his mother, a 
 beautiful talented woman whose council was highly 
 valued. Isaac's only children were twins Jacob (the 
 father of all Israel) and Esau and Isaac's wife, Rebecca, 
 was of a lovely character. Joseph, the child of Rachel 
 ("whom Jacob loved"), was born late in her life, and 
 she had but one other child. Jacob's affection for Joseph 
 was the cause of jealousy among his brothers; and we 
 know from his Egyptian experiences what a remarkable 
 person he was. 
 
 Sampson, also was a child of promise. Samuel, who 
 judged Israel forty years, and of whom the people pro- 
 claimed that he had never wronged any one, was an only 
 child, born after years of prayer and supplication on 
 the part of Hannah, his mother, who was herself a 
 remarkable woman, and whose husband appreciated and 
 loved her greatly, asking her, "Am I not more to thee 
 than ten sons?" The child of the Shunamite woman 
 (than whom no stronger character is portrayed in the 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 Bible) was the only one and long delayed. What strength 
 and decision was hers, and with what spiritual insight 
 she recognized the Prophet in Elisha, and ministered to 
 him with all faith, receiving help from him in return. 
 John the Baptist, a child of promise, was an only child, 
 and his parents were well along in years when he was 
 born. By the Roman Catholics, Jesus himself is said to 
 be Mary's only chi.ld; though I suppose, really, no one 
 knows. 
 
 Some one is said to have replied to Tolstoi's final: "If 
 your idea was carried out, there would be no children/' 
 He answered, "Well, what of that ?" Jesus had no family 
 and he said, "Call no man your father on earth." This 
 is worthy of consideration at least. 
 
 As physical children (results), "multiplying sorrow 
 and conception," pronounced as a curse (not a blessing 
 if we are to regard Bible teaching) are not spoken of 
 until after the fall, must we not infer that the so-called 
 creative act did not occur before, when man (generic) 
 was pure and happy? There were then no children 
 (undeveloped ideas) in Paradise. "When lust has con- 
 ceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished 
 bringeth forth death." Surely it appears that every physi- 
 cal child born must die ; doomed to a more or less lingering 
 death from (because of) physical birth. Its first result 
 (the child Cain) developed into a fratricide, a murderer. 
 What can be plainer than that he was a child of lust, and 
 lust must be eradicated, so that there is no chance for a 
 child to be born of it? Because the child of lust is sin (a 
 mistake) and bringeth forth death. Some such thing 
 must be what David meant when he said "conceived in 
 sin and born in iniquity." 
 
 97 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Jesus' expression, "Generation of vipers," conveyed 
 a powerful rebuke. It is well known that the human 
 embryo first appears as a serpent, later taking the form 
 and characteristic features of fish, bird, and beast in suc- 
 cession and shedding a coat of coarse hair ere reaching 
 the stage of human, before birth. (See encyclopedia). 
 In most oriental countries the bearing of children is in- 
 consistently considered a disgrace and is to be avoided if 
 possible. In the Jewish and Roman Catholic churches 
 women are required to be purified after childbirth ; it was 
 even required of the mother of Jesus. There is a special 
 service in the Episcopal Church for such purpose. We 
 know that in many countries children, especially girls, 
 are killed off regardlessly and death is honorably courted 
 under certain circumstances, in many cases by suicide. 
 At the present the number of suicides is appalling and 
 we seem dulled to it. Job was said to be justified when 
 he cursed the day of his (mortal) birth. 
 
 Many are likely to agree, in the statement often made, 
 that man is a creator, but let us look at it more closely: 
 if man creates man, then does it not follow that dog 
 creates dog, and bug creates bug, and so on; and does 
 not that give us many creators, when the Bible says we 
 have only one. And if we judge by distinctive appear- 
 ances must we not say man is a miscreator? "Man that 
 is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." 
 In the Bible we are told that "whosoever is born of God 
 doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him : and 
 he cannot sin, because he is born of God." His seed 
 remaineth in him to regenerate himself. Whose seed 
 remaineth in him surely does not mean that the seed goes 
 
 98 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One 1 ' 
 
 outside and creates independently, but that it remaineth 
 and regenerates himself. 
 
 Truly when we have reached a position where we say 
 that disease germs and microbes are causative, are causing 
 this or that incurable condition, we give them a power 
 greater than we give to God, the one Creator; and we 
 have probably reached the limit in bowing before false 
 gods (or idols) in having "gods many," creators many. 
 It is certainly time for a right about face. Why may we 
 not be satisfied with the idea of "God's family"? All 
 sorts of trouble come from that little word My. "My 
 hand and the strength of my arm have gotten me these 
 things/' Where in the life of Jesus, which we profess 
 to follow, do we get a model for a human family? He 
 had no human father, and He said, "Call no man your 
 father on earth, for one is your father in Heaven." 
 Though a middle aged man, in His country, He never 
 took upon Himself the responsibility of a family; He 
 never to our knowledge, called Mary mother. When told : 
 "Your mother and brethren are without," He said : "Who 
 are my mother and brethren, even those who do the will 
 of my Father." St. John said, "God is able of these stones 
 to raise up children unto Abraham." And again Jesus 
 said: "They who are counted worthy to attain (the 
 resurrection) neither marry nor are given in marriage 
 but are as the angels." Each one must draw his own 
 conclusions. We are none of us responsible for these 
 facts, but are we not responsible if we say we are fol- 
 lowers of Jesus, and then do not at all as he did ? 
 
 It is surely known ere this that I do not write of that 
 which is merely pleasant and probable, and apparently 
 desirable, but of abstract right and wrong. I can scarcely 
 
 99 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 credit my own conclusions. If the premises that "analogy 
 is the key to all the the secrets of nature and the sole 
 reason for being of all manifestation," taught by the 
 Masons for thousands of years, are not accepted, it only 
 proves people, whether right or wrong, not to be on the 
 same plane of thought; and some may have to wait for 
 another time. I am struck with the fact that the "secrets" 
 of Masonry, as of nature and life, though they were 
 proclaimed from the house-tops, would still be "secrets" 
 except to the mentally initiated. A strange provision, 
 but we must suppose a wise one, that strong meat be not 
 given to babes. 
 
 I have not given this thought : it has been forced upon 
 me by the observation of ordinary, everyday conditions. 
 It should be understood that I appreciate man, but I 
 also appreciate woman, and wish to see her do her best 
 for the race, not to be forever thwarted. This attitude 
 takes no little courage, for one may expect through it 
 to be misunderstood by most, and that is no pleasant or 
 easy state. I have endeavored to eliminate "Thou" and 
 "I," man woman, thy experience, my experience (Per- 
 sonality), and get down to humanity. I consider it sheer 
 sophistry (which is apt to be indulged in) to say a thing 
 may be right for one and not for another, because the 
 senses say so. There must be a standard, a mathematical 
 foundation, a truth. Do not the senses deceive? Try to 
 solve a mathematical problem with them and see where 
 they lead you. The senses perceive a statement that 
 twice two equals five : how quickly the mind corrects such 
 an impression ! And we see that to get the right thought 
 is of the greatest value. 
 
 100 
 
"They Shall Know Themsehes'JntaVM'-: |\j 
 
 There is no doubt that the proper position in regard to 
 procreation (if the proper position is what we are really 
 after and not a position that will not interfere with the 
 fancied privilege and pleasure o<f a class) is that con- 
 ception (at least) should have the sanctity of virginity, 
 instead of the opposite extreme which is often, perhaps 
 generally, the case. This might do much to reconcile 
 women to their so-called privileges, but I am afraid it 
 might not have that effect on all men, with our present 
 understanding ; then the brothels with their many woman 
 victims and crimes generally would increase because the 
 man must not control himself ; and a wife would undergo 
 almost anything, and invite it, rather than have her special 
 Adam go astray, desert her, commit adultery, perhaps 
 the sin against the Holy Ghost and never be forgiven. 
 Many forces are brought to bear. Self-control for man 
 would do much toward eliminating the worst features of 
 the race trouble in the South. The white man's sin is 
 made evident in the number of mulattoes; and is not 
 the negro man incited to his fearful crimes by the natural 
 desire to get even. Let man look to it; he in his lust 
 and he only is to blame for the horrors of outrage and 
 lynching.* It is a fearful responsibility. In its wake 
 follow the most awful crimes known to man : violation of 
 the motherhood principle. Aside from the individual 
 agony which for one woman alone, would far outweigh 
 any pleasure the white man could gain from his 
 beastliness. Why not say these things which are known 
 
 *Right here the false charge so often made that "A bad 
 woman is worse than a bad man" is self-refuted, as it has 
 been again and again, only to bob up crudely again and again, 
 with still no proper proof offered. God grant us patience. 
 
 101 
 
'Forth, the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 to be true? If women were guilty of such performances, 
 there would be remarks made of no uncertain character. 
 
 The Japanese (and Chinese) appear to be more 
 materially logical in some things than we; they see what 
 love in its material manifestation is; to them it belongs 
 with the "Yoshiwara," and they do not deem it a proper 
 subject for conversation. Their general conversation is 
 said to be not over proper, in our sense of the word; 
 but they are shocked when they first begin to read our 
 so-called love stories, though they are said to acquire a 
 taste for them in time. Vitiated as they are, they do seem 
 a shade or two better than what they have. Shintoism, 
 a nature religion, has no moral teaching, and I believe 
 neither Shintoism or Buddhism has a word signifying 
 God; who is Spirit, Love. So the word has only one 
 meaning to them; while we have more than a glimpse 
 of the truth in regard to its real meaning, proving our 
 religion to be more spiritual. The Japanese, who have 
 an unerring instinct for the best, when it is properly 
 presented to them, are quick to see this and realize that 
 Christianity is the best, and that they want it, as they 
 want and accept the best in other directions. 
 
 That conditions in Japan regarding woman are 
 improving is largely due to the work of Christian mis- 
 sionaries. In that country, as is well known, any man 
 has been, and perhaps is now, allowed to sell any woman 
 of his family into this immoral bondage. Yet some, so- 
 called, popular authors make capital in opera, play, and 
 story, of what they call "romance" out of such tragic 
 conditions; and our "best people" (?) applaud them 
 vigorously. 
 
 102 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 The following, taken from a paper published in 
 Colombo, Ceylon (the fountain head of Buddhism), is 
 of interest: "As regards Buddhism I may say that its 
 attitude toward connubial matters is clear. For those 
 who aspire to attain to a higher state of morality and 
 intelligence, it inculcates pure and perfect celibacy. Those 
 are men and women who give up their lives for religion 
 and the good of the world. Inordinate sex indulgence, 
 under which we must class polygamy, adultery, etc., is 
 unequivocally condemned, and in some places we find it 
 put down along with drunkenness, gambling, etc., which 
 bring disastrous consequences on the doer of this in life 
 itself. It regards matrimony as an evil which has become 
 a necessity and a custom owing to the sin fulness of the 
 world, and from such a thing how far and in what degree 
 a man can abstain, so far and so much the better for 
 him." (I would add that the present-day Buddhism, of 
 which Theosophy is an exponent, is to some extent 
 Christianized. An advance, still, far behind the Christi- 
 anity which it repudiates. Observation would seem to 
 show that it cannot organize without the aid of the 
 western mind. Its Catechisms are made for it by Ameri- 
 cans, and human life is not at all safe under its jurisdic- 
 tion, except where Christian nations hold sway. If you 
 happen to think their religion better than ours, just go 
 and live among them "au natural" for awhile.) 
 
 We find that Tolstoi has the Oriental idea. It is said 
 that no one could talk long with him without hearing 
 how dangerous and wrong he considered the manifesta- 
 tion of what is generally called love. "Temperance finds 
 in the great novelist an enthusiastic supporter. To him 
 romantic love also is intemperance. The tender passion 
 
 103 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 that from all time has been the theme of the poet and 
 novelist, Tolstoi deems a species of moral depravity, on a 
 par with gluttony, the smoking of opium, or indulgence 
 in strong drink. A person finding himself or herself 
 in love should fight against it as against the opium habit 
 or any other pernicious thing. Theater going (with its 
 immoral plays), dancing, romantic literature of all 
 kinds anything, in short, that excites the imagination to 
 thoughts of (so-called) love is intemperance. Cupid 
 is the devil in his most awful guise. These theories the 
 Count has advanced to visitors in the presence of his 
 wife and two daughters and other women relatives with- 
 out a trace of embarrassment on either side. Matrimony 
 brought about by romantic love he holds to be an unholy 
 alliance; men and women should love each other as 
 friends or brothers and sisters." But it is because he 
 sees love betrayed, not honored, he speaks of lust, not 
 love. 
 
 Some of our self-elected wise ones vaingloriously 
 criticize Count Tolstoi in a tolerant way. It is almost 
 amusing when one realizes that Tolstoi through sheer 
 strength and merit has been made even more powerful 
 in Russia than the Czar himself. When these little 
 critics who take themselves so seriously get away from 
 their own shadows they may see themselves in the true 
 light ; also their material, temporal work, compared with 
 his spiritual, eternal work, which they attempt to "damn 
 with faint praise/' It must make one indignant and 
 ashamed to see the works of Tolstoi and Gorky classed 
 as indecent and with books of the "Lady of Quality" 
 sort, by our men librarians (they are the competent 
 
 104 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 censors). That is right, gentlemen-; cover up the cess- 
 pools and build hospitals at the foot of the cliff. 
 
 These books do report terrible conditions, and are the 
 voices of the people raised in agony of protest and sup- 
 plication ; and we are not even to be allowed to hear 
 their cry ; voiced under difficulties which might well make 
 the stoutest heart quail. What we need are real librarians 
 who know Truth from rotten Fiction. A council of 
 "elder women" would tell you that the books most 
 generally read in our public libraries are much worse 
 than useless; they are stultifying and harmful, holding 
 false standards and wronging idealism. A man has well 
 characterized American fiction as "Standardized flap- 
 doodleism" (or worse if possible). A shameful state of 
 affairs in which men grow rich and famous through the 
 ghoulish corruption of unprotected, immature minds. Of 
 course, there are many good books, but the average mind 
 needs to be most carefully guided (even controlled) in 
 selection by something really wise. But here are the books 
 good and bad, classed together in an irresponsible way. 
 The pity of it. There are many who think that public 
 money should not be wasted in buying rotten fiction. Let 
 those who wish such books buy for themselves. Under 
 the circumstances there would not be so many books of 
 this class written, and more good books would be read. 
 They are certainly a prolific source of mental disease 
 germs and microbes, which are the producing cause of all 
 wrong material conditions; not vice versa, as we have 
 vainly supposed. We are conscious that there is mental 
 contagion which is serious. I believe contagion will be 
 seen to be wholly mental. 
 
 105 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Some there are who have no idea what Plato's real 
 position is, or what he has done for the world. They 
 should set themselves to find out ere they show resent- 
 ment. We know that Socrates and Plato foretold the 
 Christ. There is no reasonable doubt that they had access 
 to the Old Testament; and had they lived later in time 
 might easily have been Christians. Plato judged women 
 to be inferior to men, but thought they should have every 
 opportunity for education and should have a voice in the 
 government, as they are subject to its laws. (But his 
 Ideal republic was made up of women, or feminine ideas.) 
 We, however, are not supposed to be followers of Plato, 
 neither of Paul, Peter, or Timothy, but of Christ Jesus. 
 He never failed in right understanding, and he made no 
 invidious distinctions. Jesus saved woman, too. He tells 
 us that salvation is a matter of knowing, and says nothing 
 about "child bearing." To know him aright, "this is 
 life eternal." You shall "know the Truth, and the Truth 
 shall make you free." It stands us in hand, women as 
 well as men, to get at it, find out and know what the 
 Truth is ; what is right ; and act upon it doing is know- 
 ing. We certainly are not free now; no one who thinks 
 can say that we are; which shows that we do not yet 
 know the Truth. Then why do we cling so tenaciously 
 to untruth, pompously teaching out of date behind the 
 times philosophy, and not even knowing it? If we are 
 children of light why do we not walk in the light? 
 
 106 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 A few visits to the movies will dispel any illusion as 
 to the difference in quality between the purposes of men 
 and women. By the time you have seen and studied the 
 plots of books, plays and movie scenarios you will 
 naturally be led to think that the main purpose of man has 
 been to roughly and horribly abduct and assault, deceive 
 and desert women, children and men ; make them walk the 
 plank; throw them to the wild beasts; kill, torture and 
 smash; from Charlie Chaplin, who receives the banner 
 world salary (extreme Royalty excepted) down to the 
 best actors. From the " Conquest of Troy" on, men do 
 not always appear to advantage, and must often be 
 apologised for. 
 
 One has only to see, in the play "The Fall of Troy," 
 and the situation the day after, that the revenge which 
 Agamemnon and his doughty warriors took on the inno- 
 cent women and children "left overs" of the carnage, was 
 in itself alone all out of proportion to poor Helen's mis- 
 take. If Helen deliberately ran away with Paris, why 
 didn't they say good riddance, and let it go at that ; or why 
 didn't Priam send her home. She would suffer enough as 
 a consequence of her own action anyway. If she was 
 entirely innocent and did not want to go, perhaps they 
 were justified in going to any length to release her; but 
 after that was effected they had no excuse for further 
 action, making victims of innocent and helpless women 
 and children, had they?* 
 
 *Modern militancy (so called) pales into insignificance be- 
 fore it. Some speak as if the one incident of English mili- 
 
 107 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Helen of Troy, who is always cited as an example of 
 WOMAN'S perfidy and destructive influence, probably 
 "flirted" with Paris, "in a perfectly harmless way," ex- 
 posing her person and using every means she was allowed, 
 and encouraged in, to captivate him, or make him captive ; 
 not intending to go too far. But he having the power, 
 and being infatuated, carried her off against her will and 
 better judgment, thus bringing calamity to all; fore- 
 shadowing and indicating many, many individual trage- 
 dies of the same order, all through the ages. Troy may 
 stand for all that any one holds dear, and its siege and 
 final catastrophe mean as much to an individual, in kind, 
 as to a nation. It stands as a warning; not merely an 
 entertaining and wonderful story. 
 
 With great mental disturbance one realizes that the 
 young of all nations in colleges (men especially of course) 
 have been expected to read without comment or explana- 
 tion, the so-called classics, in the cause of culture. In 
 the much vaunted Iliad of Homer, the plot is based on 
 a personal and trivial quarrel between two young men 
 who were leaders in their time. As usual the men had 
 been fighting, looting and raping; they seemed to live 
 for that purpose then to even greater extent than now, in 
 a physical way. It is now more commercial. Among the 
 prizes of war there were two especially fine young women 
 who, as was (and still is) the hideous custom were 
 handed over to the leaders ; one Chryseis by name, was 
 
 tant women, unselfishly fighting and suffering for a great 
 principle, and injuring (beside themselves) nothing more than 
 a few luxuries, were the only ones in history, and should be 
 handed down to present ignominy, and the scorn of posterity. 
 The history of all reforms thus repeating itself. Blind, Blind, 
 Blind. 
 
 108 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 the daughter of a priest (or minister), who later came 
 with great ransom to redeem his daughter, but was re- 
 fused by the hero, Agamemnon ; who said she should stay 
 "to serve his couch" as he liked her even better than he 
 did his wedded wife, Klytaimnestra. The so-called 
 "triangle" is nothing new. Later the gods through selfish 
 intrigue not for reasons of morality, were induced to 
 punish the Achaians of whom Agamemnon was the 
 chief. He gave her up, but said he would take away the 
 one Briseis by name who had been given to Achilles; 
 both objected but ineffectually. After which Achilles 
 "sulked in his tent" and would not play (or fight) at all 
 as is well known, etc., etc., ad nauseum. 
 
 The main point being that the women and there were 
 many fine, intelligent ones among them were only con- 
 sidered as spoils of war; and one inducement to fight 
 given to the men, as among the Huns and some others 
 today, was told in plain words. Each was to lie with the 
 wife of one of the conquered men think of it. Each 
 man knew individually that it was wrong and resented it 
 if applied to his family, but generally considered it was 
 a part of the business of war (which is acknowledged to 
 be a man's game, mind you), women being only helpless 
 pawns ; as the men had and have kept the power. Little 
 wonder then when we consider what boys have had 
 ingrained in their natures as culture, that it should react 
 to the present terrible conditions, with perhaps worse to 
 come. *See page no. 
 
 In spite of the beauty of expression the subject matter is 
 not fit to read, except as a lesson in ethics ; and after the 
 lesson is learned the whole could well be discarded. It 
 looks as if some of our so called literature of which men 
 
 109 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 have boasted themselves the authors might indeed be 
 swept away with much of our so called civilization; to 
 good advantage. 
 
 Recently a noted man writer has observed that "Achilles 
 in his tent was not pondering over the great issues of the 
 war, he was sulking over a private (selfish and immoral) 
 grievance ; he was no more admirable then than when he 
 was dragging the dead body of his adversary around the 
 walls of Troy (simply because he was his adversary to 
 the horror of the adversary's mother, family and friends). 
 The fact was that in spite of the fable of his admirers 
 the weak spot of Achilles was his head not his heel." 
 
 *In the Public Schools of this country, where women 
 have had some influence, this class of literature has been 
 expurgated so that the younger element and those who do 
 not go to college are saved from this source of mental 
 contagion. The "high moral sense of women" is certainly 
 needed at this juncture, and all others, even as Mr. 
 Wilson is moved to remark. After the disaster is upon 
 us it is rather late in the day to see it, but there may still 
 be time to apply the old adage better late than never; 
 however it will be a very narrow margin as we are at the 
 present time skating on thin ice, as all will agree. 
 
 One might imagine that the "Blind Bard" intended to 
 call attention to these wrong conditions, as he opens the 
 account with these words : 
 
 "Sing Goddess, the wrath of Achilles, Peleus' son, the 
 ruinous wrath that brought on the Achaians woes in- 
 numerable, and hurled down into Hades many strong 
 souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs 
 and all winged fowls" ; if so the lesson was lost in the 
 sublime beauty of the poet's diction, or in the egotism of 
 
 * See page 109. 
 
 no 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Info One" 
 
 man. That one at least of his translators caught this 
 message is evidenced in the following lines which go to 
 close the translation. 
 
 "Above the din of slayers and of slain 
 
 And diapason of the War-gods' cry; 
 
 The finer ear discerned a secret strain, 
 A vision pierced to the diviner eye; 
 
 The far off echo- of a woman's sigh, 
 
 Weakness made perfect unto strength in pain." 
 
 In a "classic manual" we read: "Juno, Queen of all 
 the gods, noted for her jealousy, and severity to the 
 illegitimate children of Jupiter." Evidently the poor 
 thing did not have even the alternative of enforced di- 
 vorce. Jupiter's stated promiscuous performances can 
 but have had bad effects on all who have studied the 
 history of his time. Why should our young people give 
 precious time to such indecent drivel, to their harm. If 
 men have thus allowed the "wells of thought" to be 
 poisoned and polluted ; probably the Huns have only been 
 giving us a needed object lesson as to what that means in 
 an individual and colossal way. We would not learn 
 otherwise. It is to be hoped that some correct conclusions 
 will be drawn, and our practise improved. 
 
