he very thought of such unmentionable things: but
there are circles in society in which such sanctimonious shuddering is
a mighty thin veil of hypocrisy. Infinitely more common, and little, if
any, less unnatural and abominable are the crimes that are killing off
the old stock that once possessed the land and making the country
dependent for increase of population on the floods of immigration. The
old Puritan families are almost extinct; Boston is more Irish than
Dublin. The phenomenon is so striking here that it is called New
Englandism. Why are there so few large families outside the Irish and
Canadian elements? Why are there seen so few children in the
fashionable districts of our large cities? Why this blast of sterility
with which the land is cursed? Look behind the phenomenon, and you will
find the cause; and the finding will make you shudder. And if only
those shudder who are free from stain, the shuddering will be scarcely
audible. Onan and Malthus as household gods are worse than the gods of
Rome.

Meanwhile, the unit deteriorates alongside the family, being given over
to a reprobate sense that is centered in self, that furnishes, against
all law, its own satisfactions, and reaps, in all justice, its
inevitable harvest of woe. To what extent this vice is common it would
serve no purpose to examine; students of criminology have more than
once made known their views on the matter. The character of its malice,
both moral and physical, needs no comment; nature is outraged. But it
has this among its several features; the thralldom to which it subjects
its victim has nothing outside itself to which it may be compared.
Man's self is his own greatest tyrant; there are no tortures so
exquisite as those we provide for ourselves. While therefore we reprove
the culprit, we commiserate with the unfortunate victim, and esteem
that there is none more worthy of sympathy, conditioned, of course, on
a state of mind and soul on his part that seeks relief and freedom;
otherwise, it were pity wasted.

We have done with this infernal category of sin and filth. Yet we would
remark right here that for the most part, as far as they are general
and common, these excesses are the result of one cause; and that cause
is everyday systematic Godlessness such as our public schools are
largely responsible for. This system is responsible for a want of vital
Christianity, of a lack of faith and religion that penetrates the human
fibre and make