A Solemn Appeal

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IT DETERIORATES WOMAN IN THE ESTIMATION OF MAN

“Besides, lust carries with itself the feeling of degradation. He who indulges frequently, even with his lawful wife, cannot but associate her in his mind with this debased feeling to which she administers. He first debases her by his brutality, and then despises her for being debased. It is a law of mind that this excess should produce contempt for its partner. Reader, did you ever hear the libertine speak well of woman as a sex? This fact is apparent; and you may always measure the sensuality of a man by his respect for the sex, and his moral purity, by his estimation of woman. This is a perfect thermometer of moral purity. Its reasons are obvious. First, rogues suspect all mankind of being rogues; liars, of being deceptive, and the sensual, of sensuality. Secondly, he has been mainly conversant with woman as a sexual thing, and not as a pure, refined, and affectionate being. Her sexuality mainly is what he has noticed, and this he detests in himself, and therefore in her. SOAP 236.1

“Woman thus abused, also soon comes to feel herself humbled, broken down, and sunk in the scale of self-respect, by being put to so low a use. And let the sensual husband remember that knowing ones can read his treatment of her in this respect by these and kindred signs - that is, in her downcast, self-degraded looks and mien. But over this saddening picture of wo, let us draw the curtain of silence, while we shed tears of pity over her sufferings. Woman fallen! Her loveliness engulfed in the fiery sea of lust! Her angelic purity and perfection converted into corruption! The angel become the Animal - a mere sexual thing! And all by violating a plain law of nature. Mete punishment for so sensual a sin! SOAP 236.2

“Much has of late been said as regards the elevation of woman on the one hand, and her natural inferiority on the other. Without disturbing this mooted question, further than to say that she is equally perfect with man in her sphere, which is equally elevated with his, that she is as perfect as the God of nature could render her - allow special attention to be called to the one specific cause of her disrepute. It is man’s sensuality. How does the Turk regard woman? As a mere thing, destitute of a soul, and of all intrinsic merit. Now look at the one animal end to which he puts her, and put the two together. Wherefore the harem? Simply to feed his sensuality. And this very sensuality breeds this contempt for its object. The same holds true of all mankind, and governs individuals as well as masses. The libertine always despises his ‘bird’ after he has sated his passion, and because of such indulgence. Sensual indulgence begets disgust for its object. This is a law of mind, and is as true in wedlock as out of it. Hence, other things being equal, in proportion as a man indulges sensually with woman as a sex, does he despise the sex, or as an individual, does he underrate her individually. Nor, say what you will, can woman ever be raised to her true dignity, or be properly appreciated, till licentiousness is superseded by pure love. Moral purity will elevate woman in exact proportion to its prevalence, while licentiousness, in and of itself, and by virtue of its own inherent nature, sinks her in the scale of valuation in exact proportion as it rises. This is cardinal truth, and shows those who would labor for the elevation of woman, where to begin, and what obstacle alone prevents. SOAP 237.1

“We might mention many more evils that grow out of matrimonial prostitution, but are not these amply sufficient to stamp it as most infamous in its nature, because most direful in its consequences? Indeed, I regard its magnitude as scarcely less than that of promiscuous indulgence, because its evils are substantially the same, and scarcely less aggravated, and partly because so much more prevalent. It offers much greater facilities and temptations. It costs nothing in and of itself - though many a husband has paid out more in the form of doctors’ and nurses’ bills, etc., than his licentious neighbor has for promiscuous indulgence. It is almost universal in married life, and is burying its victims ten to one faster than its twin sister, promiscuous intercourse. Mere sensual indulgence as such, in wedlock or out of it, in and of itself, sensualizes the mind, debases the feelings, and engenders depravity in all its other forms. It is fire to the nervous system, which, diseased, irritates all the propensities, and depraves the entire being! Mark, ye husbands whose demands are frequent, the increased irritability, and fretfulness, and crossness, of your wives the next day, and learn from these principles both the cause and cure. SOAP 238.1

“We must not omit to mention the double injury occasioned by indulging while she is fulfilling her maternal relations. At these periods she almost always loathes it - proof enough that it is then wrong. Besides, it withdraws that vital energy required by her precious charge. It also sensualizes the charge; it partaking by sympathy with its mother’s feelings. Nor have I a doubt but that the seeds of much of the sensuality of mankind are sown by parental indulgence before birth. Then, at least, should the mother’s mind be kept as pure and elevated as possible, and her physical stamina promoted, not drained off to feed a sensual passion. SOAP 239.1

“Husbands, be entreated to mark well this entire chapter. In this particular you are mainly in fault. Your wives could not impose upon you in this matter if they would, and rarely would if they could. But do you not often insist on compliance, and almost compel it when very disagreeable to them? Oh! be not thus cruel! Wait at least for reciprocity, and then guard carefully against all pain and injury. Would that these truths might reach every married pair in Christendom! SOAP 240.1