 The Japanese idea of poetry ; which must be poetic in 
 idea as well as language, is higher than ours ; the) do not 
 consider war nor lust as coming within its province. 
 
 It is true that in many if not all, Oriental countries 
 there is a dialect which is used only by women, and which 
 often the men do not understand. In Japan, poetry "the 
 highest expression of thought" (see dictionary) is written 
 in this "female language." Evidently there is in English 
 such a language which comparatively few men seem to 
 
 in 
 
Taking ''Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 comprehend, and men being in power this expression 
 (symbolically speaking, "poetical creative ideas") is 
 suppressed by ridicule, and other effective methods. Be- 
 cause the men, who think they know all there is to be 
 known, cannot understand them, women are called 
 illogical and emotional a mystery and the majority of 
 them ask, what it is the women want ; we want them to 
 have it, but we do not know what they are talking about. 
 It is said there are "none so blind as those who will not 
 see." 
 
 Mr. H. G. Wells in a world famous story makes 
 the elderly English "hero" of this book say to a young 
 American man (who is then "in love" with a young 
 English woman) "You only know what love is when your 
 son is grown; men and women do not love each other; 
 marriage is only give and take." Think of that! He 
 treats his grown son with respect because he is getting to 
 be a man and can get back at him, and has gone to war ; 
 he would have us believe that he has a vague romance 
 connected with his first wife who died young and was 
 the mother of this son; presumably a case of distance 
 making the heart grow fonder: because his present 
 wife the mother of some more of his children who has 
 money and is helping to support them the family (at 
 the same time typing and arranging the matter for his 
 books) he treats consciously as he would his dog (as he 
 does her young children) because he knows she is helpless. 
 He is satisfied with the situation and judges others by him- 
 self. Egotism gone to seed. Then Mr. Wells, thinking 
 he has discovered something because it is new to him 
 piously and vaguely tells us we must "look up and find 
 Him." He does not seem to sense that that is the very 
 
 112 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One 
 
 thing most of us Americans at least have for long been 
 trying to do. (Someone has suggested that he might have 
 learned this at his mother's knee.) He gives no definite 
 directions and might probably be moved to mirth and 
 scorn at hearing the same words used in church, and at 
 religious revivals, where they have been used since the 
 beginning of time. And all this from the man who wrote 
 "Ann Veronica !" and whom part of the world at present 
 delights to honor and accept as a teacher. In his later 
 books Mr. Wells recognizes a calm, high, and helpful 
 comradeship between husband and wife, and he sees that 
 "something should be done for women and children"; 
 even though his ideas of what is to be done and how to do 
 it, are as nebulous as his religious theories ; yet we gladly 
 give him credit for meaning well, and for starting in the 
 right direction. He is certainly making a whale-like 
 struggle to see through it, as well as to "see it through," 
 and doubtless he will succeed, and be a power for good. 
 One thankfully recognizes his ability, sincerity, and good 
 intention. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 OUR good Quaker poet, Whittier, never married 
 though he had the highest regard for woman. 
 His work and sacrifice in the cause of Slavery 
 are well known. Whittier could tell you of the awful 
 opposition with fire and sword, tar and feathers, met by 
 those who espoused the cause of Freedom in his day; 
 and you could see in this the fate of all reformers and 
 know by the venomous spirit of those opposing freedom 
 for woman that fanaticism and persecution are not things 
 of the past. 
 
 The assertion that bachelor maids are preeminently, 
 or the only, disappointed and unsatisfied ones of the 
 earth, has been refuted many times. It is the last strug- 
 gle to keep unmarried women in the "old maid" class 
 of the past. The fact is that they are quite as likely to 
 live and die comfortably as are others. Anywhere among 
 our acquaintances we may see widowed parents of either 
 sex who have no living or creditable children, or who are 
 not happy with their living children, who in turn often 
 consider them a burden. They seem not to have much 
 in common with younger persons, and are set one side, 
 ignored, neglected, or disrespectfully treated. Of course, 
 there are many shining exceptions in both classes. That 
 there is important work for the unmarried that no one 
 else can do we have seen proven over and over again. 
 Except for their work, women and children as a class 
 would have less chance for life and liberty than they do 
 now, as is well known. 
 
 114 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 None could follow a safer example than the life of 
 Jesus. In the Roman Catholic Church, the unmarried 
 ones, as monks and nuns, were set apart as especially 
 holy and as following more closely the life of Jesus and 
 the teaching of St. Paul. Some of them, being human, 
 doubtless fell far below the standard set, though many 
 have been and are saints. The word "virgin" applied 
 to man; woman, and also to things in the neuter gender, 
 as forests, etc., means pure, undefiled. Then what would 
 the unvirgin (or married) state stand for. Answer this 
 question for yourself. 
 
 The bachelor maid and man have done and are doing 
 good work; that is the main thing. The fact that some 
 are unaware of this, is it not due to the false, artificial 
 standards which have been blindly erected for us ? This 
 is not saying that they may not, in time, find a real mate 
 and thus be happier and more useful than they were 
 unmarried or if they had married in haste at an earlier 
 day. 
 
 In Tennyson's Princess, "Ida" (a bachelor maid) is 
 conscious that women as a class, not the individual, is 
 given a certain place in the thought of men. She sums 
 it up thus :".... yet I blame you not so much for 
 fear: Six thousand years of fear have made you that 
 from which I would redeem you . . . household stuff, 
 Live chattels, mincers of each other's fame. 
 Full of weak poison, turnspits for the clown. 
 The drunkard's football, laughing stocks of Time, 
 Whose brains are in their hands and in their heels, 
 But fit to flaunt, to dress, to dance, to thrum, 
 To tramp, to scream, to burnish, and to scour, 
 Forever slaves at home and fools abroad." 
 
 iiS 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 The picture is well (perhaps over) drawn. We recog- 
 nize the reputation borne by woman in the past, and also 
 that there is much of truth in it; which should not be. 
 From this state Ida desires to lift woman, with an in- 
 tensity and understanding, far beyond the reach of the 
 average mind. According to the poet, she thinks she 
 has failed because she sees no immediate result. In this 
 respect is the character a consistent one ? The poet sees 
 that she is a "Princess." The Prince also recognizes the 
 quality ; he wants and will have no one else. Recognizing 
 a mate in the strong woman, he yet scarcely sees or dares 
 to acknowledge where lies the attraction. We are given 
 much of all this in the statement of the Prince. Perhaps 
 we cannot do better than to quote it entire, as made in 
 answer to Ida's misgivings : 
 
 "Blame not thyself too much . . . nor blame 
 Too much the sons of men and barbarous laws; 
 These were the rough ways of the world till now. 
 Henceforth thou hast a helper, me, that knows 
 The woman's cause is man's; they rise or sink 
 Together, dwarfed or Godlike, bond or free; 
 For she that out of Lethe scales with man 
 The shining steps of Nature, shares with man 
 His nights, his days, moves with him to one goal, 
 Stays all the fair young planet in her hands 
 // she be small, slight-natured, miserable, 
 How shall men grow? but work no more alone! 
 Our place is much; as far as in us lies 
 We two will serve them both in aiding her 
 Will clear away the parasitic forms 
 That seem to keep her up but drag her down 
 Will leave her space to burgeon out of all 
 
 116 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 Within her let her make herself her own 
 
 To give or keep, to live and learn to be 
 
 All that not harms distinctive womanhood. 
 
 For woman is not undevelopt man, 
 
 But diverse: could we make her as the man, 
 
 Sweet love were slain; his dearest bond is this, 
 
 Not like to like, but like in difference 
 
 Yet in the long, years liker must they grow; 
 
 The man be more of woman, she of man: 
 
 He gain in sweetness and in moral heiaht. 
 
 Nor lose the wrestling thews that throw the world; 
 
 She mental breadth, nor fail in childward care, 
 
 Nor lose the childlike in the larger mind; 
 
 Till at the last she set herself to man, 
 
 Like perfect music unto noble words; 
 
 And so these twain, upon the skirts of Time, 
 
 Sit side by side, full summ'd in all their powers, 
 
 Dispensing harvest, sowing the To-be, 
 
 Self-reverent each and reverencing each, 
 
 Distinct in individualities, 
 
 But like each other, even as those who love. 
 
 Then comes the statelier Eden back to men: 
 
 Then reign the world's great bridals, chaste and calm. 
 
 Then springs the crowning race of humankind." 
 
 . . . "O we will walk this world, 
 Yoked in all exercise of noble end, 
 And so through those dark gates across the wild 
 That no man knows. Indeed I love thee: come, 
 Yield thyself up: my hopes and thine are one: 
 Accomplish thou my manhood and thyself; 
 Lay thy sweet hands in mine and trust to me." 
 
 117 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 However, he does not give the process, and is his vision 
 complete? "She" (the feminine principle) can trust 
 to "him" (the masculine principle) in material things, 
 and must he not also trust to her in spiritual ways? 
 
 I must bespeak fair dealing in this attempt to put new 
 ideas into the old forms of expression. The uncertain 
 experiment of putting new wine into old bottles is in 
 some respects analogous ; it is sometimes a forced neces- 
 sity. Let only those who have conscientiously tried it 
 offer shallow criticism. 
 
 The desire of the woman is for the love (not the lust) 
 of the man. Can't you see it? She has been allowed 
 by mortal man himself only one way of obtaining it, an 
 unsafe, precarious way, and repugnant to her; but one 
 way or another, she is bound to drag him through; till 
 he at last is also free (from lust and death they go 
 together) through knowing the truth in regard to it, as 
 Jesus said. Through all this women are said by some 
 to be oversexed (what about men Cossacks, Huns, 
 Turks, Bulgarians, White Slave supporters, etc.), while 
 the reason for the condition is overlooked and the 
 remedy, chaste manhood, unseen. The false hypnotic 
 affirmation, "We know that a bad woman is worse than a 
 bad man" is as easily refuted as it is false ; how could any- 
 thing be worse than the atrocities some men are now, and 
 have been committing all through the ages. It is physical- 
 ly impossible for a woman to force herself upon a man, or 
 a child ( See pages 77 and 45 ) or to be as bad as a man can 
 be, even if they wanted to, which they do not. The inci- 
 dents of the few seeming exceptions (of creatures who 
 were only slaves to their men) have long been much over- 
 worked; they should be discarded at once, with other 
 
 118 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 vapid falsities of their kind libels on mothers-in-law, and 
 jokes on drunken husbands reacting to ridicule of the 
 wife, etc., which have already done incalculable harm 
 and merit a stern and immediate rebuke.* 
 
 Persons who make these affirmations should be forced, 
 in all fairness, to give authentic instances and their 
 authority; mere statements are not longer to be accepted 
 as proof in affairs of such moment. 
 
 Orders have recently been received that no "jokes" of 
 this kind (i. e., on women, the word God used carelessly, 
 drunkenness) shall be found in the plays given for the 
 men at the front, as they are seen to be distinctly harm- 
 ful to their morale, as are vicious resorts of all kinds ; 
 that it needed war conditions to prove this true shows 
 how illogical we have been. They were always just as 
 harmful as they are now, and should have been censored 
 out long ago for the sake of women especially; but men 
 are in power and until they are seen to be harmed as 
 soldiers whom we need to protect our precious lives, no 
 change has been made ; and even now a higher morality, 
 as an imperative reason for this change, seems to be 
 ignored. A terrific way in which to learn lessons; and 
 there are many more such to be learned ; must they still 
 be learned through sad and hard experience instead of 
 through a spirit of decency, justice, and fairness ex- 
 pressed, which would save humanity much suffering. In 
 a properly chastened spirit, it becomes each one of us to 
 take this up; no one is blameless or holier than another 
 when such conditions exist. 
 
 What must we think of ourselves individually and as a 
 nation, when we may read in any daily paper of cases 
 
 * See Appendix D, page 202. 
 
 119 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 where women and young girls (mere children, perhaps) 
 are assaulted and fright-fully mistreated by brutes of men. 
 The women and children are placed in hospitals for 
 partial recovery ; the men are allowed to go free, as a gen- 
 eral thing, except in the comparatively infrequent cases 
 where the assailant is a negro, or is even suspected of 
 being one; when another unspeakable crime against 
 nature is committed. 
 
 While it is possible for one woman or child to be 
 assaulted we are none of us safe or guiltless, men or 
 women, nor should we be. Yet this thing is allowed 
 among us in increasing numbers, and only a small minor- 
 ity are at all aroused or disturbed. One wonders how the 
 responsible men reason in such cases ; perhaps something 
 like this : this thing does not often kill a woman or child, 
 they can live and go on with life after a fashion, and 
 anyway it is not our own women and children as yet who 
 are thus abused; the thing is a common occurrence, and 
 even sin has its necessities (a satanic lie) they do not 
 apparently consider the moral and physical shock to the 
 victim, from which she can never recover; that does not 
 even occur to them, and if it does it is put aside as of 
 little consequence, as even fiends must be indulged if they 
 are men. I do not hesitate to declare, and it is an evident 
 truth, that the whole thing must be cut out. Such 
 atrocities cannot be permitted or condoned. Not long ago 
 a man in England for assaulting his two and a half year 
 old daughter, who was taken to a hospital, was sentenced 
 to three months' imprisonment, for indecent assault 
 think of it ! 
 
 In England they have homes for fallen children, while 
 the grown men who are responsible for their condition 
 
 120 
 
11 They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 are free, are not blamed, and have no stigma even 
 attached to their names. These helpless children have 
 all that to face, and to bear. Words are inadequate. 
 
 In one issue of a reputable paper one sees a picture of 
 two husky young women with abbreviated one piece 
 bathing suits, gay caps and high heeled shoes, walking 
 down the street of a city, to their bath. The comments 
 of the reporter are 'somewhat cynical, still he says, they 
 were followed by a crowd of interested spectators (pre- 
 sumably men). In the next column of the same paper 
 is an account of two women being kidnapped that same 
 night in a most brutal way ; one escaped with her clothes 
 literally torn off her and the other had to be taken to the 
 hospital no comment even, in this case. Can you not 
 see the connection? The men of the second case may 
 easily have seen the women of the first case, and been 
 inflamed to their brutality by it; and if not by them 
 then by some other silly woman. The same thing happens 
 among people of higher class to a certain degree through 
 the exposure of women of small understanding. 
 
 In the paper referred to above the following item 
 appears : "Ho Kilties, for economy's sake women's stock- 
 ings are to be made shorter, and with the present tendency 
 to shorter skirts interesting developments may be ex- 
 pected" (through snooping we infer). What is the 
 reason we do not connect these circumstances? Do not 
 men who are in power through applause and expressed 
 interest encourage women to do these things, and are not 
 the mistaught women in the end the worst sufferers? 
 When you know the truth about anything, it does free 
 you from error in regard to that thing, as anyone can see. 
 
 121 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 Bartholdi symbolizes freedom by a "woman enlighten- 
 ing the world." Do you think he means a material ap- 
 pearance of freedom, which is the worst kind of bondage, 
 as anyone who looks about him and is honest must ac- 
 knowledge. Someone has called this statue a monument 
 to the Pilgrim mothers, who have heretofore been un- 
 recognized in this way. Let us hasten to free and com- 
 prehend the feminine thought ere it is too late to save 
 our girls from the fate which has already overtaken our 
 boys in a man controlled world; the fate of too much 
 physical knowing, which unless checked is likely to, and 
 would engulf us, but for a strong and effective counter 
 current, which has already set in and into which all who 
 are really desirous to better conditions will be drawn; 
 thus strengthening and making it resistless for the rest. 
 We are certainly arriving. 
 
 Woman has tried to cultivate a tendency toward pas- 
 sion from a mistaken sense of duty to man's desire, but 
 it is far from inherent in her nature, as ordinary observa- 
 tion will show. The real desire of the woman is for love, 
 and beautiful things, and to bring forth offspring without 
 any physical aid, and it will succeed if left to itself. We 
 are, perhaps, seeing the dawn of distant ideas, and there 
 is much that is encouraging. As an indication we see 
 that the mother of Jesus changed the human law and its 
 method of generating, proving God to be the Father of 
 man. Melchisideck, King of Salem, to whom Abraham 
 paid tribute, was without father or mother, beginning of 
 days or end of years. 
 
 "Human nature has bestowed on the wife the right 
 to become a mother; but if the wife esteems not this 
 privilege, by mutual consent, exalted and increased af- 
 
 122 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 fections, she may win a higher." (S. and H.) Saints 
 Ursula and Cecelia are both said to have converted their 
 husbands to their belief in absolute chastity. But is the 
 average man willing to listen ? There are many indications 
 that he is not. A noted early English woman writer says : 
 "Woman does not want dominion but equality and friend- 
 ship." "We do not wish to control men but to control 
 ourselves." George Eliot found in G. H. Lewes the rare 
 quality of willingness to talk things over a great ad- 
 vantage. "Come, let us reason together, is all that woman 
 has ever asked of man." An ancient epitaph seen in 
 the Roman Forum, erected by a husband to his wife, 
 "who never disagreed with him" (someone asked, which 
 was weak minded), I fancy is generally called to atten- 
 tion as a model, by the man lecturer. The book of 
 Egotism again. Upon seeing it, one is moved to imagine 
 that one or the other was pretty well suppressed 
 probably the wife, and she may have died young. Prob- 
 ably if she disagreed with him and tried to talk things 
 over, he would call it "nagging," and that is an ex- 
 tinguisher. "Some said it was a voice from Heaven, some 
 said it thundered," just a little difference in the view- 
 point. 
 
 In George Meredith's "The Egoist," Sir W. Patterne 
 stands for a type of moral man who, as what he wants 
 is not wrong, cannot see why everyone else should not 
 do as he wishes, not seeing that others might have right 
 desires independent of his. His idea of a discussion is 
 to deliver himself and then walk off without hearing 
 what any one else may wish to say. Naturally his under- 
 standing is limited, and his experiences startling. Our 
 charming and lamented C. D. Warner says: "There is 
 
 123 
 
Taking ''Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 no denying the fact that man is an unmitigated boss. 
 Each woman sees this, though she regards her particular 
 tyrant with tenderness and circumvents him in an under- 
 handed way at times, if you choose, of necessity, not 
 because she likes it." Abigail Adams, whose reputation 
 for intelligence, efficiency and a good sense of justice, is 
 beyond criticism, wrote her husband, John Adams, 
 "That your sex are naturally tyrannical is a truth so thor- 
 oughly established as to admit of no dispute," "she urges 
 such an adjustment of law as may check that tyranny"; 
 this is quoted by a man writer in a noted magazine as, "a 
 dignified and, energetic protest against the subjection of 
 women in that day; which has been often quoted and 
 justly praised." The cult of Nietzsche's followers sub- 
 scribes to the insane vagary that the family exists as 
 a monarchy, solely that men the male half of man- 
 kind may be monarchs. Let them try to tyrannize over 
 son or daughter, even of tender years, in this country, 
 and see what becomes of their theory : even the wife, in 
 many cases, is no longer in their power. It all helps to 
 show that woman has been morally forced to suppress 
 herself, trying to satisfy man her self-constituted 
 master. Trying to be what he thinks he wants : she is 
 neither one nor the other, hence man calls her a mystery. 
 He will not allow her to be herself : she must be ruled and 
 guided by infallibility in the guise of man (who is no 
 mystery) ; and so through his own fault (mortal) man 
 has never seen the woman he really wants. No wonder 
 "Mona Lisa" smiles. 
 
 The Swiss Schuplatter dance tells perhaps the national 
 and worldwide story of the average mortal woman's posi- 
 tion and the indignities forced upon her: the lover 
 
 124 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 dances with his "girl," growing more and more excited 
 and suggestive, finally trying to kiss her. She shows 
 displeasure and even slaps his face smartly ; he perseveres 
 and if she does not yield to his advances, he leaves her 
 and dances with "the other woman," who is always 
 pathetically waiting his beck and call ; so there is no way 
 for the first girl but to yield or lose her lover (just as 
 the second girl will do in time). The man in the dance 
 takes full advantage a whole commentary. 
 
 The author of "The Blindness of Virtue" sees some 
 things up to a certain point and does very well for a man ; 
 but the woman's viewpoint is left out, and not even con- 
 sidered. That, as per this widely advertised play, a 
 decently brought up young girl, or any woman, should 
 be shown as going into a strange man's bedroom, in sleep- 
 ing negligee at any time is inconceivable to the normal 
 American woman. That she could give no reason why 
 she should not, is distinctly natural and normal. The 
 girl had no idea of what was in the young man's mind; 
 and for her mother or any one to give her an idea in one 
 evening's talk, without shocking her and perhaps per- 
 verting her mind, would be impossible. No husbandly 
 command could make it otherwise. The mother and 
 daughter knew that. Typically womanlike, the wife es- 
 sayed the impossible, only to be blamed and treated like 
 a naughty child. Instinctively both shrank from it as from 
 a serpent, which it is. It is easy enough to blame the 
 woman, mother and daughter ; but the truth is that it was 
 the boy's father (who did not attempt to understand his 
 son or even excuse himself for not doing so) and all 
 fathers (and mothers) who should teach the boys self- 
 
 125 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 control, and the beauty and strength which come from 
 that condition. 
 
 At the situation in the play to which this all leads 
 up the audience laughs, considering it a comedy, which 
 must be far from the intention of the author, who is 
 presenting it as a near tragedy and a situation to be 
 avoided; which it is. It makes a very unsafe situation 
 appear attractive, and with normal ending, which might 
 easily suggest to and encourage other girls of this type, 
 or stronger (expecting it to turn out well some way) to 
 do likewise; the very thing the author wishes to avoid, 
 as in real life it is not at all likely to turn out well, even 
 in individual cases, and is a very unsafe general precedent. 
 Why ? Because the boy is the victim of unnatural knowl- 
 edge, not because the girl is ignorant of such knowledge. 
 We know that ignorance of wrong is right. We should 
 not know experimental evil at all, any of us, boys or 
 girls, men or women; and it (evil) must be eradicated. 
 The girl should not know more evil, but the boy less; 
 reversing the testimony of our human lack of under- 
 standing. A startling thought it is that men are prone to 
 say of a young man who is living a careless or loose life, 
 "Oh, he must sow his wild oats," when they know that he 
 must reap what he sows, sooner or later; that other in- 
 nocent ones are largely implicated in the reaping, and that 
 to human thought he can never be normal again. Why 
 should such a so-called "process of thought" be called 
 thinking? Boys and girls when told no harm comes, 
 should not believe it. They lose self-respect, if no more, 
 even though they do not realize it ; and that is a terrible 
 thing. 
 
