“Perhaps the mother who bore him used her best endeavor to cut short his earthly existence ere he saw the light; and, failing in this, when ushered into the world, grudges him the care and sustenance necessary to sustain that existence. Or if, as is more frequently the fact, with the actual presence of the helpless innocent in her bosom, somewhat of the mother’s heart awakens into life, it is not that rich, overflowing life of love which pours the wealth and fulness of her own being into his. She cares for him as the animal cares for its young in its utter helplessness; and then the weary woman, with many other children about her, and preparing for a new maternity, thrusts him from her as soon as possible, and the little yearling must ‘tak the stirk’s sta’ (the stall of the yearling calf). What can the poor, unwelcome child become? How small are his chances for a virtuous life! If he thinks God has so created him, well may he plead with poor Burns— ‘Thou knowest thou hast formed me With passions wild and strong.’ ‘Can a bitter fountain send forth sweet water?’ ‘Where shall I get them?’ was the reply of a criminal to Jonathan Edwards, who told him he must have better thoughts. “Alas for poor Humanity! ‘Let there be light,’ that man may know that the relation that leads to maternity can only be ennobled when its object is the creation of a new and glorious life; that his passional nature can only derive dignity and beauty from the control of love and reason; that otherwise, it is of the earth, earthy, and debases him below the level of the brute. ‘Let there be light,’ that woman, in whose soul resides the power, may say to this overwhelming flood of evil, ‘Here shall thy proud waves be stayed!’ The errors of a false religious education, bad laws, and bad customs, have, hitherto, formed some extenuation for this weak subserviency; but this ignorance has been tolerated full long, and now the great cry of God and Humanity goes forth calling for repentance,—that ‘a new heavens and a new earth may be created, wherein shall dwell righteousness.’”