A Solemn Appeal

IT ENGENDERS DEPRAVITY IN ALL ITS FORMS

“But, all this, most terrible as it is, is not the worst. Amativeness being situated in the midst of the animal organs, and this indulgence tending necessarily to inflame it, its inflammation of course inflames, diseases, and perverts them also. Section three of ‘Love’ shows that the morbid, painful, diseased action of the propensities constitutes depravity; and this section shows that this excess diseases both the cerebellum and the body, with both of which the animal propensities are so intimately related that whatever deranges the former, thereby perverts the latter, and this causes depravity. Or thus: Excessive indulgence inflames the sexual organs, the whole body, and Amativeness, located in the cerebellum, in particular, and this inflames and depraves the whole animal group of organs, and thereby creates sin in all its forms. Corresponding with, and explained by, this, is the FACT that lust, the world over, is the concomitant and parent of all other sins. In what portions of our cities, towns, and villages, is perpetrated the most wickedness? Wherever are congregated the votaries of Venus. Where will groggeries be found the most abundant, the most frequented? In the streets and lanes of wantonness. Where are you most liable to be robbed? There also. And by whom? Its inhabitants. What but prostitution could make woman, aye, amiable woman, swear, and lie, and cheat, and drink, and carouse, and rob, and even murder? In what part of Boston was that recent tragical murder of Mrs. Bickford committed? In Old Town, the ‘Five Points’ of that goodly city. By whom? A libertine. On whom? A lewd woman. In short, the dens of prostitution are everywhere the dens of crime in all its forms, in all its aggravation. And what is true of these masses, is true of those individuals which compose them. Who are our defaulters, our swindlers, our gamblers, etc.? Frequenters of lewd houses, always. No equal incentive to dishonesty and criminality exists. Fortunes are yearly stolen by clerks, agents, etc., and covered by false entries, simply to obtain the means of gratifying this passion. How much, the judgment alone can reveal. Though intemperance will soon run a man down, and wring his last cent from him to feed those fatal fires which are consuming soul and body, yet it is a pigmy compared with this giant robber. It will drain the last cent, and then pursue its victim night and day till he becomes literally desperate, and is almost compelled to lie, steal, forge, rob, ANY AND EVERY thing to procure the wages of this sin. Do as great a business as he may, he rarely becomes rich, but see how many fortunes it has squandered! No one who “goes after strange women” can be good, honest, and true; but he who does, will commit almost any other form of sin. This passion will sow the seeds of depravity in the purest of souls, and convert those most irreproachable into demons. This is staple truth, apply it where you will. SOAP 224.1

“Moralists! behold in this relation of perverted sexuality to universal depravity, your first work of reform. As long as this passion is thus uncontrolled and perverted, so long will all other forms of depravity be rife, and all forms of virtue be trampled in the dust! Ministers may preach till doomsday against any and all other vices without effect, till they preach moral purity, and in all its forms. It is a matter of perfect surprise, that so few ministers preach against this sin in any of its forms, especially against self-abuse; but most of them, though posted on the moral watch-towers of society, are ‘dead dogs,’ that ‘will not bark,’ touching this, the very key-stone of the arch of depravity. Is it not high time that some moral champion should stand forth to proclaim this vital truth? Lawyers will not do it, nor doctors, except a few noble Woodwards; nor ministers. Shall then this monster be left undisturbed to feed on the physical and mental carcasses of his prey? God forbid! If the ministerial profession will so far prove recreant to their high, moral trust, and the other professions follow their example of silence, help must come from some other quarter; for this age of reform must begin reformation here. And the author is free to confess, that an overwhelming desire to prevent iniquity in its other forms, as well as this, and by sanctifying and properly directing this propensity, to promote general moral excellence and obviate general corruption, mainly dedicated these pages. He wishes to aid in rendering after generations better by nature - more intellectual, more pure and holy in soul, and elevated in aspiration, and by this work, to stay licentiousness, public and private, by showing the superiority of moral purity over sinful propensity, in order thereby to promote moral purity and all other virtues, on the one hand, and on the other, to prevent this vice, and thereby all other forms of human depravity and woe. SOAP 226.1