 126 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 We do not tell our boys that strong drink, opium, 
 cocaine, obscene stories, are necessities of their nature; 
 why should they not be warned severely against that 
 which is worse than any of these in its results to them, 
 as well as the girls. Appetite certainly grows by what 
 it feeds on. They should not be encouraged to even 
 consider it, realizing that it should only be made use of 
 when results are desired, and should be thoroughly con- 
 served conservation of forces is in the air now and 
 this is surely a most important force. It will be found 
 that anti-tuberculosis, and anti everything else bad, so- 
 cieties must begin right here. Judge Owen says that 
 immorality is the cause of most of the insanity. The 
 thought regarding it should be corrected, then the practice 
 will improve. You can see that if the boy "knew" as 
 little as the girl, there would be no such wretched problem 
 to contend with, a great gain, as any one must see. Ac- 
 cording to reports the children know too much already, 
 in some directions; yet we want to teach them more of 
 the same. Where there is so much talk of pure food 
 laws, should we not look for pure food for thought also ; 
 and that constructively. 
 
 Our first parents were warned against eating of the 
 Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, or physical, sensual, 
 experimental evil. Why do we not heed the warning, 
 even at this late day? Better late than never, but let 
 us not delay longer. It is the serpent in our Eden and as 
 of old it drives us out of Eden. It is, must be, the cause 
 of a regretted change of expression said to be observed to 
 come to the faces of young people between the ages of 
 fourteen and eighteen. We should tell them, in the right 
 way, you say ; who knows the right way is there a right 
 
 127 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 way to tell a wrong thing? Surely we should tell the 
 truth and shame the devil, but we must first be sure we 
 are telling the truth, not a mere human opinion which will 
 be entirely changed in a decade or so.* That there is a 
 wide difference of opinion on this subject among students 
 of conditions is well known. If every man spoke only 
 "truth to his neighbor," there would be some quiet 
 seasons and a better chance for improvement than we 
 now seem to have. The author of the play referred to 
 is quoted as saying, rightly, that we should not draw 
 illustrations from the animals in regard to the ideas 
 spoken of (really, though, in some ways the animals show 
 more reason than Adam). That he has a high apprecia- 
 tion of women one recognizes with gratitude. He makes 
 the interesting maid, in the play, say to the mistress, 
 "You and me eats to live." The so-called pleasures of 
 the senses do not appeal to the normal woman very 
 greatly. 
 
 How any but an abnormal mind could see "Romance" 
 in the play of that name, which had an abnormal run 
 and patronage in one of our cities recently, is hard to 
 discover, and shows a vapid state of public conscience 
 which is certainly deplorable. That a fine young minister, 
 who was strong enough to later become a Bishop, as well 
 as a husband and father, should be represented (in his 
 old age, a grandfather) as mooning with approval all 
 his life over his early willingness, his regret and determi- 
 nation to wreck his life and career by marrying a silly, 
 ignorant, jealous, narrow-minded foreign actress and 
 singer with an unfortunate past, who rejected him after 
 
 * When advocating and supporting arbitrary hygienic lectures 
 and medical examination, we must consider that "The child is 
 sent to school to be educated not medicated" and that "It is the 
 school which is public, not the child." 
 
 128 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 being allowed to work her wiles to his near ruin, is a 
 libel on Truth. Can you fancy anything more impossible 
 and inconsistent in the line of character development? 
 The wife, family, and congregation of such a man were 
 surely to be pitied. But they were of little account in 
 such a play. His grandson was approved in the play 
 for carrying out the idea of marrying an actress, who 
 might be all right surely; but one would need to see the 
 outcome, in order to be at all sure that it was ideal. The 
 object of the play was evidently, like some others of the 
 day, to defend actresses against hypothetical criticism, 
 but it fell far short of such accomplishment, though it 
 might easily have had a harmful effect on its hearers. 
 Reviews of this play, when it was given in Stockholm, 
 were as follows, in Swedish papers: a "Cash Box Piece 
 showing what is required to be a successful dramatist in 
 dollar land." "The play lacks taste and shows an absence 
 of fine feeling; possesses all the tricks which can attract 
 an uncultivated public, adding that the character of the 
 clergyman (Armstrong) in his "double role of evangelist 
 and seducer" is a little too strong for any but the Yankee 
 public's nerves"; "when one remembers how many fear- 
 ful stupidities he must have committed during the half 
 century between the first half act and the epilogue, one 
 regrets that he was not killed in time by one of his name- 
 sake's guns." "It shows the Yankee's primitive com- 
 prehension of aesthetic feeling; as literature it is totally 
 valueless." "A machine made American play, a goulash 
 of pipe-organs and passion, monkeys and macaroni, toilets 
 and revolvers, kisses and monkey tricks; long live the 
 monkey drama." One could add the hectic, massage- 
 like "love making"; that the monkey was the strongest 
 character in the play ; and blush with shame that such a 
 
 129 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 In the attempt (which many people are willing to 
 make) to steady other people's altars, mistakes might 
 easily be made and the punishment be severe, sometime 
 and somewhere. 
 
 Is the picture of the American man typical and well 
 drawn in the play, "My Official Wife" ? Certainly a fact 
 is brought out, that for a man to dishonor himself and 
 his wife, or vice versa, is looked on as scarcely a sin, if 
 it be not found out; which shows how we are blinded 
 by the serpent of lust, "that old deceiver that deceiveth 
 the whole world/' even to call dishonor of no importance. 
 
 In the noted play called "The Man from Home," there 
 is little to choose between three of the main characters. 
 One is at a loss to judge which is the greater cad, the 
 American sister or brother, or the English "Lordling." 
 That the American pair should be able and willing to 
 sacrifice the sister's entire fortune to secure the no- 
 account sprig of nobility who only wanted the money, 
 and was portrayed as so crudely and rudely betraying 
 himself on all occasions that a young woman of any 
 self-respect would have held herself entirely above his 
 advances is incredible; then after slamming around, 
 stamping her foot, and otherwise showing a bad temper ; 
 which in later life would not be so cunning, she sub- 
 sides, but only after being rejected by the Englishman 
 and his villain companions whom she had been proud 
 to consider her friends, she sings "Genevieve"! and we 
 are left to infer that she is to marry "The Man from 
 Home" (who is found to have been all unconsciously 
 hobnobbing with a "real prince"), and to settle down in 
 Ohio or Iowa. Well, just imagine such a sentimental 
 
 132 
 
- " They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 combination occurring in real life, if you can; I can't. 
 It leaves one almost speechless. 
 
 Operas and plays of the "Merry Widow" variety, 
 wherein we find not one respectable character, nothing 
 but intrigue and falsehood, will pack houses for long 
 continued seasons with two dollar seats, when a really 
 fine historical play, perfectly staged and presented, will 
 not run profitably a week. A reasonable mind can 
 scarcely comprehend it. Aside from Shakespeare there 
 are certainly few plays or operas worthy of the name, 
 or at all safe for humanity to look upon, or be influenced 
 by. 
 
 NOTE. It is not wise or right to caricature the English, nor, on 
 the other hand should they caricature us, as they often do. See 
 Appendix N, page 213. 
 
 133 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 A FRIEND once asked me if it was not a sad day 
 when I found the illusions of youth dispelled. 
 I said I thought I must have had no illusions, 
 so there had been none to dispel; only to find in after 
 years that I had probably had more illusions than most, 
 and held them longer. But so far from regretting, I 
 saw that if they were illusions the sooner they were 
 dispelled the better. Some appear to object to any think- 
 ing which will free them; and if they have nothing to 
 fall back on after the illusions are gone, perhaps they are 
 justified. "But such will have trouble in the flesh." 
 Others find that only then are they ready to begin to 
 live. With this in mind we may proceed to dispel a few 
 more illusions. 
 
 We are beginning to understand what the "Yellow 
 Ticket" means to Russian Jewish women who were 
 brought up in even purer thought than most peoples. A 
 terrible price to pay for education or liberty. 
 
 In the play called "The Temptation," now in the movies 
 also and played by noted actors without a word of protest 
 as to its sweeping and terrible inference, we find a situa- 
 tion, regarding which we have all with sorrow heard many 
 strong hints. "Billy Sunday declared that a famous 
 actress said, most of the big men in the theatrical busi- 
 ness have climbed to their throne over the charred souls 
 of women." To his credit be it said Billy did not appear 
 to have grasped the full import of those words. It is 
 well nigh incredible, but the proof seems damning to 
 these so-called big men in the theatrical profession. 
 
 134 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 They have succeeded, and success even in evil is wor- 
 shipped at this time, as is well known. This thing has 
 been going on for long; consider it, and pity the victim, 
 in her so-called success. Men do not appear to advantage 
 in thus taking advantage of seeming necessity in others. 
 Mary Wollstonecraft, Lady Nelson, and numbers of 
 others since and in our own time, are instances. Many 
 men seem to think it creditable to have been and to be 
 contemptible and horribly dishonorable toward women, 
 forcing upon them inhuman and disgusting circum- 
 stances. One can scarcely credit such conclusions, but 
 how are we to escape them in view of such admissions? 
 Men do certainly belie, or give themselves away aston- 
 ishingly: and it must be because they feel safe in doing 
 so, and that other men in power have a certain sympa- 
 thy and are not anxious to interfere. 
 
 "The Real National Pastime" 
 "Just think of the parlors in this broad land 
 Where tonight men are lying to beat the band 
 And think of the maidens who as they spoon 
 Are thinking of weddings to come off in June." 
 What sort of talk is this ? 
 
 Sympathy is certainly due the maidens who are thus 
 mocked at, in a serious situation and "lied" to by men 
 who are, according to their own statements, condemned 
 out of their own mouths. Items of this kind quite 
 naturally react to lack of confidence in men, and the out- 
 come is often called jealousy, and considered funny. 
 See "Jokes" in daily papers. Men do certainly thus 
 betray or belie themselves. The jealousy is apt to be on 
 the part of the one who does not succeed in his or her 
 scheme, though it may falsely be credited elsewhere. 
 
 135 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 Often a woman is said to be "jealous when she is 
 only disgusted," as the English cousin in the play "Peg 
 o' My Heart" is moved to remind her married admirer, 
 a contemptible cad who is trying to work up sympathy 
 through reviling his wife ; who might easily be too good 
 for him.* In listening to this much overrated play it 
 is well nigh sickening to see men of uncertain age with 
 watery eyes gazing rapturously at the poor little Irish 
 ingenue heroine; who is called a typical American; and 
 applauded as an example to her sex; after having been 
 allowed to "come up" with and by her father, an Irish 
 agitator who drove about New York State spouting 
 Socialistic speeches from the tail of a wagon. Her En- 
 glish aunt and cousins are derided for being the outcome 
 of the English environment, and maligned for trying to 
 safeguard Peg, who afterwards marries a scion of En- 
 glish "nobility," as a reward for being utterly lawless 
 and unconventional, and lugging around a big, clever 
 Airdale terrier while lecturing her unmarried English 
 cousin for petting a lap dog instead of a child. (Which 
 of the two dogs was more suitable for a parlor pet?)f 
 What happened to "Peg" after her marriage to a man of 
 that class is left, as usual, to the imagination; which 
 is a pity as so few people are accustomed to carrying 
 any situation out to a conclusion. One does not need 
 to be much of a prophet to foresee complications or 
 final divorce looming up as a reasonable possibility under 
 the circumstances. 
 
 The old saying "All's fair in love and war" must in 
 truth be changed to read "All's unfair in lust and war." 
 
 * See Appendix E, page 203. 
 fSee Appendix L, page 211. 
 
 136 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 Love and war are totally unlike, but lust and war are 
 twins, and there is no health in them, and it is for 
 woman to bruise the head of the serpent lust even 
 though it hisses and tries to bite her heel as it does ! 
 
 It is a well-known fact that while men recognize in 
 society and business men who are immoral, they will 
 not allow women of that class to appear under the same 
 conditions. They warn their women relatives and 
 acquaintances against such, if there is the least doubt. 
 But often their gossip is as untrue as it is merciless, 
 and their women would not dare to disregard it. Yet it 
 is understood that women are hard on their erring sisters, 
 while men are more sympathetic; not so, at all, though 
 a fellow feeling sometimes makes us wondrous kind. 
 The right kind of a woman is a woman's best friend, 
 especially so if she does not flatter the victim, as it is 
 often through reciprocal flattery she has come to grief. 
 
 In a recent noted case a man of fifty- four (a college 
 professor with a wife and child) was found in compromis- 
 ing situation with the young wife of an American officer, 
 now in France. There was much indignation and perhaps 
 because of our sentiment for soldiers, and the fact that 
 she had a son as well as a husband and herself to dis- 
 grace; for once the man was publicly blamed. It was 
 evident that he had, through taking advantage of his 
 position, age, and education, perverted the mind of his 
 victim, and his own wife, by his erotic and speciously 
 expressed ideas. The woman in this case turned out to 
 be the sister of an artist's model (probably about the 
 style of woman to whom many men are weak enough 
 to make their prayer [a la Kipling], and then condemn 
 her unsparingly because she is just the kind of a woman 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 she was to start with, probably much younger than the 
 man in the case, who ought to have known better and 
 corrected her thought). However, a "wise" woman 
 lecturer referring to it, and in effect excusing him, said, 
 "Fifty is a critical age for men," etc., and "wives must 
 be very patient," etc. Maudlin sympathy of this kind 
 is decidedly out of place. He should be made to see 
 himself as a "sex lizard," a term which was well ap- 
 plied to him and others of his kind, and then he might 
 be seen and see himself more clearly in his true charac- 
 ter; and perhaps his nefarious career would be checked 
 most sharply, as it should be, and not allowed to continue 
 disastrously for others.* 
 
 The well known and well named, head of the "Chicago 
 Committee of Fifteen," Mr. Thrasher, wrought up 
 to a righteous white heat over this case, in which the 
 man's defense was that he was engaged in scientific 
 research is moved to fairly shout: "What twaddle, 
 mark me if I catch a high brow University Professor 
 paying for scientific research in the same way that the low 
 browed, short jawed, licentious cuss paid for his, he will 
 get what is coming to him, or the Committee of Fifteen 
 will get a new Superintendent." Shock words like these 
 are needed to waken the public to what is going on under 
 a cover of decorous appearance about us. The brain 
 would reel under such revelations if the right minded per- 
 son whose eyes have been opened upon it, could not at 
 least make an attempt to counteract these wrongs ; even as 
 the one to whom the angel in Revelation showed the con- 
 tents of the vials of wrath, was shown also the vision of 
 the bride, the lamb's wife, i.e., ideal conditions in this re- 
 
 * Appendix J, see page . 
 
 138 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 lation ; at present far from mortal man's ideal for himself 
 which he mistakenly attempts to make the ideal of generic 
 woman, but without success. There are many unfortu- 
 nate, but no bad women, and there are many good men ; 
 the others must be victims of wrong general environ- 
 ment for which the so called leaders in action must be 
 in a measure responsible; and yet who ask in an in- 
 jured pharisaical. tone: "Are we our brother's keeper?" 
 and answer themselves with a querulous lying nega- 
 tive. One can in a measure understand the attitude of 
 those "who do not read those things" as an utterly self- 
 ish one. But for those who consider themselves, and 
 are considered, "leaders of thought," in the face of the 
 many incidents which stain the pages of our daily 
 papers where men have deceived woman after woman, 
 robbing her of her money even, as well as her chastity, 
 and perhaps her life ; in the most contemptible and re- 
 volting ways; the situation seems appalling. Should 
 the proverb "There are none so blind as those who will 
 not see" be applied in their case? Is it not time that 
 the attention of man should be brought sharply to the 
 thought of self control. He will find himself fully and 
 profitably occupied, his reason will be clarified and his 
 perspective improved. 
 
 Startling it is for a thoughtful person when at long 
 intervals some deeply injured woman shoots a man in 
 self-defense (which society does not provide her) and is 
 acquitted by a humane jury, to see in editorials and 
 illustrated articles the rapid fire statement and inference 
 that "husband shooting is becoming a pastime with 
 women, as they know juries are too sentimental to convict 
 
 139 
 
Taking ''Forth the Precious From the File' 
 
 a young or good looking woman," inferring a sex interest. 
 This is a libel on woman and on the jury. 
 
 If there are no extenuating circumstances the woman is 
 punished as she should be; and when as occasionally 
 happens an abnormal and shallow, unfortunate woman 
 does shoot her husband without reason, it is mainly 
 because she has read or seen these misleading and inciting 
 articles referred to, and believed them to her lasting be- 
 trayal and pitiful shameful end. 
 
 Why are the myriads of wife and woman murders 
 plainly recounted in our daily papers (sometimes in 
 wholesale proportion, of ten or more consecutive victims 
 of one man) under brutal and hideous circumstances 
 never referred to in such connection? By analogy there 
 seems to be a continuous orgy of wife and woman mur- 
 ders by men, to say nothing of countless men victims of 
 masculine agencies, including war; and proportionately 
 few of the murderers are punished. Any fair minded 
 intelligent person must admit this to be a terrible fact. It 
 is the spirit of heedless or intentional unfairness of 
 inference which is so fearsome, when one considers the 
 outcome of lies and injustice. It is bound to react and all 
 must suffer because of it. 
 
 The "J mx " man case in New York is one recent inci- 
 dent, which ended in the removal of a stench to the world 
 in the shape of a "vampire" as much worse than any 
 woman could be as can be imagined. And there are 
 legions of them in existence, as is well known, all typical 
 victims of wrong conditions which should and must be 
 changed. How long, Oh Lord, how long? 
 
 The attitude of men toward one of their sex who is 
 handsome is interesting. Articles are written to prove it 
 
 140 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 to be a great disadvantage to a man ; they are ridiculed in 
 school and called "Beauty" in derision ; especially if they 
 are clean-minded. The main reason given seems to be 
 "that women run after and make fools of themselves 
 and of handsome men" who are said to be "injured or 
 ruined through such treatment." On the other hand 
 these writers say it is all right for a woman to be hand- 
 some, etc. Let us analyze the situation: if women in 
 turn should just reverse the statement and should say 
 that the same is true in regard to women which it is 
 and more so men would rise in wrath and power and 
 say these women who make this claim are "jealous"; 
 but it is quite a different thing when men make such 
 statements. One would expect them to curl up a little 
 on it, however; but that does not last long. Of course, 
 they are right, being men; and they are satisfied with 
 the situation as it is ; and so they sail on as comfortable 
 in their minds as ever. It would be funny if it were 
 not so serious for the women, and for the men also. 
 Then the men blame the women because they the men 
 run after them to the destruction of both, and call the 
 women "Vampires." Is it not curious, to say the least, 
 and far from reasonable? Why is it that so few people 
 seem to have a definite idea of what is right and what 
 is wrong? "Nineveh, that great city of much people 
 who do not know their right hand from their left, and 
 also much cattle" seems to live again. The people of 
 Nineveh repented and did works meet for repentance, 
 and so were saved. Are we going to fail and be destroyed 
 root and branch? Are there not "ten good and wise 
 people" (in proportion) who can save us if we listen; 
 from the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. If there are 
 
 141 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the File" 
 
 not, or we fail to give heed, we may have to go down 
 as did those cities. These examples have been handed 
 down to us for our warning, and should be heeded. 
 
 The human mind listening to its Daemon (lower self) 
 seems to have a tendency to make a headlong rush to 
 invalidate any good idea. 
 
 Movies, theaters, dancing, and cards probably have 
 their rightful place in the present day social scheme; 
 but the devil himself seems to be making use of them 
 to do an inestimable amount of harm. Movies, plays, and 
 novels filled with intrigue, immorality, horseplay, death, 
 and destruction, must have a very bad effect on imma- 
 ture minds and unformed conclusions ; the plots are so 
 weak and unnatural, not at all as happenings are or 
 should be in real life. Modern plays and novels are well 
 called "Ananias' greatest rival." Dancing, with proper 
 supervision and environment, is likely to be beneficial. 
 But the atrocities allowed at the present time, and the atti- 
 tude of those indulging in it toward anything approaching 
 chaperonage is so insolent, that there seems to be little 
 hope; and, indeed, present day chaperons seem to and 
 must, defer to the young if they are to be thought up- 
 to-date and at all considered. An abnormal situation 
 which has its advocates among people who are in the 
 public eye, but whose ideas are wholly iconoclastic and 
 without practical solution. 
 
 When people make pilgrimages to the home of a man 
 like Walt Whitman, as to a shrine, we must sense an 
 abnormal situation. He "sings" of himself: "I, Walt 
 Whitman, twenty-seven years old, six feet tall, strong, 
 and healthy," and then proceeds to preach and to practice 
 low vulgarities and obscenities of all sorts. As a natural 
 
 142 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 result we find him a hopeless paralytic from the hips 
 down, at the age of fifty- two or fifty-four. He is 
 said, on good authority, to acknowledge that he has six 
 illegitimate children for whom he has assumed no 
 responsibility, but has rather laid it heavily on other 
 shoulders. You feel that his fate was none too severe, 
 though he appears to "glory" in it all. He tries to give 
 the impression that his last state was brought on through 
 sitting by soldiers during the Civil War, holding their 
 hands, and writing letters for them. He has a large 
 following who affect to believe him and his "teaching." 
 Those who know of the severe and heavy services per- 
 formed for soldiers in all wars by frail and delicate 
 women, know that his claims are as false as are many of 
 his statements. In his writings he has plagiarized and 
 clothed in words, ideas which have been better expressed 
 by others before him. 
 
 That such men should receive adulation gives one a 
 distinct distrust for human judgment in all directions. 
 Whitman's style and ideas are suited to, and were enthu- 
 siastically accepted by, old world people, but that does 
 not prove them to be ethical or correct by any means. 
 Why should we accept dictation. We should have con- 
 fidence in our own judgment, which was pronounced 
 when his books were denied the mails because of their 
 conceded obscenity and vulgarity. In the eulogies pub- 
 lished for his "Centenary" why is no mention made of his 
 immoralities and their result and effects, except as those 
 who condemn them are referred to as mistaken prudes. 
 He aspires to be "the people's" poet and to be read by 
 millions. But "the people" do not read him, and his in- 
 fluence is extended by the few shallow seekers for cheap 
 
 143 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 notoriety, mostly "deriving" from foreign influence who 
 do read and sympathize with him through approving 
 reference and quotation. 
 
 Whitman was astute enough to realize this himself ; he 
 did learn much in the school of life and experience, but 
 that does not entitle him to be set up as an example for 
 imitation; rather should his works be read as a warning 
 to those who are inclined to walk in his ways or use his 
 methods; connected with the proverb "Experience is a 
 dear school but fools will learn in no other." Instead of, 
 with colossal egotism, singing and glorifying his human 
 self he should have sat in humility and sorrow that he had 
 not known better, ere it was too late for him to have lived 
 a moral, normal and useful life. Instead of encouraging 
 others (like the dyspeptic gourmet or exhausted and 
 abortive debauche who encourages others in excesses 
 which he must forego) he should through his experience 
 have warned them not to do likewise; only thus can his 
 sins mistakes be expiated and transmuted into the gold 
 of human character for himself and others. He seems not 
 to have learned this lesson even when confronted with his 
 years of helplessness and suffering (which nearly canon- 
 ized him in the minds of those whose sympathy is aroused 
 by suffering, as well as by those who are inclined to follow 
 in his immoral footsteps.) 
 
