to the coffin; and when that aged form is gathered within
its winding-sheet, it is the pulpit that says, "Dust to dust and
ashes to ashes."

It is the pulpit, then, which has the entire ear of the
community, one-seventh part of the time. If you say there are
exceptions, very well, that proves the rule. If there is one
family who do not go to church, it is no matter, its teachings
are engendered by those who do go; hence I would say, not only
does the pulpit have the ear of the community one-seventh part of
the time of childhood, but it has it under circumstances for
forming and moulding and fashioning the young mind, as no other
educating influence can have it. The pulpit has it, not only
under these circumstances; it has it on occasions of marriage,
when two hearts are welded into one; on occasions of sickness and
death, when all the world beside is shut out, when the mind is
most susceptible of impressions from the pulpit, or any other
source.

I say, then, that woman is not the author of this sentiment
against her fallen sister, and I roll back the assertion on its
source. Having the public ear one-seventh part of the time, if
the men of the pulpit do not educate the public mind, who does
educate it? Millions of dollars are paid for this education, and
if they do not educate the public mind in its morals, what, I
ask, are we paying our money for? If woman is cast out of
society, and man is placed in a position where he is respected,
then I charge upon the pulpit that it has been recreant to its
duty. If the pulpit should speak out fully and everywhere, upon
this subject, would not woman obey it? Are not women under the
special leading and direction of their clergymen? You may tell
me, that it is woman who forms the mind of the child; but I
charge it back again, that it is the minister who forms the mind
of the woman. It is he who makes the mother what she is;
therefore her teaching of the child is only conveying the
instructions of the pulpit at second hand. If public sentiment is
wrong on this (and I have the testimony of those who have spoken
this morning, that it is), the pulpit is responsible for it, and
has the power of changing it. The clergy claim the credit of
establishing public schools. Granted. Listen to the pulpit in any