 144 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 THIS is all naturally, from a woman's standpoint, 
 rather unusual, and requiring some thought. Is 
 not man's standpoint the one considered by the 
 greater part of the world of both women and men? 
 woman not being supposed to have a standpoint. It 
 is, I should say, a part of the life experience of one 
 who seems to be a synthesis of Quaker ancestry, a 
 synonym for freedom from form; and whose environ- 
 ment has been worldly and formal, the opposite extreme. 
 The conflict between formal appearance, worldly opinion, 
 and reality, felt by the soul to be true, has been a trying 
 one. Condemning in one's self ideas which the soul 
 knows to be right, struggling against them, trying to 
 overcome and conform to generally accepted opinion 
 about one, without sacrificing principle, is not easy. 
 
 Why the light did not come sooner cannot be known, 
 nor why it came at all, except it was through formal and 
 expressed desire call it prayer or what you will. Now 
 it has come it is worth all it has cost ; and one who does 
 not know can scarcely appreciate what that means. Why 
 have we not been allowed to understand and act upon 
 the Scripture teaching, which says plainly: "Be not 
 conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the 
 renewing of your mind"? The effort on the part of 
 those who have been considered authority, has in the 
 past been to make everyone conform to this world, 
 through force, manifested in one way or another; not 
 allowing them to be transformed through mind. What 
 has so blinded us as to make us do directly the opposite 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 to that which we profess? Do we "love bondage more 
 than liberty" ? Let us ask ourselves soberly and serious- 
 ly. Philosophers say this sometimes occurs in nations 
 under dangerous circumstances; and we know it to be 
 true. 
 
 Innumerable committees are appointed to investigate 
 and report on all sorts of conditions. Perhaps if we 
 stopped to consider that these conditions are effects and 
 each individual case a variant, we would see how futile 
 it is to attempt thus to deal with them successfully and 
 try some other plan. If on going into a garden you find 
 all the peaches imperfect, the pears faulty, and apples 
 defective, the flowers blighted, and so on, would you 
 attempt to apply one remedy for each of the peaches, 
 another remedy for the apples, and so on; or would 
 you look to the soil for the cause, and so reach and 
 improve conditions and through them the effects ? 
 
 There is no doubt that lust is at the bottom of all 
 trouble; lust for money, power, or worse. The serpent's 
 suggestion in Eden is referred to in the Bible as "the 
 lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of 
 life." Physical lust is the procuring cause. In produc- 
 ing physical bodies we probably sow the seed for all 
 evil. "Lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth death," 
 and all that goes to make and bring death: disease, 
 accident, etc. Spiritual knowledge of the Truth brings 
 freedom. Physical knowing or experimental evil, brings 
 bondage to all. "That which is esteemed among men is 
 an abomination unto the Lord," the Bible says; and it 
 commands us to "escape the corruption which is in the 
 world through lust." The Jews resorted to material or 
 physical circumcision to remove or reduce the obsession. 
 
 146 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 St. Paul says it is circumcision of the mind we need; 
 we must lift thought from the physical. Some may 
 think and say it is impossible, but it is not impossible; 
 the fact that it must be done proves that it can and will 
 be done. The following, taken from a poem by a noted 
 woman writer, addressed to generic man, shows deep 
 insight and is encouraging: 
 
 Toiler, bent and wear.y with the load of thine own making! 
 Thou who art sad and lonely, though lonely all in vain! 
 Who has sought to conquer Pleasure and have her for the 
 
 taking, 
 And found that Pleasure only was another name for 
 
 Pain 
 
 Nature hath reclaimed thee, forgiving dispossession! 
 God hath not forgotten, though man doth still forget! 
 The woman-soul is rising, in despite of thy transgression 
 Loose her now, and trust her! She will love thee yet! 
 
 Love thee? She will love thee as only freedom knoweth! 
 Love thee? She will love thee while love itself doth live! 
 Fear not the heart of woman! No bitterness it showeth! 
 The ages of her sorrow have but taught her to forgive! 
 
 All this which I seem "to see" and have endeavored 
 to "tell in a plain way" has been told over and over 
 (as we have found) by poets and prophets in a mystic 
 manner, veiled, as it were, from strong sunlight, because 
 of the penalty attached to the expression of ideas in 
 advance of the time, which may be a cup of hemlock, 
 or crucifixion. St. Paul realized the mission of poets as 
 being congenial with his. In his teaching at Athens, he 
 says (to give more authority to his words in the minds 
 
 147 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 of his educated hearers), "as certain of your own poets 
 have said," showing that he himself had read the Greek 
 poets. May we not fortify our opinions and justify the 
 expression of our convictions (as I have done) by the 
 expressed thought of the acceptedly wise of all times; 
 and is it not here that the true value of expression is to 
 be found? 
 
 The statement often given us and apparently proved 
 a fact, that "anything carried to a logical conclusion 
 brings up against an absurdity" (an unthinkable posi- 
 tion), proves that the general present view is incorrect, 
 that we are not hewing to the line. For that which 
 ends in absurdity is not logic. Either our premise or 
 process, perhaps both, has been wrong; for logic is 
 certainly logical. At the same time it is not strange 
 that we have gone astray; but strange that any one 
 should do otherwise, when that which seems like evidence 
 is so overpowering, and yet it must be reversed. 
 
 Much that is called art, literature, and music is now 
 seen to be based largely on unnatural and abnormal 
 subjects sin and sickness, misery and death. The art 
 of the future will embody only that which leads to happi- 
 ness, health, and life. It is often said that there are few 
 great woman artistes, except on the stage. Perhaps it is 
 as well and creditable to woman. Much that is now 
 considered art might better not have been expressed, 
 and will as we advance be done away with and no one 
 will miss or regret it. It is largely, perhaps wholly, 
 masculine in inception truly. Women have given up the 
 best part of their lives for other duties, beside that of 
 inspiration, which is conceded them and which is most 
 important in itself. 
 
 148 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 If you listen closely you will realize that too often 
 you hear women carelessly referred to in a general way, 
 in churches or other places, where it should not be. The 
 expression "effeminate and degenerate" used together. 
 "There are women who don't gossip (or talk), but 
 they're dead." Woman and her work in the temperance 
 cause, either ignored or said to be doing more harm than 
 good. "Citizens, with their wives and children" are 
 spoken of. It is not safe or fair to generalize in such 
 ways. In the good book written ages ago man is told, 
 "Be not bitter against thy wife," and again, "Forsake 
 not the wife of thy youth." Oh, the long and rugged 
 way over which woman has trod! To realize this truth 
 and then find such sentiments as are expressed in "The 
 Vampire" and "The female of the species is more deadly 
 than the male," apparently indorsed through reference 
 and quotation, is to be saddened and shamed. 
 
 Kipling blindly sees little positive good in woman. His 
 experiences in Belgium have opened his eyes to some 
 extent, still in desperation he calls Germany "a female 
 nation." Why? Is it because in Germany woman is 
 absolutely suppressed, and it is to all intents and purposes 
 a male nation? So does the human mind attempt to 
 justify its own vagaries. This notion is quoted with ap- 
 proval by a Japanese (whose estimate of woman is 
 Oriental and well known) who is later given (dis) credit 
 for originating the phrase; Kipling and the English not 
 contending for the (dis) honor. Bismarck is quoted as 
 saying that "Nations are male and female, and Germany 
 is a male nation." It would be reasonable to suppose that 
 Bismarck knew the Germans better than did Kipling ; but 
 I think the point is here, that if it is intended to slur a 
 
 149 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 of his educated hearers), "as certain of your own poets 
 have said," showing that he himself had read the Greek 
 poets. May we not fortify our opinions and justify the 
 expression of our convictions (as I have done) by the 
 expressed thought of the acceptedly wise of all times; 
 and is it not here that the true value of expression is to 
 be found? 
 
 The statement often given us and apparently proved 
 a fact, that "anything carried to a logical conclusion 
 brings up against an absurdity" (an unthinkable posi- 
 tion), proves that the general present view is incorrect, 
 that we are not hewing to the line. For that which 
 ends in absurdity is not logic. Either our premise or 
 process, perhaps both, has been wrong; for logic is 
 certainly logical. At the same time it is not strange 
 that we have gone astray; but strange that any one 
 should do otherwise, when that which seems like evidence 
 is so overpowering, and yet it must be reversed. 
 
 Much that is called art, literature, and music is now 
 seen to be based largely on unnatural and abnormal 
 subjects sin and sickness, misery and death. The art 
 of the future will embody only that which leads to happi- 
 ness, health, and life. It is often said that there are few 
 great woman artistes, except on the stage. Perhaps it is 
 as well and creditable to woman. Much that is now 
 considered art might better not have been expressed, 
 and will as we advance be done away with and no one 
 will miss or regret it. It is largely, perhaps wholly, 
 masculine in inception truly. Women have given up the 
 best part of their lives for other duties, beside that of 
 inspiration, which is conceded them and which is most 
 important in itself. 
 
 148 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 If you listen closely you will realize that too often 
 you hear women carelessly referred to in a general way, 
 in churches or other places, where it should not be. The 
 expression "effeminate and degenerate" used together. 
 "There are women who don't gossip (or talk), but 
 they're dead." Woman and her work in the temperance 
 cause, either ignored or said to be doing more harm than 
 good. "Citizens, with their wives and children" are 
 spoken of. It is not safe or fair to generalize in such 
 ways. In the good book written ages ago man is told, 
 "Be not bitter against thy wife," and again, "Forsake 
 not the wife of thy youth." Oh, the long and rugged 
 way over which woman has trod! To realize this truth 
 and then find such sentiments as are expressed in "The 
 Vampire" and "The female of the species is more deadly 
 than the male," apparently indorsed through reference 
 and quotation, is to be saddened and shamed. 
 
 Kipling blindly sees little positive good in woman. His 
 experiences in Belgium have opened his eyes to some 
 extent, still in desperation he calls Germany "a female 
 nation." Why? Is it because in Germany woman is 
 absolutely suppressed, and it is to all intents and purposes 
 a male nation? So does the human mind attempt to 
 justify its own vagaries. This notion is quoted with ap- 
 proval by a Japanese (whose estimate of woman is 
 Oriental and well known) who is later given (dis) credit 
 for originating the phrase; Kipling and the English not 
 contending for the (dis) honor. Bismarck is quoted as 
 saying that "Nations are male and female, and Germany 
 is a male nation." It would be reasonable to suppose that 
 Bismarck knew the Germans better than did Kipling ; but 
 I think the point is here, that if it is intended to slur a 
 
 149 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 nation it can be called female, or if to praise it it can be 
 called male. Heads, man wins; tails, woman loses. In 
 an article from the battle front in France we read that a 
 "kindly" French soldier who was uncertain of his En- 
 glish, especially the genders, spoke always of the Boche 
 soldiers as "she," [not knowing better, of course, as they 
 are all "he."] The English speaking writer of the article 
 was much pleased and self complimented at this, and said 
 "He made me think better of myself, which is the essence 
 of friendship." How could anything be more unreason- 
 able than his attitude ? To him friendship means recipro- 
 cal flattery, and "she" is a term of utter contempt to 
 properly describe a Boche (of all people) who is certainly 
 a "he man" and would resent being called anything 
 else, as a woman is so inferior and contemptible in his 
 so-called mind. There are no words with which to 
 characterize such falsity and impertinence. One wonders 
 that men will descend to such statements ; how they dare 
 to do it, and expect as they do to get away with it. It is 
 certainly a commentary on the situation. 
 
 Germany being so widely known as the "Father-land" 
 why should it ever be alluded to as she or her, or said to 
 be female. One would much rather take chances with the 
 "Mother-country" as England is called. 
 
 And now a medical doctor of "Tribune" fame, who is 
 supposed to be instructing the unenlightened in the ways 
 of human health, has recently discovered and announced 
 that the United States is "a female nation with the vices 
 of the lower strata of the sex." Please just analyze 
 that statement for yourself. He should be made to 
 prove or retract it. The women of that "strata" are 
 
 150 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 what men have made them and are not in the majority 
 by any means thank Heaven. 
 
 A U. S. Medical officer is given much conspicuous and 
 presumably valuable space in a well known daily paper 
 to air his recent "discovery" that woman is the "fighting 
 animal" and should be allowed to go into the trenches. 
 He gives no proper proof; his statement is sufficient for 
 him ; is he looking for a soft spot for men to fall on now 
 that they have the world embroiled in war. The one 
 note on which these men expect to get their notions 
 accepted, as they are, to a certain extent, is the fact that 
 the female of any species, generally speaking, is said to 
 be more easily aroused to protect the young than is the 
 male ; and this is probably . true, but it is a creditable, 
 not a discreditable, quality, and does not prove them 
 
 vicious or that they are the "fighting animal" a 
 
 shameful assertion. Women and children first, means 
 also that the women will protect and sacrifice for the 
 children, and that men are more able to endure and to 
 escape from hardship. 
 
 Few civilized men would consider "Women in the 
 Trenches" for a moment. This we thankfully affirm. 
 Let us admit that when women do the attacking they 
 shall then be expected to defend. One man asks, in good 
 faith apparently, as proving man's voting superiority, 
 who is fighting the wars ? Who is defending the country ? 
 
 He answers himself Men. Might one ask who are 
 
 attacking? Why men, too. When women do the attack- 
 ing they may expect to do the defending also. 
 
 Mr. W. L. George in the "Atlantic" (and others) claim 
 that women are more animal in their nature than men. 
 One wonders what premise and process they find which 
 
 151 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 brings such conclusion in the light of present clearly 
 indicated conditions. 
 
 A bright woman writer after reading Kipling's "Female 
 of the Species" is moved to write the following; (which 
 strikes any fair-minded person as very keen and incisive) 
 in the form of one of his saner poems. 
 
 L' ENVOI 
 
 (Without apologies) 
 "When the poet's last verse is written, and the ink in the 
 
 bottle is dried, 
 When the pen that he wrote with is rusted, and he's lain 
 
 himself down and died, 
 He shall rest tho' he may not deserve it! till the Master 
 
 shall call again 
 
 And bid him resume his labor in behalf of the sons of 
 men. 
 
 Then those that wrote well will do better: They shall 
 
 write the whole day through; 
 On the top-most floor of the Universe, with a most 
 
 inspiring mew; 
 They'll see far back in the ages gone; and on, through 
 
 the years to be; 
 On an endless roll of parchment they'll write, and dip 
 
 their pens in the sea. 
 
 And only the Master shall read it, and only the Master 
 
 shall know 
 If the stuff is any better than one of them wrote long 
 
 ago, 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 When "The Female of the Species" a one-sided, dis- 
 torted mew came 
 
 From the pen of the son of a woman! Let oblivion 
 cover his name. 
 
 And if, in the Master's judgment, that one's quality 
 
 hasn't improved 
 In the countless years of resting, if his viewpoint hasn't 
 
 moved 
 And he still insists on writing that sort, won't the 
 
 Master take his crown, 
 
 Trim the points into pens of gold, and turn the thing 
 upside down?" 
 
 The Kipling "poem" referred to fairly reeks with the 
 venom he imputes to woman in an utterly unfair, untrue, 
 and irrational way. He fairly foams at the mouth. 
 To read it, except to refute it, would be worse than a 
 waste of time. 
 
 Not many are aware that this "poem" was first pub- 
 lished as anti-suffrage propaganda in 1911 accompanied 
 by a full length portrait of the author, in The Ladies' 
 Home Journal. (No remarks.) It was afterward un- 
 favorably reviewed at length in Public Opinion, where- 
 in it was called "A lash across the face of woman." 
 The author's amiable intention was plainly apparent. He 
 said the poem was a lesson in natural history, as the 
 female cobra and tiger are fiercer than the male of those 
 types ; but I contend humans are not animals or serpents. 
 Animals have no real sense of honor, mercy, or justice; 
 no moral nature no spiritual outlook or aspirations ; and 
 human beings have among them all these. His statement 
 as to the over-viciousness of squaws (who are simply 
 
 i53 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 slaves to their men) often speciously referred to, was 
 controverted in a fine way by a Catholic priest who said 
 the missionaries were never among the Hurons, as Kipling 
 claims, and that the record shows, that the squaws of 
 other tribes cared for and sheltered the missionaries, and 
 bound up their wounds. A fine poem by a man opposing 
 Kipling's views, was also given in this review. So much 
 for their truth and justice. The fact that he is said to be 
 self -exiled from this country through fear of his 
 American wife's brother, who is said to have threatened, 
 with much energy, to shoot him on sight, may be 
 (un) poetic justice. 
 
 It may truly be said that one would rather have all 
 the sins in the catalogue to answer for than to have 
 written it, and the one called the "Vampire" (referred 
 to earlier) which is just as false and one sided, as many 
 unformed minds have been misled through them, to their 
 undoing and that of others in matters which are vital 
 and of very first importance. He is evidently like the 
 Huns; he looks in the glass, and then reflects what he 
 sees there, on others a very low code of ethics. These 
 poems are not usually found in Kipling collections; 
 perhaps even he knew them to be off-color. We may 
 hope and expect that through a successful effort to 
 refute these implications ; the deadly effect on posteri- 
 ty, and also on the writer himself, may be minimized.* 
 
 No nation but has its proverbs derogatory and 
 insulting to woman. A young German boy, under 
 twenty-one, has recently compiled a book of these sayings 
 which in years to come must stand as a monument for 
 which man should and will blush. Naturally, this boy 
 ended his life shortly in an insane asylum, as fittingly as 
 
 * See Appendix F, page 205. 
 
 154 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 did his false and (in) famous teacher. The "eternal 
 manly" is rarely, if ever, referred to. It may here be 
 shown as in Browning's Any Wife to Any Husband, the 
 sentiment of which is being brought out in many so-called 
 books and plays : The Great Divide, Squaw Man, 
 The Virginian, and a flood of others, bolstering man's 
 claim of superiority over woman in every way, because 
 of an accident of birth. It is Shakespeare, a man, who 
 says : "Man, vain man, dressed in a little brief authority, 
 to play such fantastic tricks before high Heaven as 
 maketh angels weep," and woman smiles, or weeps, as 
 the case may be. 
 
 "On the other hand," says a noted woman writer, 
 "women are absolutely silent, a silence so profound that 
 the men have fatuously leaped to the conclusion that 
 women have no opinion in regard to men, or more 
 fatuously still, that there is nothing about men for women 
 to criticize"; and it is an astonishing fact, that all this, 
 in the face of present-day conditions, still holds good. 
 "One of the few women earth-writers who has dared 
 to approach this subject says: If I were a man and 
 cared to know the world I lived in, I think it would 
 make me a shade uneasy, the weight of that silence of 
 half the world/ " "You expect to keep up your interest 
 in the suffrage movement?" was asked of our, perhaps, 
 most noted and best-loved woman in public life today. 
 She replied: "I am a suffragist, yes, but I am one who 
 believes there is nothing more to be said on the subject; 
 there is nothing left on which to argue ; that women have 
 not complete suffrage is due to the wickedness of some 
 men." This last may be "what every woman knows," 
 
 155 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 rather than what the play of that name so guilelessly 
 infers. 
 
 Alice F. Palmer, a lovely character, Wellesley's 
 earliest president, observed this willingness on the part 
 of men to guide the female soul, and their guileless 
 confidence in their ability to do so. In one of her pub- 
 lished letters she says: "It does seem impossible for 
 a man to come here and speak in a sensible way to 
 sensible women. As usual our orator talked in a superior 
 way about woman's nature and condition, health, etc. 
 He said he 'knew the depth of a woman's heart.' If 
 I live a thousand years I hope I may never make that 
 remark about any man. I wait eagerly for the time when 
 men will take our ability for granted and will tell us 
 what we want to hear about other subjects." Mrs. 
 Palmer says, "Nobody is so much what she ought to be 
 as a good girl, if we could only trust God and not fill 
 her mind full of what men (Presbyterians of Albany) 
 have been telling her about God's ways and therefore 
 of much that is unreasonable and hopeless." No doubt 
 women have faults and limitations and need help from 
 men, but it is not all on one side by any means. Some 
 one says that one reason girls and women get so much 
 more advice is because they are more polite and will 
 not snicker or snore under it as boys or men might, and 
 so spoil the satisfaction of the one bestowing it. 
 
 Fifty years ago when medical missionaries were needed 
 in India to aid the poor women sufferers,, one minister is 
 reported as saying: "I would rather see my wife and 
 daughters in the grave than see them study medicine." 
 The women of his family were not allowed opinions of 
 
 156 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 their own evidently. I think they might have preferred 
 study to death, but that did not count. 
 
 It is rather a curious and indicative fact that while men 
 travellers in the Orient write very graphic accounts of 
 conditions there, rarely do they even refer to the condi- 
 tion of women; except (perhaps for the usual reason 
 that they are most in evidence) to the "butterfly" class 
 Ouled Nails, Geishas, etc. One has only to observe 
 with the seeing eye to have even for this class the deep- 
 est sympathy as they are simply immoral slaves to the 
 men (as is well known). In driving through the coun- 
 try and seeing only the male sex in evidence, it is to 
 wunder where are the females, and to learn with sur- 
 prise that they are kept in the damp caves of houses, often, 
 especially if young and attractive, to be actually locked 
 in a cave when the husband is away, receiving only the 
 food which may be thrown in to them by an ignorant 
 and none too fond mother-in-law. In the cities one 
 sees comparatively few women, and they are closely 
 veiled and watched. Their only outing is a weekly 
 trip to the ghastly cemetery where they may sit among 
 or on the tombs, and talk with other women ; for which 
 they must be duly thankful. There is nothing humor- 
 ous about this. Of late years they are not quite so 
 closely guarded as in the past, but conditions are still 
 bad enough. 
 
 In an article in the National Geographic Magazine, 
 written by a wife in collaboration with her husband, we 
 find in the following transcript a clear cut statement of 
 the woman side of the question. "I saw the ornate 
 domestic establishment of a rich and influential person, a 
 Pasha's imposing home. In a compound beside the palace 
 
 iS7 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 pure Arab horses stood hobbled, and a pack of desert 
 hounds leaped up at my approach. In a cave near the 
 palace door were two lean, gray lions. Then we entered 
 the corridor or gate to the harem. We had talked about 
 horses, dogs, and lions, but in Arab eyes it is a gross 
 impertinence to ask after the women in a man's family. 
 Like as not he would reply that the "wretched creatures 
 are barely keeping alive." "We walked toward the door- 
 way of the walled, windowless structure wherein the 
 women were imprisoned," and presently her "visions of 
 harem life as pictured in toilet soap advertisements, in- 
 sipid maudlin rot slung from the pens of space writers" 
 vanished. She found that even "Pierre Loti had juggled 
 lightly with truth in his harem romance, 'Disenchanted/ ''' 
 In a visit to a harem of 14 women she found that "most 
 of them were absolutely commonplace, some even stupid 
 looking. They were ignorant, idle, untidy, and cheaply 
 dressed." "In all the year I spent in the middle east I 
 never heard of an Arab woman who could read or write. 
 To educate a woman is called by Bedouins a foolish waste 
 of money." As usual with people of that class they 
 seemed anti any improvement or progress, tho there was 
 no reason under Heaven why their opinions should count 
 one way or another.* 
 
 In sharp contrast she finds that "among the Bedouin 
 women of the nomad class the ease and idleness of the 
 harem life is unknown." "An Arab is jealous of his wife, 
 but in the desert married women are seldom veiled, and 
 are permitted to laugh and joke with other men. In camp 
 the women milk the camels, grind wheat in hand mills, 
 churn butter in the 'sequilla,' a goat skin hung from a 
 
 * See Appendix G, page 206. 
 
 158 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 tripod and filled with sour milk; they weave cloth from 
 hair and fiber; they make matting from date leaves, and 
 are always busy. While the Bedouin woman is enjoying 
 all these pleasing domestic pastimes, her husband sits in 
 the sand before the tent smoking." "Useful as the 
 Bedouin wife is to her husband and the tribe, however, 
 through all the tribal songs, legends and poetry, there 
 runs a note hostile and abusive to all woman kind. They 
 believe that among all other animals save mankind, the 
 female is the better/' This method of reasoning would 
 do credit to the Huns. Mr. Kipling (and some others) 
 think they are all alike, and true to (animal) type ; why 
 such hopeless confusion of thought on this subject; (still 
 confusion of thought seems to be the rule in many 
 human methods rather than the exception.) Why then 
 are men allowed to have many wives? If women are so 
 bad this would logically be a doubtful privilege; but it is 
 not so considered, indeed it would be a serious matter for 
 England (or any one) to interfere with this "privilege", 
 and they are not doing it. (It is true that many of our 
 men and some women, more than emulate them and still 
 keep within the law a noted actor being a notorious 
 example; words are inadequate.) 
 
 These women seem like flies in the hands of young 
 children, and are as remorselessly crushed by their men. 
 It is not right individually and a wonderful civilizing, 
 healing, and economic force is worse than wasted. 
 How long Oh Lord, how long ! 
 
 In the sensual state which passes as the future "para- 
 dise" for these men, each is to be attended by 500 
 beautiful "houris" (an unconscious, selfish mental con- 
 fession of total depravity), making 500 women to one 
 
 159 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the 
 
 man in Heaven, which, however, speaks well for the 
 women; and if as these men pretend, women are bad, 
 such a proportion would scarcely make for peace or hap- 
 piness. An intelligent person can only feel contempt and 
 disgust for such vagaries of shortsightedness and lack of 
 logic. A nation (or person) rises no higher than its 
 estimate of woman, and Heaven. It would be well for 
 all to take notice of this well proven and oft stated fact. 
 
 Doughty in his work on Arabia says: (with no com- 
 ment of course) "The Arabs are contrary to womankind 
 upon whom they would have God's curse"; again we 
 have the right to ask why? and to expect an answer if a 
 truth has been stated; but no answer would be forth- 
 coming we know; proving the fallacy of the statement. 
 
 Douglas Jerrold's oft quoted and jovial mot, "A man 
 who has a wife of forty wishes she was like a banknote 
 which he could change for two twenties," comes near 
 to expressing total depravity, and has a color of mis- 
 guided reality, as many a man will admit with startled 
 chagrin, we hope. Think of a man of forty-five or fifty 
 (as per this mot), with two wives of twenty years, and 
 what sort of a position does this give the wife? Men 
 arrange affairs so that it is considered proper for a man 
 to marry a woman who is younger than he, partly because 
 youth is more tractable, for a while anyway. Another 
 favorite joke is of the man who said: "Yes, my wife is 
 dead; I really got so I almost liked her." Full many 
 a truth is spoken in jest. Masculine humor is not always 
 humorous, but often pathetic in its direction and limita- 
 tions. But man will be glad to have his attention called 
 to these vagaries of statement, which are really false, 
 though hypnotic not true to life at all, thank God. 
 
 160 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 Through it, however, woman has suffered, been dis- 
 credited, and her influence weakened. The proverb says : 
 "The price of a virtuous woman is far above rubies. 
 The heart of her husband can safely trust in her; she 
 will do him good and not evil, all the days of her life." 
 Shakespeare rightly tells woman to "Thank Heaven fast- 
 ing for a good man's love." These sayings can be ap- 
 plied either way, with truth; and I have faith to believe 
 that many men and women so regard them; but they 
 are not the ones who are made prominent by criminal 
 courts ; and their public influence is thus lessened. Mrs. 
 Eddy rightly says : "Infidelity to the marriage covenant 
 is the social scourge of all races." The commandment, 
 "Thou shalt not commit adultery," is no less imperative 
 than the one, "Thou shalt not steal." "The sensualist's 
 loves are as whimsical and unreal as his hates." 
 
 And now let us turn for a rest to Ruskin, whose ideal 
 is worth consideration, even though we may not accept 
 either Ruskin's or Shakespeare's apparent estimate of 
 the men. In "Sesame and Lilies" Ruskin says : "Let us 
 try, then, whether we cannot get at some clear and 
 harmonious idea (it must be harmonious if it is true) 
 of what womanly mind and virtue are, in power and 
 office, with respect to man's; and how their relations, 
 rightly accepted, aid and increase the vigor and honor 
 and authority of both. Let us see whether the greatest, 
 the wisest, the purest hearted of all ages, are agreed in 
 any wise on this point ; let us hear the testimony they have 
 left respecting what they held to be the true dignity of 
 woman, and her mode of help to man. And first let us 
 take up Shakespeare. 
 
 161 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 "Note broadly in the outset, Shakespeare has no 
 heroes; he has only heroines. There is not one entirely 
 heroic figure in all his plays, except the slight sketch 
 of Henry the Fifth. In his labored and perfect plays 
 Othello is the only example even approximating the 
 heroic type. Whereas there is hardly a play that has 
 not a perfect woman in it, steadfast in grave hope and 
 erroiless in purpose; Cordelia, Desdemona, Isabella, 
 Hermione, Imogen, Queen Katherine, Perdita, Sylvia, 
 Viola, Rosalind, Helena, and last, and perhaps loveliest, 
 Virgilia, are all faultless; conceived in the highest types 
 of humanity. Then observe, secondly, the catastrophe 
 of every play is caused always by the folly or fault of 
 a man; the redemption, if there be any, is by the wisdom 
 and virtue of a woman. The catastrophe of King Lear 
 is owing to his want of judgment, his impatient vanity, 
 his misunderstanding of his children; the virtue of his 
 one true daughter would have saved him from all the 
 injuries of the others, unless he had cast her away from 
 him; as it is, she all but saves him. 
 
 "In 'Romeo and Juliet' the wise and brave stratagem 
 of the wife is brought to ruinous issue by the reckless 
 impatience of her husband. In 'Winter's Tale' and in 
 'Cymbeline' the happiness and existence of two princely 
 households, lost through long years, and imperiled by the 
 folly and obstinacy of the husbands, are redeemed at 
 last by the queenly patience and wisdom of the wives. 
 In 'Measure for Measure' the injustice of the judge 
 and the cowardice of the brother are opposed to the 
 victorious truth and adamantine purity of the woman. 
 In 'Coriolanus' the mother's counsel, acted upon in time, 
 would have saved her son. And what shall I say of the 
 
 162 
 
"They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 calmly devoted wisdom of the 'unlessoned girl' who ap- 
 pears as a gentle angel bringing courage and safety by 
 her presence and by what women are fancied most to fail 
 in precision and accuracy of thought? 
 
 "Such, in broad light, is Shakespeare's testimony to 
 the position and character of women in human life. He 
 represents them as infallibly faithful and wise counsel- 
 lors, incorruptibly just and pure examples, strong always 
 to sanctify, even when they cannot save . . ." Ruskin 
 next reminds of Dante's great poem, a song of praise 
 to his lady Beatrice, "his teacher, interpreting for him 
 the most difficult truths and leading him with rebuke 
 upon rebuke from star to star." Ruskin continues: 
 "Now I could multiply witness upon witness of this 
 kind if I had time. I would take Chaucer and show 
 you why he wrote a Legend of Good Women, but no 
 Legend of Good Men. I would take Spenser and show 
 you how all his fairy knights are sometimes deceived and 
 sometimes vanquished; but the soul of Una is never 
 darkened, and the spear of Britomart is never broken." 
 Shakespeare and Ruskin surely call women to high 
 emprise. "Dux femina facti" a woman the leader of 
 the deed has long stood on the pages of literature, in 
 many applications, and it has been placed there, let us 
 remember, by the pen of man himself." 
 
 Shakespeare, as would be expected, had the good sense 
 as well as good taste never to ridicule woman, love, 
 religion, or priests. It would be well had all men fol- 
 lowed his example. 
 
 163 
 
AFTERWORD 
 
 THE cabinet maker puts neither himself nor his 
 idea in the chair. He remains intact and the 
 idea remains in his mind, perhaps more perfect 
 than its manifestation ; which may include anything from 
 a common Windsor chair to one which is "a thing of 
 beauty and a joy forever" (according to his ability for 
 conception, or to the demand or purpose to be con- 
 served). He does not create the chair, he "forms" it, 
 as "man" was said to be "formed" from the dust of the 
 ground (matter) in the second chapter of Genesis, which 
 contradicts the first account, where man was "created" 
 male and female, and "made" in the image and likeness 
 of Spirit, God. Then man is spiritual. "The carnal 
 mind is enmity with God" and that is all there is of it. 
 
 We are said to be the image and likeness or reflection 
 of God, the express image of God's person, God's image 
 expressed (the word image is also translated character, 
 and reflection may mean thought). Here neither the 
 Master (or Creator) nor the idea, is put in the body; 
 but remains in mind, God, perfect and beautiful; while 
 the actual bodies which we see are not as we know, 
 beautiful, pure, holy, or perfect (and so healthful) even 
 as Plato says. 
 
 Truth is appreciated slowly. "Plato believed that cor- 
 responding to every common noun there is a real, perfect, 
 eternal being; for the highest noun there is a highest 
 being. These he calls ideas not using the word in the 
 sense we ordinarily use it. The highest idea is Man 
 (generic). These ideas he thought pure, but the actual 
 
 164 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 thing we see, only imperfect copies, and not pure, holy, 
 or beautiful." Could we see poem or picture and its 
 coloring, hear the music in the mind, of poet, artist, or 
 composer, or see the real man and woman with the eye 
 of mind, we could then realize the meaning of Plato's 
 words, even more clearly than he did, and see God 
 for we should be like Him, and pure in heart. 
 
 And now I believe I know how one feels who, through 
 difficulty, by overcoming hindrance after hindrance, 
 throwing off all that is unnecessary, at last shakes him- 
 self free; breathless and glad at the North Pole, or on 
 Himalayan heights. And I am sure I see over into the 
 promised land. I have clarified my own vision, proved 
 my point, and tacked it to earth. It is all impersonal 
 and cannot be affected by praise or blame. Some may 
 choose to term what they cannot appreciate, "vacuous 
 ideals." (When have ideals ever been vacuous?) But 
 that, thank God, cannot crucify the Truth, nor the 
 truth teller, in this day and age. Shall we not let the 
 male and female of God's (not man's) creating appear? 
 
 The conclusion of the whole matter is thus summed 
 up by the great modern woman writer and teacher, 
 Mrs. Eddy: "Chastity is the cement of civilization and 
 progress; without it there is no stability in society." 
 "Marriage is the legal and moral provision for generation 
 among human kind. Until the spiritual creation is dis- 
 cerned intact, marriage will continue, subject to such 
 moral regulations as will secure increasing virtue." 
 
 You will understand that this has not been written 
 with thought of material reward, but of necessity. The 
 reward, as is usual in such cases, has already come in 
 full measure; the line taken has helped and lifted me 
 
 165 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 above the petty things of life; why should it not be of 
 use to others. This is incentive enough. No one could 
 criticize the form more severely than I, who have found 
 that to handle the thought (which is tremendous) at 
 all, has taxed my physical strength. I have attempted 
 to clothe it wholesomely, but not elaborately ; not feeling 
 myself justified in doing otherwise; when writing for 
 busy people; those who are doing all they can at all 
 times ; as I have done. 
 
 Of course, these may be intellectual heavyweights. 
 The average mind is more easily impressed with the 
 strong man in the circus, tossing with seeming ease his 
 material heavy weights; he has there some standard by 
 which to judge; some knowledge of the training it takes 
 to attain, and is correspondingly impressed. I have 
 spoken as I have seen and have tried to take a fair, 
 comprehensive, and unprejudiced view. I can readily see 
 how easy it will be to say, It is nothing; and can ap- 
 preciate that side fully. But, "What if a single Aliph 
 were the clew to the treasure house, and to the master, 
 too?" Do the Bible, Life, and Science teach us in vain? 
 
 I know it all sounds much like heresy, but is it? Or is 
 it only a phase of life which has been neglected? It is 
 really a letter to friends and asks for answering thought. 
 That the spirit of fairness, earnestness, and sympathy 
 is as evident as it is sincere, is to be hoped. Much of 
 it will be understood to be a generalization, a vision of 
 the ultimate. The process through which it is to be 
 reached is quite a different thing; and here again, for 
 the present, we reach a limit of the average thought. 
 
 While the least of the disciples, I seem to have followed 
 
 166 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 such masters as Richter, in using analogy and compari- 
 son, and Goethe, in arrangement and combination. 
 
 "Kepler and Goethe used the a priori method of 
 reasoning; they looked on nature from the heights, but 
 seeing or fancying they saw something on the plains, 
 descended at once to verify the truth of observation. A 
 bright and brilliant instrument . . . it will cut 
 deeply into truth if rightly used." Lewes. 
 
 In solving the problem of the value and necessity (or 
 lack of it) of set and prescribed form, where must we 
 place the battle for freedom from it (in all ways) which 
 has taken place in the century just passed; Lincoln, 
 Gladstone, Darwin, Mrs. Browning, Chopin, Schumann, 
 Mendelssohn, with those who were born in the years fol- 
 lowing, or preceding 1809; which Wagner, the most 
 prominent example, sanctions in its excesses. (May 
 Browning be considered its exponent in literature.) 
 Surely they have accomplished something. Was theirs 
 not the work of the reformation over again; fighting 
 the same evils with different weapons? One is indeed 
 thankful for being shielded through their unselfishness 
 and suffering from the brunt of narrow criticism; which 
 really has no standard, but which sees an opportunity 
 for egotistical, energyless sticking of pins, here and 
 there; an unusual expression. Attempting thus to cover 
 a positive lack of intellectual understanding of the text 
 from which they might learn something, if energetic 
 enough. The pioneers in this direction have done their 
 work well, martyrs though many of them have been to 
 this same wilful or blind narrowness, which we see in 
 evidence at this day, though with its venom and power 
 
 167 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 to sting weakened, through the courage and strength of 
 these heroes of the past. 
 
 One is in a measure safe if, in any experience no 
 matter how trying, he can get outside himself, look upon 
 it as the experience of another, and wonder what will 
 happen next. The things that seem most important to us, 
 often are not so ; and we can afford to take this attitude 
 toward them. You may think this does not show a 
 proper spirit, but I think it will be found to be the proper 
 spirit. There need be nothing abject or hypocritical 
 about it: it is a position full of dignity. We have no 
 need for resentment, but for patience we have great 
 need. The question should not be, How does any given 
 thing affect little me ? but, How does it affect humanity ? 
 Only thus can poise, the key of repose, be gained, "the 
 C major of this life." Would Goethe's " 'Tis feeling 
 all, name is but sound and sense, enclouding heaven's 
 glow," indicate that he had seen far into the future, and 
 solved the problem of formalities? This may be a part 
 of that for which we are all groping, an effort to find 
 where we really stand. What is truth? What shall we 
 do that all may be saved? 
 
 Not until many a good, earnest woman had said to 
 me: "This is just what I have thought, but lacked 
 courage, energy, leisure, or means to express it; we 
 have needed some one to express it for us," did I decide 
 to put all this into semi-permanent form. The grief 
 and suffering in the world, as seen on every hand (by 
 those who do not selfishly blind themselves, refusing 
 to see), has so impressed me that my sympathy has 
 taken the active form of an endeavor to know why 
 these things are, what underlies them, and wherein is 
 
 168 
 
" They Shall Know Themselves Into One" 
 
 the remedy. As usual, I find it right at hand, the most 
 obvious of all things. Truly, self-control, the stone 
 which the builders have refused to consider, is the head- 
 stone of the corner. Pouring water through a sieve, 
 as has seemed our past method, may be good exercise 
 in benevolence, and has its value; but has it availed, is 
 it really practical? Is there not more poverty, crime, 
 sorrow, and sickness than ever before? Let us not hesi- 
 tate longer, and let us begin where we should: with 
 self-control. Any Bible student will recall many force- 
 ful texts on overcoming! What? What else but self, 
 exercising self-control? "He that overcometh shall 
 inherit all things." Rev. xxi, 7. See also Rev. ii, 7, 
 n, 17, 26, Rev. iii, 5, 12, 21, and many others. To a 
 Christian this must be significant. 
 
 "Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all 
 the chords with might. Smote the chord of self, that, 
 trembling, passed in music out of sight." 
 
VAGARIES OF NIETZSCHE 
 
 The vagaries of Friedrich Nietzsche from a woman's 
 standpoint; general reference to his views regarding 
 women and Christianity, as expressed in his various writ- 
 ings; their bearing and effect on the Germans, and on 
 present world conditions; with a partial refutation of 
 them. 
 
 For many years I have been much concerned about the 
 way in which the writings of Nietzsche were influencing 
 the people of the world. It has seemed to me a very 
 serious and dangerous thing and I have given much time 
 and research work to the task of helping to counteract 
 this pernicious pro-German teaching. The following is 
 the result of this original and earnest effort. I offer it as 
 a part of my patriotic work; and feel that I have done 
 what I could in this particular line. I have not spared 
 effort in the writing of it, and every position taken has 
 been verified, and is unquestionable. 
 
 During the winter of 1910-11, spent on the Continent, I 
 said that some terrible calamity was coming to those coun- 
 tries ; I wondered if England would get through the Coro- 
 nation and Durbar. In our own country we appeared to 
 me like people in a small boat, laughing and waving our 
 hands on the verge of Niagara. You may imagine that I 
 am in earnest in any work which may prove to be a stone 
 in the barrier to save us from the extreme of disaster. 
 
 Any one who read the notable article in the 
 'Atlantic' for June, 1917, written by the American wife of 
 
 170 
 
Vagaries of Nietzsche 
 
 a German-American, will be better able to understand 
 somewhat of how the study of Nietzsche irrationalizes the 
 mind of the student, I believe in every case. If the mind 
 of Nietzsche was unsettled to insanity by his own con- 
 clusions, as it was; naturally other minds would be 
 abnormally unsettled by them. 
 
 Whom false gods destroy they first make mad. 
 
 One sees with astonishment that the doctrines of a man 
 whose teaching is commonly summed up by the phrase 
 "Might makes right" (still further condensed into the 
 words "Be Hard" with all its implications) are at this 
 day, when we are supposed to have made some advance 
 in the theory and practice of brotherhood, considered at 
 all important by some of our so called leaders of thought; 
 but that they are so considered and endorsed seems to be 
 the case. 
 
 That the teaching of Nietzsche is largely affecting 
 modern action cannot be doubted. That this is not 
 realized and the teaching controverted as it should be is 
 also beyond doubt. He was an unfortunate, who should 
 be pitied but not exalted or emulated. With his wonder- 
 ful mind, reasoning ability and power of expression, he 
 saw through the well meaning but partially misguided 
 general teaching of the "culture Philistine" of the present 
 day, and also he saw, as have many of our clearest 
 thinkers, the utter inconsistency of the teaching that has 
 been offered for our guidance, and the resultant wide gulf 
 between our ideals and their practical realization. 
 
 What neither he nor they see is that this same teaching 
 is made up from all the theories of man ; Pantheism, Fatal- 
 ism, Oriental Philosophy, Buddhism, Neo-Platonism, Mil- 
 tonian Old Theology, etc., etc., it is, by those to whom it is 
 
 171 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 new, called the New or Modern thought ; when it has not 
 a vestige of the New (Old) thought, the Christus or 
 Truth which is now regenerating the world and causing 
 impurities to rise to the surface in intense manifestation. 
 Not that the vast majority have read Nietzsche, but that 
 many of the most noted writers and leaders have, and so 
 through approving reference and quotation it is sifted 
 through to the masses, who are helpless before this most 
 insidious and effective "German propaganda." 
 
 A noted modern writer says : "In Europe Nietzsche's 
 gospel of desperation,, the beyond man, etc., has deeply 
 influenced the Paris Apache, the Italian futurist littera- 
 teur, the Russian Revolutionary. Nietzsche's books are 
 full of seductions and sugar plums; they have made 
 'aristocrats' of people who would otherwise have been 
 only mild snobs or meddlesome prigs ; and they have 
 made an overman of every vulgarly energetic grocer in 
 Europe." 
 
 That any thoughtful person should subscribe to 
 doctrines taught by a man who says that "God is dead" ! ! 
 (Such an absurdity of expression. If God were dead 
 there could be no life. Anyone who fancies that God or 
 good is dead, might as well give up further effort, as even 
 if life without God good were possible, it would not be 
 desirable, would it?) and who violently attacks "Chris- 
 tianity," "Truth," as Nietzsche does, calling Jesus and 
 his disciples "a set of neurotics," blaming the teaching of 
 Jesus Christ for all the trouble in the world, calling God 
 "the most immoral of all," is all but incomprehensible.* 
 
 *He has no good word to say for anyone, he fairly rails 
 about every noted person of whom he speaks and he refers 
 to many. All are wrong from his point of view which is 
 thus invalidated in regard to all. His much discussed doctrine of 
 
 172 
 
Vagaries of Nietzsche 
 
 Says Nietzsche : If Jesus had not taught that certain things 
 were wrong we should be able to do them without harm 
 (to wallow in iniquity as it were), when we know that 
 Jesus only tried to forewarn the world of what was sure 
 to follow if certain practices were continued. He met 
 the fate which is usually meted out to reformers. How- 
 ever the world is improving in this respect; which is 
 encouraging. 
 
 It is high time for us to realize that the word "Christos" 
 means "The Truth/' (which is immortal). If when the 
 word Christ is used you substitute the word Truth giving 
 it its full significance you will get the proper meaning; 
 any derivative of the word has the same bearing. 
 
 Almost anyone can estimate the result of opposing the 
 Truth. 
 
 "The Christ" was not a semi mortal man but "The 
 Truth" which Jesus The Man lived in its fullness, 
 thus becoming immortal, "the Savior" pointed the way 
 for us to be saved, or immortalized. 
 
 Hudson in his Law of Psychic Phenomena states that 
 the insistency of Jesus on Faith or belief as a necessary 
 component of immortality works out in the law of sug- 
 gestion (or affirmation). If you have faith, or believe in 
 immortality, you constantly affirm it, and so through the 
 law of cause and effect become immortal. "As a man 
 thinketh in his heart so is he." On the other hand if 
 you call yourself an Atheist, you lose your chance of im- 
 mortality by denying it. In this light we can see how 
 Nietzsche committed mental suicide, or insanity, through 
 his expressed attitude toward Christianity. 
 
 the "Eternal Return" is so simple and improvable that it is not 
 necessary to more than mention it in these pages. 
 
 173 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 Nietzsche witnessed, from an entirely material stand- 
 point, the pouring out of the vials of wrath; that is, the 
 human mind was uncovered to its depths before him, but 
 he received not at the same time the vision of the Bride, 
 the Lamb's wife; i. e., the ideal condition. His mind 
 reeled and reason was dethroned before the awful abyss ; 
 in which he lost sight of Love or spiritual reality ; even as 
 Hamlet's mind gave way when he confronted the same 
 situation, revealed to him through the storied incident of 
 his mother's action; which while lawful, was a fall from 
 grace; of a kind much more common among men than 
 women however, if we admit the evidence of recorded 
 everyday conditions. It is more shocking, as Shakes- 
 peare's genius realized, when portrayed as a woman's 
 deed because it is not so common for woman to betray 
 idealism in matters of primal importance. 
 
 That many theorize vaguely about it and do not honor 
 it in practice does not change the fact. 
 
 Nietzsche attempted with his finite mind to outline 
 Deity and Heaven, or ultimate Harmony a dangerous 
 attempt as there is and can be no finite or material har- 
 mony. Has any mere mortal ever been conscious of 
 absolute of even near harmony. Always, if he is honest 
 with himself, he must acknowledge the uncertainty of 
 continuance of any mortal (or dying) condition; and 
 after that, what? Only death, which can never honestly 
 be called a harmonious experience, but is likely to be 
 catastrophic, led up to by suffering and sorrow. 
 
 And yet one of the favorite theories of Nietzsche is that 
 Christianity, through fostering asylums, hospitals, and car- 
 ing for the unfortunate generally, has done inestimable 
 harm to the world and to posterity. The weak should be 
 
 174 
 
Vagaries of Nietzsche 
 
 exterminated as only the physically fit should survive. To 
 refute this one has only to recall the influence of Adam 
 Smith, J. A. Symonds, Mrs. Browning, George Eliot, 
 Keats, Stevenson, with hosts of others of delicate phy- 
 sique, and contrast them with Corbett, Sullivan, Jack 
 Johnson and others of their class, whose perfect physical 
 development is evident and is their only strength. 
 
 Nietzsche says (in a letter to George Brandes, the 
 noted Danish critic and lecturer) that his last book 
 "Ecce Homo" is "an attack on the crucified without res- 
 ervation" ; and adds, "I swear to you within two years we 
 shall have the whole world in convulsions, I am a fate." 
 This was in 1888 ; soon he was in convulsions himself in 
 a mad house, poor soul ; and false teaching has to answer 
 for another brilliant intellect worse than lost to the world. 
 He died in 1900 and it is only recently, about 1913, that 
 his heirs have brought out the book spoken of, in an edi- 
 tion de luxe for subscribers in Berlin. Well, Germany is 
 surely convulsed (1914-1918) and has taken wide swathes 
 with her. 
 
 Is not his prophecy of a world in convulsions within two 
 years after his last book was published, being fulfilled? 
 The blasphemous ideas which manifested as insanity in 
 Nietzsche, are they not now appearing in his fol- 
 lowers ? Even though he repudiates the Germans, calling 
 himself a Pole, and wishing for the Germans and their 
 Emperor all sorts of trouble because they did not recog- 
 nize and appreciate him earlier in time or until their 
 attention was called to him by Brandes, and through 
 Brandes to French and Russian admirers. 
 
 The present war seems to be the immediate result of 
 Napoleon's performances and system summed up into a 
 ruin working quasi (or crazy) philosophy by Nietzsche. 
 
 175 
 
Taking "Forth thi t Precious From the Vile' 
 
 On reflection one might judge Napoleon Bonaparte to 
 symbolize the "god of war" for the present age. His im- 
 posing tomb in Paris is the shrine at which our soldier 
 men, at least, pay first homage on reaching Paris. They 
 seem to offer there much mental incense if they do not 
 offer prayers. What reasonable claim has he to be even 
 humanly immortalized, except through utter perversion 
 of right.* 
 
 This marches so well with the sacrilegious claims of 
 William II to be divine and infallible and to stand in God's 
 confidence and stead; which by the immutable law of 
 cause and effect must end in his own undoing. Herod of 
 old received dire punishment for not rebuking the people 
 who acclaimed him as God. Paul and Barnabas were 
 rightly much shocked and tried ; and they rebuked sharply 
 
 *See Appendix H, page 207. 
 
 fThe Huns (notably the Crown Prince and Nietzsche), just 
 naturally do him reverence, and one fancies that while hospitals 
 and churches are ravaged by their bombs, his tomb is spared. 
 One can but feel that if that spot were touched, perhaps the rest of 
 the city might be saved. As long as it remains an object of 
 adoration, prayers for justice may react to the danger of the city, 
 which is known to be the source of much that is objectionable in 
 life and literature. 
 
 That our men make pilgrimages to Napoleon's tomb I 
 think must be due to hypnotic influence. I give them credit 
 for admiring and making a hero of Lafayette, who was a true 
 idealist and patriot. General Pershing's expression, "Lafay- 
 ette, we are here," was one of the truly great utterances of 
 this war. Lord Kitchener's direction to his men: "Be cour- 
 teous to women, and no more than courteous," reaching the 
 acme of refined expression, was another which deserves to 
 go down in history, and to be taken to heart. 
 
 Thomas a Becket long ago said: "Be not familiar with any 
 woman, but in general commend all good women to God," 
 the same refined expression, tho with slightly different word- 
 ing, which goes to prove that there have been men in all 
 times, thank God, who were high minded enough to see and 
 stand for the evident right. Will we ever make these truths 
 practical? i. e., make good (God) manifest in the flesh. 
 
 176 
 
Vagaries of Nietzsche 
 
 this same desire on the part of the populace to exalt them. 
 What may we expect to be the fate of one who apparently 
 makes this claim for himself, without waiting to be 
 acclaimed ? Has he gone on too rapidly ; missed steps in 
 his initiation ; met the "Guardian of the Threshold," only 
 to be vanquished for or by his over confidence ? It seems 
 as if it might be possible to be "too bold."* 
 
 In his estimate of woman also, Nietzsche (still Le Code 
 Napoleon) shows that he is blinded by man made and con- 
 trolled appearances and does not see beneath the surface. 
 He considers woman a chattel ; as the property of man ; his 
 house, his wife, his woman; says that the family exists, 
 that man may be a monarch; (even a young child could 
 and would rebel at and controvert this) that we should 
 return to the oriental idea, and woman to the harem. Poor 
 man, he does not see that only the complete liberation and 
 companionship of woman will free such as he from his 
 crushing limitations. He is like the bee which if confined 
 to a glass tube with one end closed and turned to the light 
 and the other end opened, will wear itself out in trying to 
 get through the glass rather than turn around and walk out 
 free in another direction. 
 
 Trying to find the superman in a mortal he fails, so 
 tragically. The superman (including woman) is spiritual 
 and is with us now ; "yesterday, today and forever," and is 
 very far from the "German Baron"fwithwhom the Junker 
 
 *See page 184. 
 
 tit is well known that noted Germans speak of all below this 
 rank as "servants," thus putting a sad handicap on the masses 
 of their people who are forced to accept this classification, 
 and naturally are thus accepted by others, so a race of ser- 
 vants has been evolved. Mesmer was a German, and the 
 German people are an example to us of the effects of mes- 
 merism, or hypnotism, in its absolute viciousness; there can 
 be no real good in it; in all cases it may be likened to a 
 
 177 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the File' 
 
 class agreeing with Nietzsche says "Manhood begins" 
 and in whom they behold the superman. Superbad he has 
 certainly proven himself to be. The "Super-man bug" is 
 as busy as it is dangerous to the man or nation whom it 
 obsesses. They are not confined to one class or nation 
 either, at this time. Nietzsche wrote books in ten days' 
 time and they bear the evidence of undigested thought. 
 It needs must be that offenses come, but woe to him 
 through whom they come, is a sure prophecy and hard 
 saying. 
 
 Close students of world conditions have long been aware 
 that Germany is and has been a much overrated nation. 
 The most reliable observers say that we have in our 
 country places of instruction of far greater value than has 
 Germany. It stands to reason that this should be true. 
 Their University courses are shorter and degrees more 
 easily and cheaply obtained than they are in England or 
 America; and that may be the reason for their greater 
 popularity. That so many of our young men have 
 resorted to them may account for the Nietzschean 
 influence and pro-German spirit, which is recognized as 
 being rather prominent in our institutions of learning and 
 is giving us pause and trouble because we blindly do not 
 recognize it for what it is ; and it may have a bad influence 
 on the quality of our degrees, which it seems (with those 
 of Germany) are not accepted at Oxford or Cambridge. 
 
 soothing syrup which lulls its victims into a false peace, 
 when their last state is worse than the first. There is no 
 doubt that it is widely taught and used at the present time. 
 "No fountain sends forth both sweet waters and bitter," you 
 understand. In no case can it be right; often the results are 
 fiendish, witness reports of mysterious crimes, in the daily papers. 
 Those who yield themselves to it, even tho unconsciously, 
 are likely to find themselves in a serious situation. Another 
 of Germany's vaunted discoveries proven a perversion of 
 right. 
 
 178 
 
Vagaries of Nietzsche 
 
 A noted American physician has recently stated that 
 our young men gain little or nothing through their medical 
 studies in Germany, the Germans being so callously brutal 
 in their treatment of patients, only harm can come to our 
 students from being with them. One has only to refer 
 to German text books to know that the youth of that 
 country have been, and are being taught the rankest of 
 untruths ; autocractically "made in Berlin" a poor foun- 
 dation for education -and culture ; and estimates show that 
 mainly through excessive (though humanly logical) zeal 
 and severity in their schools, suicides among German chil- 
 dren are startlingly common, while in this country they 
 are notable for their scarcity ; certainly something for us 
 to rejoice over, as showing an improvement at least, over 
 Hun methods, while still far from perfect. 
 
 In Germany no boy over ten years old is allowed to be 
 taught in school by a woman; and the mothers of these 
 boys are discredited. The frightful conditions of the 
 present war thus became a possibility and fact. 
 
 The result can scarcely be called an unqualified success 
 by the rankest allied or neutral opposer of feminine 
 influence. Still a Kipling is moved and allowed without 
 protest from men to call Germany "a female nation/' 
 One supposes because in Germany women are entirely 
 suppressed and the war is fought and engineered by men 
 peculiar reasoning. 
 
 That "hate is a boomerang," and "curses like chickens 
 come home to roost," has been proven true too often to 
 be disregarded. Germany's orgy of expressed hate, and 
 campaign of fright fulness, must bring retribution in its 
 train and on the heads of the perpetrators. We have, in 
 
 179 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 company with other nations, generously given Germany 
 high praise, but Germany instead of returning the compli- 
 ment and looking for good in others has greedily claimed 
 everything conceded, and given no one else credit for any- 
 thing. She has drunk too freely of self flattery, as 
 well as of beer, and it has turned her head and heart. The 
 term "Nouveau riche" seems very apt and is often used in 
 describing the situation. 
 
 Germany claims much in music, but are not the 
 "greatest of these" Jews and Slavs, and their music not 
 of German inspiration (and so need not be patriotically 
 tabu on our programs) ? Many valuable ideas which 
 originated in other countries were adopted and adapted 
 through German industry and patience, as is well known. 
 
 The Germans claim Shakespeare, because they say 
 "they appreciate him more than do the English and the 
 Americans" ; and so he is more nearly akin to them. This 
 view comes from egotistic, surface thinking, as can be 
 shown. The English speaking races are "brought up" on 
 Shakespeare, so to speak. No wonder that when the 
 appreciation comes to cultured Germans, in mature life, 
 they are thrilled. But what of the racial mentality which 
 blossoms in and is permeated by such ideas. We are all, 
 by this time, so accustomed to a sort of mental twist in the 
 German method of reasoning that we almost cease to be 
 astonished. 
 
 Many of us are familiar with the statement and agree 
 as to its truth, that "when the human mind attempts to 
 carry out any of its ideas to a logical conclusion it runs 
 against an absurdity!" "Extremes are always absurd," 
 is a maxim. This can be easily illustrated with present 
 conditions and proven true. The German situation is an 
 
 180 
 
Vagaries of Nietzsche 
 
 object lesson of this order. They appear to have taken 
 ideas of system, order, obedience, patience, industry, etc., 
 and carried them, through a mistaken process, to a con- 
 clusion, which is mechanical soulless. So too their openly 
 practised plans of promiscuous sex mating for the pur- 
 pose of repopulating the country, etc., are hideously logi- 
 cal, if human beings are animals, as many seem to contend. 
 
 Also if war is a panacea for wrong conditions, and many 
 assert that it is: (o'ne of our most noted men [quoting 
 Ruskin without credit] was applauded for saying in an 
 address to Oxford students in 1911 : "Great Nations are 
 born in War and expire in Peace")* then the only logi- 
 cal process would be to make war as warlike and hellish 
 as possible, and so shorten and make it more effective, 
 as the Germans have attempted to do. We see the 
 hideous absurdity of this, and yet must acknowledge its 
 "logic." We are told in the scriptures to be of one 
 mind, but it is to be the mind that is in Christ, Truth. 
 The Germans are of one mind, the un-true mind, and 
 very far from the mind referred to. 
 
 They are, as we all feel, still living as if in old Testa- 
 ment times, and the events which were given us as a 
 warning as to what not to do, they are taking as examples 
 of what to do. To such confusion of thought has their 
 material logic brought them. It is notable that while the 
 Germans have much to say of "Gott," it is a false idea of 
 the old Testament God which they hold, and never do they 
 mention the name of Jesus the Christ, or the Virgin Mary. 
 They seem held from this (dis) crowning blasphemy, and 
 may not utterly perish from the earth. 
 
 *Nations are conceived and born as ideals, mentally. 
 
 181 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 I like to realize that as God was not in the whirlwind or 
 earthquake in Horeb, neither is God in the war but in the 
 "still small voice" of conscience. If men would listen to 
 the voice of conscience (of God) there would be no one to 
 begin a war, and so no more fighting. There are many 
 wrongs to be righted. We all like sheep have gone astray, 
 but these Prussians are the limit, plus, and must be 
 attended to before anything else is attempted, without 
 question. 
 
 One would judge that military Germany is much too 
 "thin skinned," as we say, and individual taunts which her 
 people in common with people of all nationalities have had 
 to accept, proves too much for her ruling class to endure. 
 Leading Germans evidently have not the ability to "give 
 and take/' as we all must learn to do in this world. 
 
 Of German philosophers it has been said by close 
 observers, "They can go down deeper, stay down longer, 
 and come up muddier than those of any other nation." 
 Of course there are very notable exceptions to these state- 
 ments. 
 
 The great German poet and seer, Goethe, is quoted as 
 saying "The Prussian is a brute and if you civilize him 
 you make him ferocious." Hegel agrees with this estimate 
 of the Prussian character.* 
 
 * Hegel was teaching in Germany at the time of Napoleon's 
 victories, and at that time universal military training was first 
 introduced in Germany. Hegel said to the students in his charge 
 "This movement is not militarism, but it should be understood 
 that there may come a time when every man will be needed to de- 
 fend his country." In Ency. Brit, we read : "Hegel, like Goethe, 
 felt no patriotic shudder at the victory of Napoleon in 1806; 
 and only speaks with satisfaction of the probable overthrow of 
 the badly generaled and inefficient Prussians. He wished to see 
 the war clouds pass away and leave thinkers to their peaceful 
 work." 
 
 182 
 
Vagaries of Nietzsche 
 
 One sees, as in a vision, to what heights Germany's 
 acknowledged efficiency and system were taking her. 
 What a lesson she had for the world ! Had she only kept 
 her balance and continued to attract by good works the 
 good will and admiration of all ; giving out freely and in 
 love, of her ideas and example. Casting her bread on the 
 waters and allowing God to give the return and increase, 
 her dreams of world acceptance of her ideas might have 
 become a reality fused into one with attainment of the 
 ideals and messages of the other nations England, 
 France, Italy, Japan, China, Russia, synthesised in 
 America; we might have thus arrived at the stature and 
 the measure of the fullness of Christ (Truth). But for 
 the time being, the Anti Christ or Anti Truth, symbolized 
 evidently and concretely by the "Prussian Military Caste" 
 with all militarism as its shadow, is making a desperate 
 stand for full power. We are aware of the astonishing 
 number of individual suicides taking place all over the 
 world. Are we now to see a class or clique suicide? Is 
 it not a consummation devoutly to be wished? With it 
 should go the contemptible, traitorous snooping called 
 the "spy system," originated by Frederick the Great and 
 his forebears, from which any really well regulated mind 
 should recoil as from a venomous serpent, and which 
 must have a destructive reaction on the mind inciting to, 
 indulging in or being forced into it. 
 
 It is surely a far cry from Nietzsche to Hegel and 
 Goethe ; one wonders if the Germans have forgotten, or 
 have only misunderstood them. 
 
 Will the Fairies, Goblins and Little Men, the Goose 
 Maidens, Wild Swans and Chimney Storks go away and 
 
 183 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 never return? Tears are near the surface as Germany's 
 past is brought to mind and compared with the present. 
 We trust that this will be a class suicide only and not that 
 of a nation, which seems to be approaching. 
 
 It is difficult in the face of existing conditions to calmly 
 judge the German state of mind; but there certainly will 
 be a future life, and one feels that there will be an espe- 
 cially trying corner for those of that race who come over 
 here to escape conditions in Germany; and who with all 
 the opportunties for open, fair education and discussion 
 still uphold the Prussian military autocracy in perpetrat- 
 ing atrocities the like of which the world has never known. 
 It would seem that they are sinning against light, and the 
 punishment for that is annihilation. They might well 
 begin to take account of themselves seriously before their 
 minds are utterly and irrevocably perverted. 
 
 An indication as to the reflex action of the Nietz- 
 schean teaching may be found in the following. 
 
 *I find a similar thought expressed in a recent article in 
 a noted magazine, by an English father who in evident 
 sincerity, says that he bows before the superior wisdom 
 of his son, an artist, who has spent much time in -foreign 
 schools. He quotes, "And I see all of it, only I am 
 dying." He then closes the article by saying : "As I gaze 
 I sometimes think futurist parents are in for a stormy 
 time. But no matter, let us hand on to them our motto, 
 Be bold, be bold and ever more be bold, there is not the 
 smallest fear that anyone will be too bold." Now it may 
 
 *See page 177. 
 
 184 
 
Reflex Action of Nietzschean Teaching 
 
 easily be that this way madness lies. If the human mind 
 has no direction in the earnest past why should we trust 
 it for the future and in the coming generation. The out- 
 look is dark indeed if such is the state of affairs. I still 
 think we should continue to complete the above quotation 
 in the light of experience and add the words, "Be not too 
 bold," as we have been accustomed to do ; unless we are 
 very sure of our direction, which in the nature of present 
 day conditions we can scarcely claim to be. 
 
 The above suits well with such extraordinary state- 
 ments as the following, found in a periodical which 
 (strange to say) is widely read; and which kindly dis- 
 penses wisdom for a waiting world: "A girl of sixteen 
 often knows more than a woman of sixty-one" (just 
 unnaturally one supposes), and in complacently "advising 
 mothers" "not to 'nag' their boys, not to weep or advise 
 them, especially when they are about eighteen, and are 
 overpowered by the elemental man's intense feeling of the 
 superiority of the male sex, which makes them restless 
 under any suggestion of petticoat ruling."* Such a mis- 
 guided youth (I cannot think they are common) needs to 
 be chastised, not advised. He must be a victim of faulty 
 environment. I asked my husband, "Did you at eighteen 
 feel that you were superior to your mother?" I 
 know he did not and he could scarcely answer me he was 
 so indignant at the bare idea. To call a mother's loving 
 advice nagging, and the views of older women of less 
 value than those of a child, and then to blame the mother, 
 (as is often done) and women generally, and wonder at 
 appalling results, as evidenced by supposedly reliable 
 
 *See Appendix I, page 208. 
 
 185 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 statements regarding the conduct of children and young 
 people of the present day, is most illogical to say the 
 least. To sum up the good advice and conscientious 
 desire of a mother for the welfare of her offspring, as a 
 nagging and weeping nuisance, recalls the Bible record of 
 an event of which "some said it was a voice from Heaven, 
 and others that it thundered" ; just a difference in the view 
 point. 
 
 Not much of an incentive to motherhood surely ; which 
 experience it seems may be made up of nagging and weep- 
 ing, and even at that you must bring up your boy to be a 
 soldier; which in view of present developments is not so 
 attractive even to the boy ; and your girl to follow her own 
 will, no matter where it leads her, and have them both 
 look indulgently down on you as an old fogy, tho in some 
 ways necessary nuisance. This is not in accord with the 
 testimony of many of our greatest men and women as to 
 the value of the mother influence.* The situation cer- 
 tainly has its difficulties. Parents are not always 
 reasonable or right, but I think children would not loose 
 anything by being thoughtful of and respectful to their 
 parents. 
 
 The small son of a friend of the writer, on returning 
 from school one day ordered his mother (a very bright 
 intelligent woman of means and affairs) to remove his 
 shoes. Out of curiosity as to his unusual manner, she 
 replied: "Why don't you do it yourself?" His answer 
 was: "That is what women are for; to wait on men." 
 This "modern instance" is far from being a joke; I can 
 assure you it is a very serious matter that such teaching is 
 abroad at all ; it has a lasting effect, and is certainly a part 
 
 *See Appendix I, page 202. 
 
 186 
 
Reflex Action of Nietzhscean Teaching. 
 
 of the devil's own work aiming to discredit woman, as 
 he is constantly doing, also using those in league with vice 
 and liquor to keep the woman's or mother thought from 
 being expressed to help purify and save. 
 
 A 16 year old French boy (war waif) whose health was 
 badly impaired by his 4 years of life in the trenches (where 
 men are "boss") is credited with saying; when asked if 
 he found life in the trenches pretty hard : "Not near as 
 bad as it is to be bossed by women here in the hospital ; 
 but then in war we must expect to put up with anything/' 
 This insult to the self sacrificing nurses who were trying 
 to repair the work of the men, was apparently considered 
 humorous by the narrator of the story. Men should not 
 allow such remarks by boys to go unrebuked, then this 
 abnormal situation would not so often arise to the dis- 
 credit of the women, and to the disadvantage of the boys 
 and men. 
 
 One of our boys writing from "Over There" says he 
 "sees women doing the hardest manual work in the fields," 
 and he says "it seems that this is not merely a war con- 
 dition, women have always been doing it, often harnessed 
 with animals, when they were to be had" ; this sight has 
 always been so common in continental Europe as to 
 scarcely cause more than a comment by the sight seeing 
 observer. Noted and loved women observers sum it up 
 about like this : "The women work and work and then 
 men fight and fight"; very true to life in most foreign 
 lands ; and yet a soldier writes from France, "The peasant 
 women here are much more intelligent than their men" 
 and one writes from Petrograd during the Bolshevik 
 terror: "The women here are so much superior to the 
 men that I can see no reason why they should not vote; 
 
 187 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the 
 
 but the reason why the men should is not so evident/' 
 What conclusion should be drawn by both men and women 
 who wish to be just from this state of affairs? 
 
 Twice, in a recently published article on France, in 
 a noted magazine, the writer refers to the "cows" of the 
 French peasant as being of "more importance and value 
 to him than his easily replaced wife." The writer of 
 the article seems a little dubious as to the situation be 
 it said, tho he makes no special comment. One 
 Frenchman has recently written a book on the United 
 States after a very brief visit; he includes a chapter on 
 the "American Woman" which is said to be "far from 
 pleasant reading," but which should react as a compli- 
 ment to his subject. At times it is now sagely said that 
 the "French women are very attractive to the American 
 men because they pet and amuse them" ; and they proba- 
 bly do with a purpose. At one time we are told that 
 they (men) want to and should be petted; again that 
 they do not and should not be. What utter confusion 
 of thought; and the young men will be all right if left 
 alone and allowed to carry out their own natural ideas, 
 without the absurb comment and advice which some way 
 or other find their way into print. 
 
 We even hear a small wail from "over there" asking 
 the "girls" not to "marry all the old men, but to wait 
 for the young men." It is to be supposed that most if 
 not all of the "old men" are already married; there 
 have always been "girls" to be had; are these men to 
 divorce their wives in order to marry the "girls," or 
 are we facing polygamy, which is openly advocated 
 among us. The children of older men are said to be 
 more peaceful, but that is not what we want in men 
 
 1 88 
 
Reflex Action of Nietzschean Teaching. 
 
 it seems, and anyway the fighting spirit is now "dis- 
 covered" to be inherited through the mother, so what 
 difference does the age or aptitude of the man make; 
 he is then entirely negligible, but a passive means to 
 an end. It passes sane understanding that a discus- 
 sion should be allowed or encouraged, upon the com- 
 parative merits of the French and American women. 
 Whose business is it anyway? The controversy is far 
 from ethical, and should be dropped, in the name of 
 delicacy and deceacy. 
 
 In the following apt quotation we find some people's 
 views on women already summed up with neatness 
 and dispatch, which leaves little more to be said on 
 the subject: "While woman is never allowed to for- 
 get that she is capable of improvement, if all the men 
 in creation were lined up and the question asked 
 what is the matter with man, there would be an over- 
 whelming chorus of, Oh, he's all right." This was 
 written years ago, however, before the present conditions 
 were in evidence. 
 
 In a poorly thought out and carelessly written article 
 reviewed and given wide circulation by a very noted pub- 
 lication, headed: "THE DEADLY FEMALE Kipling 
 eugenically correct?" We find in the article itself 
 what? Why that women have the qualities of cool- 
 ness, bravery, spirit, efficiency, etc. But it appears 
 that the Medical Army writer proves to his own satis- 
 faction that woman is the fighting animal, because her 
 sons are fighters ; naturally were that the case one would 
 think her daughters would be fierce, but he says they are 
 not ; she and they are calm and quiet, and that proves them 
 to be fractious because it does not prove it. "The daughter 
 
 189 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 of the fighting father is likely to have fighting sons" ; then 
 may not this spirit descend from the grandfather to the 
 grandson? No one can dispute the fact that all men are 
 the sons of women, though it may never have occurred to 
 them before; therefore they are sons of women (also 
 of men who usually claim them and take the credit) and 
 as they are the fighters their mothers must be respon- 
 sible curious little theory. Let us announce it as a 
 proven truth and gain a short lived notoriety. 
 
 Do women prove their fighting qualities by caring for, 
 nursing, succoring, and binding up the wounded; most 
 peculiar logic, or lack of it. The learned doctor seems 
 only to prove that the woman is the important and deci- 
 sive parent. 
 
 As a common occurrence of this kind, in a noted daily 
 paper one reads in large headlines: "RUSSIAN WO- 
 MEN OUTDO HORRORS OF BARBARISM." In 
 the article itself no incidents of the kind referred to are 
 spoken of. The women (under male dominance) were 
 recorded as being unsympathetic and rude to unfortu- 
 nate people; but that, while bad enough, was all that 
 was noted. Where do we find accounts of even Ger- 
 man women mutilating, torturing, outraging or killing 
 men, women or children. They are scored because they 
 spit at the enemy men and humiliate them ; deeds 
 which though coarse and low are not in the same cate- 
 gory with those of the men. History, ancient or mod- 
 ern if appealed to, certainly does not prove a "bad" 
 woman to be worse than a "bad man." Also if num- 
 bers are noted the women have the advantage, without 
 question from any decently fair minded person ; and I 
 am sure we all wish to be fair minded in this as well 
 
 190 
 
1 Barbarous Laws" 
 
 as other directions. Consider how it is that we jump at 
 so called conclusions on this very important subject, as 
 on many others. We must correct our methods if we 
 are to make much needed progress, and that at a rapid 
 pace. 
 
 In arranging our first treaty with Japan the Emperor 
 wished to add a clause to the effect that no American 
 woman should be allowed to enter Japan. (Think of it, 
 Satan ever at work and fearful that the feminine thought 
 will be liberated from male dominion.) Tradition has it 
 that our gallant and doughty commander replied : "Great 
 Heaven ! if I were to permit such stipulation in the 
 treaty, when I got home the women would pull all the hair 
 out of my head/' If he said this, even though well meant, 
 (as no one doubts) it was a contemptible lie, and should 
 have been so branded long ago, instead of being quoted 
 with approval as a joke ; as it is to this very day, in a re- 
 cent noted publication. Now he must have known that 
 his hair would not be touched. Where are there any 
 authentic records of these oft referred to, hair pulling 
 contests among women; except perhaps among a few 
 drunken over wrought creatures who are under dominion 
 of man controlled conditions, and who are distinctly 
 not representative, as every one knows. It is this sin- 
 ning against light which is at the bottom of this situa- 
 tion. Boys and others, who naturally respect their 
 mothers, at least, read these sentences, especially when 
 struck off by noted men at times of serious moment, and 
 are impressed by them to the great loss of humanity. 
 
 Ida M. Tarbell, who is not a suffragist but who is 
 seeing her illusions melt away one by one, and is now 
 broader and fairer than most of her class says, that 
 
 191 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 "Every woman of today in the enjoyment of a broader 
 life owes a debt of gratitude to the pioneer advocates of 
 equal rights." That brilliant woman, Abigail Adams, 
 said to her husband, John Adams, when congratulating 
 him on his election to the Presidency in 1797: "Now is 
 the time for you men to do justice to woman by giving 
 her a voice in the national councils." Her advice was 
 not heeded; had it been our history would have been 
 changed and the outcome better, I do not hesitate to 
 say. It could not well be worse, if judged by the ap- 
 parent revelations and indications of the present. 
 
 The Woman Citizen sums up in the following article, 
 which could hardly be improved upon as a concise state- 
 ment of notable and important facts, the "Gains of a 
 Hundred Years." 
 
 "The world has been largely revolutionized in its 
 attitude toward women. But all those ancient limita- 
 tions disabilities had to be demolished piecemeal, one 
 by one, after years of hard and laborious hammering 
 away by friends of equal rights. The removal of each 
 one was fought by the conservatives as stubbornly as 
 the Federal amendment is now being fought by a hand- 
 ful of "wilful men" in the United States Senate. 
 
 It is good for our young women to look backward 
 now and then, at "the pit from which they were 
 digged." It is hard for them and for most men, to real- 
 ize that gentle and virtuous women were ever mobbed 
 and ostracized merely for making public speeches upon 
 philanthropic subjects and that this was done in 
 America, within memory of persons now living. 
 
 In the year 1818 it was looked upon as utterly im- 
 proper for a woman to speak in public. Even to write 
 
 192 
 
"Barbarous Laws" 
 
 for publication was considered unfeminine. The gentle 
 Charles Lamb himself said, "The woman who lets her- 
 self be known as an author invites disrespect." A wo- 
 man who had her living to earn was rigidly restricted 
 by public opinion to a very few poorly-paid (laborious 
 physical) occupations. There was not a college in the 
 United States that admitted women. There was not a 
 free public high school for girls. There were few 
 organizations of women. Even to join a temperance 
 society was considered unwomanly. 
 
 A married woman had no rights over her children. 
 Her husband had absolute control over her property 
 and earnings. If she earned a dollar by taking in wash- 
 ing, it was his dollar not hers. If her employer paid 
 the money to her, the husband could require it to be 
 paid over again, to him. She could not make a valid 
 will without her husband's consent, unless she left 
 everything to him, in which case it was assumed that 
 his consent would not be lacking. She could not sue 
 or be sued; her legal existence was said to be "sus- 
 pended" during marriage. Husband and wife were one, 
 and that one was the husband. He had the right to 
 lock her up, and, in most states, the right to beat her, 
 "in moderation." This had been defined by a learned 
 judge as meaning that the stick must not be thicker 
 than the judge's thumb. (This is as shameful as it is 
 true.) But the legal disabilities of women, heavy as 
 they were, were less crushing than the weight of public 
 opinion. Every man was brought up to believe that 
 he had a divinely-ordained right to rule over his wife. 
 Every woman was educated to believe that it was her 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 duty to submit. The belief in women's inferiority, 
 both of nature and of status, was practically universal. 
 It wrapped every girl child around, from her cradle up, 
 like an invisible strait-jacket." All this to humanity's 
 great loss, be it remembered. 
 
 In an article written by an Englishman I find ex- 
 pressed a very just indignation at the way English war 
 officers (prisoners) are browbeaten and made subject 
 to bullying Germans. A tremendous indignation 
 rises in the hearts of all lovers of justice and decency. 
 But does it occur to many of these, that men all over the 
 world have been subjecting high spirited and lovely 
 but helpless women, as well as children, to this same 
 sort of treatment all through the ages, and are doing it 
 still? 
 
 It has been well said that an improved form of relig- 
 ion, and an improved position for woman, will be the last 
 to be recognized; they go together. "The woman" 
 liberator has appeared and her work is well done, but 
 some man has missed the opportunity to go down in 
 history with Moses and Lincoln, as a liberator and bene- 
 factor in material ways. Perhaps it is too great a work 
 for any one man to have manifested. 
 
 We must do full justice to the men of all States who 
 have gone forward in the movement; and blush with 
 shame and sorrow for those States that lag behind as 
 servants of the vice and Liquor interests.* 
 
 *It is not fair to say that the Referendum for Suffrage has 
 ever been given a fair trial as yet in any of those States. In 
 some of our States, my own among them, Woman's Suffrage 
 has been defeated at the Polls, but by whom by the for- 
 eigners and the vice interests, who vote, and by fraud allowed. 
 We only know what the foreigners and vice interests want, 
 not what the American people want. 
 
 194 
 
"The Romans' Cause is Man's' 
 
 Almost any one can remember a time when on 
 Fourth of July, because the mothers did not delight in 
 dangerous fireworks, they were laughed at as silly 
 cowards ; but now we see a change of sentiment all 
 along the line. It looks as if we were in time to have a 
 sane Fourth. The woman's thought in this is seen to 
 be really wise. 
 
 Any one who wishes to be just must acknowledge 
 that in the last sixty years, since the first suffrage 
 movement meeting was called, there have been great 
 changes for the better. Florence Nightingale (Santa 
 Filomena, Longfellow's "Lady with the Lamp") set- 
 ting the example for the kind treatment and protection 
 of soldiers ; Dorothy Dix in Asylums, Poor Houses, 
 and Prisons ; Frances Willard in Temperance ; Wo- 
 men organizing the first Village Improvement Socie- 
 ties with all women members. Women have, as is well 
 known, inaugurated many important reforms, working 
 against great opposition, and with small means. And 
 when these movements have grown to be of some note 
 and importance they are taken over by men with the 
 result that the "spirit" has been lost, the good mini- 
 mized, and the credit not fairly accredited. 
 
 Let the women help make the laws, and conditions 
 will be better balanced, better for all, men, women, and 
 children, rich and poor. A better balance will be thus 
 obtained in place of the unbalanced condition with 
 which we are at present contending ; brought about by 
 the great preponderance of masculine authority which 
 should be counterbalanced by the free expression of 
 the feminine or mother principle. This would certain- 
 ly right the balance, and so improve conditions. One 
 
 195 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 end has, and with good reason, gone up in the air as 
 evidenced by the present unbalanced state of world 
 affairs. "Male and female created he them and gave 
 them dominion." The perfect balance will never be 
 attained until "they" together, man and woman (not 
 man alone, not woman alone) have dominion. At pres- 
 ent we are subject to everything. What other course 
 is left open to us; what other unused influence have 
 we to bring to bear, except to give the feminine 
 thought liberty (not license) as far as liberty is pos- 
 sible to anyone, bearing in mind that the ballot (which is 
 now in sight in many lands) is only the alphabet of the 
 woman's movement. It is to be hoped that we have not 
 waited so long that we can only with great tribulation, 
 right the balance ; if we have done so the situation must 
 be considered most grave. This may seem visionary; 
 you may think it impossible, but I believe it is the only 
 way. A woman's reasoning powers are often more ac- 
 curate than man's, being more nearly "intuitive," and 
 nearer to the source. 
 
 It is well understood that it is not the nation without 
 a Napoleon but the nation without Seers and Prophets, 
 the "nation without a vision that perishes." "Not by 
 might nor by strength but by my spirit saith the Lord." 
 The spirit of justice and fairness to all. 
 
 196 
 
Appendices 
 
APPENDIX A 
 See page xx 
 
 Certainly none of us, in view of recent object lessons, 
 want "our own" sent into active warfare ; tho some of us 
 might be willing to sacrifice our "wife's relations," as one 
 of our humorists has said; at the same time we can but 
 remember Isaiah's warning to the Israelites; Do not 
 trust in material means, "In quietness and confidence 
 shall be your strength" and wonder; if we had faith or 
 understanding enough, would it take the place of, and be 
 better than armies for defense. "Not by might nor by 
 strength, but by my spirit (of justice and fairness) saith 
 the Lord." And yet, while David said to Goliath, 
 "Thou comest with spear and shield, but I come in the 
 name of the Lord of Hosts" ; we notice that he took his 
 Sling and Pebbles and did the work with them, seem- 
 ingly; a combination of Faith and Works, apparently; 
 or, a reasonable preparedness. Noah also, through a prac- 
 tical faith (or understanding of conditions) found this 
 preparedness policy a good one. 
 
 A situation often suggested in this connection as being 
 humorous is that of the philosopher and the bear; the 
 former saw the latter making for him and decided to use 
 moral suasion instead of brute force; a little later the 
 bear walks off after a comfortable meal, and the philoso- 
 pher is no more. But had the philosopher known what 
 Daniel of Bible fame knew, the story would have had a 
 different ending. Every thinking person acknowledges 
 
 199 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 that the human mind can, to a certain extent, control the 
 animal; the only limit to this expression would be the 
 individual understanding, as in the case of mathematics, 
 music, electricity, power of any sort; just as an attitude 
 of more firmness and confidence shown by the adminis- 
 tration; expressing our own attitude as a people; might 
 have saved us (and others) much trouble in the late 
 unpleasantness ; including the Mexican situation. 
 
 APPENDIX B 
 
 See page 198 
 
 In Plutarch's Life of Numa Pompilius we find the fol- 
 lowing interesting statement of a belief of the Egyptians : 
 "Nor does it seem strange if God, a lover not of horses or 
 birds, but men, should not disdain to dwell with the vir- 
 tuous and converse with the wise and temperate soul, 
 though it be altogether hard, indeed, to believe, that any 
 god or demon is capable of a sensual or bodily love and 
 passion for any human form or beauty. Though, indeed, 
 the wise Egyptians do not plausibly make the distinction, 
 that it may be possible for a divine spirit so to apply itself 
 to the nature of a woman as to inbreed in her the first 
 beginnings of generation, while on the other side they 
 conclude it impossible for the male kind to have any 
 intercourse or mixture by the body with any divinity." 
 Would not this indicate that they consider the women of 
 more refined and spiritual nature ? Thus we may see why 
 the sons of God saw the daughters (not the sons) of 
 men that they were fair ; the daughters were of a higher 
 and more spiritual type than the sons. 
 
 We note too that the keepers of the sacred fire (or the 
 attempt at continuous light probably symbolizing intel- 
 
 200 
 
Appendices 
 
 ligence or civilization) were never men but women, 
 sometimes "Vestal Virgins" but oftener widows, though 
 we do not hear so much of the latter. It is understood 
 that these women were highly honored, were expected to 
 live continent lives, and that they rarely violated their 
 vows (except through compulsion) and received the most 
 extreme punishment, being buried alive if they were 
 found guilty. 
 
 APPENDIX C 
 
 See page 94 
 
 Even in regard to the Indian problem which is 
 often brought up (with much wasted emotional- 
 ism) as a reproach. Many do not stop to realize that 
 our government has tried from the first, as history will 
 prove, to be humanly fair and paternal to them. Mis- 
 takes may have occurred but the real injustice has been 
 perpetrated by individuals. The fact that the Indians are 
 not being exterminated (the census for 1860 numbered 
 them at 250,000, while now there are over 333,000) and we 
 may now speak of Lo, the rich Indian; shows that con- 
 ditions for them have improved; the government offers 
 them more than they will accept. The Indians are now 
 said to be richer, on the average, than the majority of our 
 own people. "The Osages are probably the wealthiest 
 people in the world." (National Geographic Magazine 
 January 1915.) This state seems far from oppressive, 
 we may thankfully affirm ; and our government deserves 
 and has deserved proper credit rather than discredit. 
 
 From the Annual Report (1919) Bureau of Indian 
 Affairs: "In the purchase of Liberty Bonds the Indians 
 received definite training toward a safe and wise use of 
 
 201 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile' 
 
 money, their total subscriptions are about $25,000,000 or 
 $75 per capita; and even in face of the H. C. L. their 
 W. S. S. exceed $1,000,000." "The Govt. Indian board- 
 ing school provides for lodging, subsistence, clothing, 
 medical attention and transportation as well as academic 
 and industrial education." The work of the Bureau in 
 the past 50 years has been rich in fruit." 
 
 When, instead of calling attention to individual short- 
 comings at home, some statesmen, laymen and even an 
 educated Christian minister go far afield and inform their 
 hearers that world conditions now are due to general 
 government mismanagement ; and then place in the same 
 category with the opium and Congo affairs (which were 
 foreign government institutions) the U. S. treatment of 
 our Indians, one realizes that many people are shorter 
 on information and patriotism than they intend or wish to 
 be. 
 
 When the white man came to this country the Indians 
 had no central responsible government ; they did not own 
 the lands which they merely roamed over on hunting or 
 fighting expeditions. They had no written language until 
 the white men gave them one. Our government paid them 
 for the lands to which they had no legal claim, and which 
 they were not using for normal productive purposes. Had 
 they been left in possession where would have been the 
 churches, schools, cities, and food for their inhabitants, 
 such as we now have ? The land which now supports and 
 and makes a home for a growing population of 110,000,000 
 would have been sustaining a few hundred thousand in- 
 stead. Their past history shows that they were always at 
 war among themselves and would have exterminated each 
 other, perhaps, if left alone. Their well known indif- 
 ference to dirt and work and their treatment of their wo- 
 
 202 
 
Appendices 
 
 men is not at all to their credit. Their code does not 
 allow them to violate their women and children, and they 
 are very strict in regard to it ; for which stand they may 
 be forgiven much. While they doubtless, like most people, 
 have many good qualities, there is still room for improve- 
 ment, which let us hope is coming to them as well as to 
 the rest of us, as we try even tho blindly, to reach the 
 light. 
 
 Shameful as has been the exploitation of men, countries, 
 sections and industries, the exploitation of women (and 
 children) has been more general, tremendous and shame- 
 ful. This is being seen and acknowledged by advanced 
 thinkers of both sexes. When men ever realize this situa- 
 tion they cannot hasten fast enough to suit themselves in 
 attempting to rectify it ; I am sure of this. 
 
 APPENDIX D 
 
 See page 119 
 
 Probably many are unaware that the words often quoted 
 (from the Bible) as the highest expression of trust in 
 love and wedlock were spoken not by a woman to a man, 
 or vice versa, but by a daughter-in-law to a mother-in- 
 law : "Intreat me not to leave thee or to return from fol- 
 lowing after thee, for whither thou goest I will go, and 
 where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my 
 people and thy God my God : where thou diest, will I die, 
 and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and 
 more also, if aught but death part thee and me." Why 
 not look to such ideals for guidance instead of to the ex- 
 periences of imperfect mortals. Easily may it be true 
 that Ruth recognized a higher type of humanity in the 
 people and the family of Naomi, and being of a high type 
 herself wished to continue her life among them in Judea, 
 
 303 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 rather than among her own people the Moabites. Here 
 we have a noted case of two women being in accord con- 
 trary to accepted tradition ; also one who has passed many 
 years of human life observes that men often do not get 
 on any too well with each other ; one has to be in control, 
 and all must be exceedingly deferential and careful ; some- 
 times to the loss of efficiency and value, and some- 
 times beneficially. We have had a number of notable ex- 
 amples of this in public life in the last decade. 
 
 APPENDIX E 
 
 See page 136 
 
 In the recent Lusk-Roberts tragedy, the Cow-Doctor's 
 cause was forwarded by just such talk, which the "Line 
 of Type" column pertinently quotes "From the letters 
 of Lusk"; "Your husband assured me the first time I 
 ever talked with him that his home life was most unsatis- 
 factory very old stuff, but it always goes big." And so 
 the story of the "lack of children," used for the same pur- 
 pose and as a lash against his wife. We do not find that 
 children figure much in such cases, when they exist. One 
 man has recently killed his wife because she was going to 
 have a child. Rarely does one see a daily paper without 
 cases recorded of wives being forced to divorce, by the 
 man's over-fondness for persons of the cabaret class. Most 
 usually the wife's petition is granted for the care of the 
 children who have not in these very frequent cases made 
 the man happy. Such unreason is impossible and women 
 are playing a losing game. It is stuff which always seems 
 new to its willing votaries, perhaps because they wish to 
 believe it and to consider themselves as exceptions to the 
 general rule. It seems to me that the real solution of 
 
 204 
 
Appendices 
 
 Miss Lusk's ''state of mind" is to be found in certain of 
 the books, notably Ellen Key's, which she proudly ac- 
 knowledged she had been reading, studying, and dissemi- 
 nating by teaching. Ellen Key's latest book is now for- 
 bidden in the public libraries because it is "subversive to 
 political law and order." When it was only moral law 
 and order which her books subverted there was nothing 
 said or done to protect the mentally helpless people of our 
 nation. The "idea" is put forward most insidiously as 
 teaching, by cult of men ; and Ellen Key is only a willing 
 and misled catspaw. The three principles in the Lusk- 
 Roberts case are (again) victims of a society which con- 
 dones and encourages evils and then punishes the victim 
 when the incident ends in discovery and open tragedy. 
 
 Miss Lusk's definition of "parasite" (as summed up by 
 the paragrapher in a noted daily paper) was : "A woman 
 whose husband runs after other women." Just about as 
 reasonable as are most statements of this nature. It is 
 quite a common thing for one class of men to infer, and 
 for women under their influence, who wish to flatter and 
 kowtow before them, to assert in a general and sweeping 
 way that "women are parasites." The fact that such a 
 statement is an outrageous lie, does not minimize to any 
 great degree the evil effect of this assertion on the average 
 human mind. Doubtless some women are parasites (often 
 they are encouraged to be), and so are many men, as is 
 well known ; and men being in power are responsible for 
 the situation. 
 
 205 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious from the Vile" 
 
 APPENDIX F 
 
 See page 154 
 
 Kipling's line, "A young man married is a young man 
 marred," quoted and referred to as it has been for forty 
 years, must have had a bad effect on morality and race 
 increase. Our noted reformers have had nothing to say 
 to him in regard to it because he was a famous man, but 
 women and men of lesser note have been persecuted and 
 imprisoned for aiming at the same result. Which is then 
 called "race suicide." Does not Mr. Kipling (and others) 
 realize how many young men are marred beyond hope of 
 repair before they have even thought of being married? 
 The Equitable Life Insurance Society tells us that 57% 
 more single men die between the ages of 20 and 29 than 
 married men. These are young men, and all know that the 
 so called "Sowing of wild oats" generally occurs before 
 men are married, and this means, if it means anything, 
 that they are MARRED. The Company above spoken of 
 shows by statistics that iS% more of married women die 
 between the ages of 20 and 29 than unmarried. No in- 
 ferences are drawn from this fact by the general public, 
 as to young women being marred ; as they have not had a 
 Kipling to exploit it. The Adam method is still much in 
 use, one has a feeling of definite contempt for it at this 
 late day, and must wonder how much longer mortals will 
 continue to allow themselves to be deluded by the devil. 
 If to bring up a family of nice children is (and it is con- 
 sidered by many to be) a necessary part of our efforts 
 toward future salvation, then women could scarcely be 
 expected to do it all ; to bear, rear and support them ; and 
 why is a young man who bears his part, to be pitied and 
 regretted as a marred individual? Men seem to waste 
 a lot of sympathy on themselves. I think it is probably 
 
 206 
 
Appendices 
 
 true, as it is often affirmed to be, that women as a class 
 do take married life more seriously than men; that is 
 they are more conscientious and in some ways feel a 
 greater responsibility to the race. Why not give them the 
 right sort of credit and approval for it? 
 
 The young men of Rome said : We marry for the good 
 of the State; they evidently felt some sense of responsi- 
 bility to the race and did not selfishly feel themselves 
 abused or "marred," but as fulfilling a natural obligation, 
 and so doing their- share of what was then considered a 
 part of the world's work, which could be done in no other 
 way; though even then the women bore the greater part 
 of the burden with no fair recognition given them. 
 
 APPENDIX G 
 
 See Page 158 
 
 The writer of the article unconsciously betrays her 
 standard by her untrue comparison of "suffragists" with 
 the poor desert women who have no way to assert their 
 rights except by screaming and vituperation of the lowest 
 kind; at the man who has offended even their sense of 
 decency and justice. She has evidently been taken in by 
 false caricatures of the lovely, intelligent women who 
 have been martyrs to the cause which has given her the 
 partial liberty she now enjoys. This attitude on the part 
 of a certain class of women is one of the hardest things 
 for a fair minded, intelligent person to understand. They 
 wish to be very much in the lime-light themselves, and 
 after taking advantage of the means offered they turn 
 on those who made it possible, and try to hold them up to 
 ridicule in that same lime-light, and by means of their 
 own illogically accepted notoriety. She also says : "When 
 
 207 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 asked to smoke I lied for my country and said American 
 women do not smoke." Now I have had a wide ex- 
 perience and I do not lie when I say that as a general 
 thing, or, that in the vast majority of cases; American 
 women do not smoke. I am sure it is only a small non- 
 representative minority who do; and the others should 
 not be included in the sweeping affirmative inference. I 
 am sure that on taking thought all reasonable people will 
 agree with me in this position. 
 
 APPENDIX H 
 See page 176 
 
 Napoleon tried to take advantage of us as he did of the 
 French people; and their rulers only helped us, as that 
 would tend to injure England. Napoleon was not French 
 at all but was Corsican by birth. Corsica, at that time a 
 Genoese province, was conquered by France with a heavy 
 hand, the year of Napoleon's birth. Thus was extin- 
 guished for the time the hope of freedom which this 
 liberty loving people had retained through their (usual) 
 long and hard struggle. 
 
 History has many shameful records which should be 
 relegated to oblivion and not taught or used as examples 
 to follow, as they are to a great extent. May America 
 (The U. S.) continue to improve the records as she has 
 well begun to do. 
 
 Napoleon must have been a genius of a sort, and he 
 must have had an utterly despotic and selfish nature which 
 he held in abeyance until he saw that the time was ripe ; 
 he then (not being super-human, even) established a 
 despotism which was as absolute as any other; placing 
 his relatives on thrones ; directly or indirectly to strength- 
 
 208 
 
Appendices 
 
 en his despotic power. His opinion and treatment of wo- 
 man; his utter disregard of the individual; his growing 
 ambition to rule the world, which brought about his down- 
 fall amidst great suffering and loss to France, and others, 
 mistakes made which we may hope they are now ex- 
 piating; show him to have been very fallible even in his 
 own line and nothing of an idealist. If he fortuitously 
 happened to lead a race of idealists I do not think he 
 should be given the credit which is due the French nation, 
 men and women, -in large measure. Napoleon's de- 
 mobilization decree for the German Army 1806 making 
 universal training necessary, laid the foundation for Ger- 
 man militarism, the germ of the present war. 
 
 APPENDIX I 
 See pages 185 and 186 
 
 This preposterous and bombastic statement will be 
 news to many women, also to many young men, I have 
 faith to suppose. One would think that the "elemental 
 man" (whatever that may mean) need only to look about 
 on present day conditions to find his intense belief in male 
 superiority somewhat shaken if not entirely destroyed, as 
 it should have been long ago ; never was there any excuse 
 or reason for its existence. 
 
 The situation certainly has its difficulties; parents are 
 not always reasonable or right, but I think children would 
 not lose anything by being thoughtful of and respectful to 
 their parents. Young people seem often to have a semi- 
 philosophy, but having little or no experience with which 
 to balance themselves they are apt to run off on tangents 
 and so perhaps waste valuable time, effort and influence. 
 Philosophy always fails unless it is based on universal 
 experience. 
 
 209 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious from the Vile" 
 
 APPENDIX J 
 
 For pages 65 and 138 
 
 The Maeterlinck "triangle" episode as recently ex- 
 plained by a member of it, in a noted daily paper, is an 
 attempt at a solution which instead of being romantic 
 only succeeds in being a case of legalized consecutive 
 polygamy, or lust, through which the "man in the case" 
 will certainly come out a loser through a speedy physical 
 and mental breakdown. Abnormal excesses of that kind 
 always take a terrific revenge even though it is not 
 usually heralded thus in public. This should be written 
 down and noted for a very serious fact, proof of which 
 we have had in notable examples recently. The higher 
 mental type, is always more deeply and speedily affected 
 than is a low or brutal type, as the shock or fall is greater. 
 Some time ago society in New York rightly refused to 
 "receive" Maxim Gorky because he (could not in Russia 
 at that time get a divorce from his wife, and) was not 
 married to the lady accompanying him. In enthusias- 
 tically "receiving" the Materlincks are they not making 
 a distinction where there is little if any basic difference. 
 But "Society" is not supposed to be over logical; logic 
 is not its strong point. However public sentiment (or 
 society) in this country stands strongly for at least an 
 appearance of morality, which is certainly commendable 
 and hopeful, as far as it goes. 
 
 APPENDIX K 
 Refers to page xiv 
 
 Rather recently a few of our multi-millionaires have 
 willed much of their money to the country, but always it 
 
 210 
 
An Illustration 
 
 must be applied as they in their often faulty human 
 judgment think best; and it goes to favored classes per- 
 haps. Why would it not be a good plan to allow these 
 men the credit they seem to deserve for their energy, 
 industry and intelligence, by letting it be understood that, 
 after paying a fair wage to their employees, seeing that 
 they have proper working conditions, and have taken 
 a generous percentage for themselves, the rest is to be 
 taken by the State and used for making more and better 
 parks, lowering taxes and transportation rates, bettering 
 school conditions, etc. ; then the people in ordinary walks 
 could enjoy life and not feel that they were objects of 
 charity in any way. The excess profits thus used, could 
 be publicly credited up to the men responsible for them 
 and they could even draw a moderate rate of interest on 
 the investment, if it ever became necessary or best. 
 Surely after the sacrifices made by business men during 
 the last four years we cannot doubt that there are many 
 of them who would find plenty of incentive and con- 
 sider it well worth their while to continue work for the 
 good of all, after their own reasonable needs are met. 
 
 APPENDIX L 
 
 Refers to page 136 
 
 Query : Why is a young woma.n who drags around and makes 
 a pet of an Airedale terrier (or other dog) better than an older 
 woman who makes a pet of a small fine dog or a cat? And why 
 is a man's supposedly creditable, exalted, and natural love of 
 dogs different from the same quality in woman, even though it is 
 demonstrated in different manner? One is probably as nearly 
 right as the other, according as the judge may be inclined. 
 
 To anyone who reads English novels the fact seems to 
 
 appear that, the Englishman, his dog, his pipe and his 
 
 211 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 gun are well nigh inseparable; his mother, wife and 
 family appear to be of secondary (though necessary) 
 importance. His love for a mongrel sort of a dog seems 
 to be a certificate of character. One wonders why! 
 A dog is acknowledged to be a dirty animal with most 
 unpleasant, often vicious habits; but, it fawns and licks 
 the hand that deals it blows or favors; it cannot talk 
 back nor does it apparently even resent the selfish attitude 
 on the part of its owner. These qualities are not such as 
 would appeal to a so-called normal person, surely, as 
 worthy of emulation; or in a friend. The writer is not 
 one who would abolish animals, but believes that there 
 are places which are more appropriate for them than the 
 really intimate habitation or home of human beings which 
 it is difficult enough to keep in perfect sanitary order at 
 the best. This is the least that might be said. 
 
 APPENDIX M. 
 
 One often hears married people say the period before 
 the birth of a child was the happiest time of life. Now 
 this may easily be true in many cases, but will the reason 
 for it always bear inspection, and is it a majority ruling? 
 I should say not. If conditions were even normal as in 
 the brute creation it might all be conceded by the care- 
 less thinker, and wrong ways and customs be held 
 responsible. But the pain and peril of childbirth is not 
 of recent origin or limited application by any means, nor 
 can it be exaggerated beyond the reality. This refers 
 to incidents which occur in the so-called natural way. 
 What of the abnormal and unnatural happenings, of 
 which we also read, and which all refer to women (human 
 
 212 
 
An Illustration 
 
 beings) though many of us act as though we thought 
 they were not like ourselves, but they are ; and it makes 
 the blood boil to think of it. One does not like to live in 
 a world where such things are possible. Why not begin 
 to right it, partially at least, in the only normal, safe way, 
 by teaching practical self-control? 
 
 The state of mind above referred to may be desperation 
 or resignation to the will and judgment of others. It 
 cannot be right for women, delicate women, to be humili- 
 ated and their sensibilities outraged as they must be in 
 this case in times of catastrophe, aside from the suffer- 
 ing read "Little Brother, a Belgian Episode" in The 
 Atlantic, April, 1916; and other entertaining narratives 
 cf like nature, as to what happened in Belgium, Ohio 
 floods, etc., etc. What hurts one hurts all, even as what 
 blesses one blesses all. 
 
 APPENDIX N 
 
 Refers to page 133 
 
 I have spent considerable time in years past in "The 
 Old Country" and I think I can fairly say that I have 
 never noticed in an English paper or book a kindly refer- 
 ence to anything American, unless it, at least, had a back 
 slap of some kind. In plain justice I must say that I 
 think the American papers and books are not far, if any, 
 behind in their remarks on the English and their customs. 
 I have heard it explained as a condition existing, because 
 we are two distinct nations with a common language and 
 can get at each other's weak spots with greater ease and 
 precision. Be that as it may, both nations have been too 
 busy doing things, to pay overmuch attention to this spar- 
 ring ; and also we have been giving Germany all the praise 
 
 213 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 we had available. Consequence Germany has had its 
 head turned, and we all have, I hope profited by the inter 
 family criticism which Germany seems too thin-skinned 
 to take, greatly to its loss, as they were very free to 
 criticise others. 
 
 However, our ancestors, as a nation, never did oppress 
 the English, as a nation, which may give us rather the best 
 of it ; though it is now easy to see it was a King of Ger- 
 man descent and Hessian mercenaries who were in the 
 main responsible. 
 
 I might add that I come of a long line of American 
 ancestors, and I have always thought of England as the 
 "Mother Country," and of the U. S. as representing the 
 oldest child in an independent establishment. 
 
 APPENDIX O 
 Refers to page xiii and page 9 
 
 Among latest reports we read as follows: ("By Karl 
 H. Wiegand, Universal Service Staff Correspondent. 
 Special Radio Despatch.) Berlin Dec. 14, 1919. There 
 are 48,000 registered "White Slaves" in Germany, accord- 
 ing to a statement made by Prof. Fribos in a lecture at 
 Rostok University. The spread of social diseases as a 
 result of the war is so alarming that the Government has 
 sent Questionnaires to every physician in the country to 
 get exact statistics. It costs the Government 3,500,000 
 Marks annually to fight these diseases." Why not make 
 an effort to exterminate them by proper propaganda and 
 example? Probably conditions in other countries are 
 little if any different. Most of these poor creatures are 
 sub-normal to begin with the shame of it! that men 
 should take advantage of them, as they do. From state- 
 
 214 
 
An Illustration 
 
 ment of the Secretary for a league to save the child-life 
 of Mexico we read : "Sufferings of the women and little 
 children at the hands of the bandits and soldiers of 
 Carranza, cannot be discussed. I have been through 
 the hospitals, I have asked the women if the unbelieve- 
 able stories I have heard were true ; they put their arms 
 around me and with tears in their eyes embraced me when 
 they knew that I sympathized. I have been taken to the 
 house of a noble Spanish family where the women have 
 suffered as well as the poorest; they would break down 
 and weep before they could tell me their story. Literary 
 Digest, Dec. 27, 1919. 
 
 From all over the world we hear these reports as to the 
 terrible fate of the ivomen, girls and children who would 
 have welcomed death as a release from the deeds of men, 
 but were not allowed to die. 
 
 We have had in these last years examples of what 
 propaganda has accomplished when properly directed. 
 What has been done can be, and should and must be done 
 again in this most vital crisis. 
 
 No one should need to be told that this is all written 
 as propaganda; a S. O. S. call, to help arouse public 
 sentiment in regard to a world situation which threatens 
 to engulf all civilization. 
 
 BROTHERS, SISTERS, LET US LIFT UP OUR 
 EYES TO THE "TRUTH" FROM WHENCE 
 COMETH OUR LIGHT. 
 
 215 
 
AN ILLUSTRATION 
 
 The Chicago Herald certainly gave evidence of a clear 
 vision in asking the opinion of thinking people as to the 
 lesson to be drawn from the Lake Forest Orpet-Lambert 
 (1916) tragedy, which seems to be the expression or crest 
 of the high, or third wave in the sea of evil. The smaller 
 waves having become so common that we accept them 
 with scarcely a question. Many solutions will be offered 
 as a remedy ; all doubtless of value. 
 
 In the Orpet-Lambert trial, the fact is brought out 
 forcibly that these children are only the victims of a 
 society which encourages and then punishes its victims. 
 
 We may see why it is so wrong for older people, women 
 as well as men, to encourage (the women by example) 
 and to applaud immodest, vulgar and loud dressing for 
 young women and little girls, just because they "attract 
 attention" and "look so pretty." I suppose that there can 
 be no doubt that in this very thing we can find the incep- 
 tion of the Lake Forest (and many another) tragedy. 
 "The girl" (Marian Lambert in this case) without realiz- 
 ing the kind of effect produced probably wore transparent 
 waists with pointed and loose openings, short sleeves and 
 skirt, thin silk stockings (as is the present mode) all of 
 which exposed her person seductively. "The boy" (Will 
 Orpet in this case) was seduced by all of this, and later, 
 as an unnatural consequence seduced the girl. As the 
 result the two families are prostrated, never to recover, 
 and the world is shocked, as it should be. 
 
 These children according to evidence, were distracted 
 from their proper studies; the girl by her clothes and 
 
 216 
 
An Illustration 
 
 giggling vanity : the boy helpless through his passions 
 aroused by insidious conditions of the most trying kind.* 
 One of our noted women educators has recently said that 
 were all the silk stockings thrown into the fake it would 
 be the best thing that could happen; and also that gig- 
 gling was conducive to immorality, and so it is. Older 
 people are susceptible to and encourage it as well as boys. 
 
 Abnormal and vulgar ideas are exploited and insisted 
 on in advertisements, plays, novels, songs, movies, and 
 cheap magazine covers, until people whose minds are 
 not awake to the danger are hypnotised, or mesmerized 
 into a state that some unsound, vagrant, wayward, hu- 
 man mind suggests, often without motive ; and often for 
 greedy motives of gain; no matter what it may cost in 
 lives lost and morals degraded. The above may all be 
 applied to in the four most notable object lessons given 
 us as high lights on a constant condition; namely, the 
 Crippen case in England, the White, and more recent 
 Waite and Orpet cases in this country. Warnings we 
 have had in plenty, will we never learn ? 
 
 The DeSaules case which was a nine days' sensation 
 filling columns in prominent newspapers, then being 
 dropped utterly, to the relief of most readers, should be 
 a lesson to people who read and applaud modern novels, 
 in which the same occurrence take place up to the time 
 where, the "man" marries the "girl," at which point a 
 
 * A fine, high principled young man said to his mother : "While 
 a man would turn and flee if he saw a naked woman it is the little 
 details of a woman's attire, a lace ruffle on the skirt showing below 
 the dress, those things which are half concealed and half revealed 
 which are most insidious and dangerous to morals ; usually uncon- 
 sciously so but full as harmful." Is is an especially sinful thing 
 to thus demoralize and injure these fine young fellows, though it 
 must be acknowledged that they are easy victims, who hug their 
 chains and are as miguided as are the women in the case. 
 
 217 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 rosy glow is shed over the situation; which is bound to 
 change within a few days or weeks in real life as it was 
 proven in this noted case. A young girl (child) is taken 
 from her exotic environments and thrown into a world of 
 seasoned men and women of different race; what could 
 any sane person expect. She would be entirely out of 
 place either in home or society. Why blame the women 
 of the family or the girl for the outcome, which was in- 
 evitable from the start. Consider these things and see 
 how society condones and encourages such affairs up to 
 a certain point, and then punishes its helpless victims. 
 Here is a potentially happy life (in its natural environ- 
 ments) spoiled and a strong young man first ruined and 
 then killed. Think of the child of such a union, what will 
 its life be? 
 
 As one who has made a close study of and sees all 
 sides, I should say that what the boys and girls need is 
 better precept and example in self control from (at last 
 analysis) older men. As for precept read the following 
 clipping one of many such found in leading publications ; 
 "When a girl is mad she is much worse to take care of 
 
 than a boy, was the statement of Judge ." "Mad," 
 
 Judge? Also when she is bad. But there are few bad 
 girls; whereas (fortunately) there is always a fine crop 
 of "bad boys." No really judicious mother cares to 
 raise her boy to be a "mollycoddle." In this and similar 
 ways are the mother and son given their cue. 
 
 The high moral teaching of the Bible has certainly 
 been largely superseded by that of Neitzche, which (un- 
 dermining respect for religion and women, drove him in- 
 sane) is being exploited much more generally than we 
 realize, and must be reckoned with and controverted or 
 
 218 
 
An Illustration 
 
 expiated. All this is discouraging and almost paralyzing 
 to the earnest parent or teacher. One realizes that the 
 above mentioned teaching is made all too common and 
 attractive to the immature and somewhat helpless mind 
 of youth. We are glad to feel that our Presidents have 
 been, with one or two exceptions, moral men; whose 
 family life was beyond reproach ; and that is well. We 
 should see to it that the youth of our country have at least 
 the benefit of good examples in such high places. As to 
 example what do we see about us. First read "Divorce 
 Court Records," Jack Lait's article on Divorce in recent 
 Herald; the series "Why the girl goes wrong, etc.," then 
 look about and see how many business men of means 
 even are deserting a faithful wife and family for "an- 
 other woman." When the wife of their youth, and the 
 mother of their children passes on, some of them do not 
 pay a decent amount of respect to her memory, but hasten 
 in unseemly fashion to get "another woman," thus strik- 
 ing a blow at romance and sentiment. 
 
 James Lane Allen goes to much length to prove in his 
 "Kentucky Cardinal" that "a man will sacrifice one thing 
 he loves for something he loves better." "Greville" tells 
 poor Emily Hart, a young victim of men's lust who after- 
 ward became Lady Hamilton, "I have never seen a 
 woman who could hold a man after he was tired of her." 
 Now why shouldn't he poison the one he loved after he 
 is tired of her in order to get another ; if it didn't come 
 about in any other way. If men congratulate themselves 
 on this state of affairs, as they appear to do, why should 
 not a boy like Orpet follow suit and get rid of that which 
 tires him and interferes with his getting another in the 
 only way he sees ; after his mind is perverted and stulti- 
 
 219 
 
Taking "Forth the Precious From the Vile" 
 
 fied by seeing abnormal situations in movies and real life, 
 made a subject of wild hilarity by people who should 
 know better. Wholesale, consecutive bigamy and inci- 
 dental robbery and wife murders are not at all uncom- 
 mon, as Criminal Court Records will show. I believe a 
 vast number of men (not all by any means) must be 
 taught to feel a sense of moral responsibility to the race, 
 which they certainly do not feel at present. Mothers 
 would teach their children morality, as all know, but they 
 are limited and discredited in a man's world. The 
 Mother of General Lew Wallace said "Gentlemen, you 
 wrong the race by not giving woman the ballot." 
 
 220 
 
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