CHRISTIANITY AND THE LETHAL CHAMBER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 179, 21 August 1909, Page 4

CHRISTIANITY AND THE LETHAL CHAMBER.

Some moral aspects of eugenics a.e tleiilt with in a. recent "Eugenics Review" by the Rev. W. H. Inge, D.1)., Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Cambridge. He asserts much, anil insinuates more, that one hardly expects to hear from a Professor of Divinity. He considers as incontestable the principle that if Nature is not allowed to lake her own way of eliminating failures rational selection must take its place. OUR BIRTH-RATE "MUCH TOO

He says that the distribution of the birth-rate in tliis country is 'highly antieugenic:—"l will risk your disapprobation. by adding that, in the. abs'ence, of emigration on a large scale, the birthrate in England, where the births still outnumber the deaths by live to three, ia much too high. 1 cannot say that I am hopeful about the near future. I ain .afraid that the urban proletariat may I cripple our civilisation, as it destroyed that of ancient Rome. These degenerates, who have no. qualities that confer a survival value, will probably live as long a 6 they can by 'robbing hen-roosts,' at Mr. Lloyd-George truthfully describes modern taxation, and will then disappear." At present, lie s'ays. in the lowest class of the population a. large family. »o far from being an imprudence, is a good investment. "In some districts | the working classes are so much afraid of sterile marriages, on purely economic grounds, that in a sadly large number of eases they will not marry until they know that the marriage will be fruitful." He 'thinks' that we ought, therefore, to favor any legislation which will reduce the (prudential stimulus to population among slum-dwellers. THE DUTY OF PARENTAGE.

Dr. lage lays down a proposition which most«good citizens would cndorsi: "At present no pressure whatever is put np public opinion on men and women whom Mr. Galton would place without hesitation in Class' l tJ to marry and have children, if such a man lives and dies unmarried .we do not think any the worse of him. It never occurs to us that, iu spite of his valuable contributions to literature, science, or what not, he has perhaps neglected the chief duty which Go(\ and his country required of him. We do not think it wicked to encourage a- l>cautiful and glorious specimen of womanhood to become a nun mi* sister of mercy, with vows of perpetual virginity. Here, surely, is a case in which the Eugenics Education Society ought to have something to say. • A man or woman belonging to a good .stock ought to be told by pnWic opinion that it is a duty to society for him or her to juarry and have children. Next, Dr. Inge would fnvor a simpler life among the rich. Luxury tends directly and indirectly to diminish the number of offspring. Me declares: ''The well-to-do classes in this country are, on; •in average, among the finest specimens of humanity which have appeared sincei the ancient Greeks. Tt would be a dire l calamity if they disappeared." j A CRYPTIC UTTEUAXCE.

The next question is rather cryptic. The reader is left to his own imagination to conjecture whether or not the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity is* pleading for the of the governmental provision to make vice easy and safe: "My next point, like many others in eugenics, is a somewhat delicate one. It may be that medical men could tell us of certain steps which might be taken for the improvement of the* public health which are at present >bstructed mainly by moralists. On this joint I wish to speak very plainly, as a christian minister. The Founder of the Ihristran religion laid down, clearly and inisiistakably, .the principle that (J id loes not use the blind forces of nature o chastise vice or sin If tliere 3 any scourge which does not strike the ruilty only, which ruins innocent lives i y thousands, and which is responsible or an incalculable amount of degeneraion ill the town populations-of all civil»«d countries, then I say to those who rouhl gladly leave things' as they are, 11 the supposed interests of Christian iiorality.,that theij* views are as false o the recorded teachings of Christ as hey are repugnant to the common dicfttes of humanity ami the future weliire of mankind." "HUKKYIXC TMK , UXDKsrKAIiLK OUT OF THE WORLD." The Professor states that the Chris"ian religion, aiming at the perfect man,

| values very lightly apparatus j of lite, except in so faj- as it ministers to health, wisdom, or mora)'excellence! ;' 'Dcatli is viewed with absolute indill'er-, once, for all spiritual values are eternal I I and indestructible." He refers to. the J indillerence of Christian martyrs to pain | and death, and then goes on: "The time' .soon came when the Christians were 1 | able to apply to others the same austere i • standards which they accepted for them- j selves. And they did apply them con-; sistentlv and ruthlessly. If it is better for a Christian to be eaten bv a lion 1 th;in to deny Chri>t. it is better, they! argued, for the undesirable citizen to lie i bunt than to pursue his mischievous : career anv longer. The maxim "Do as ; you would be done by' is not altogether ) the harmless, good-natured rule which, we generally suppose it to be. Chm-' ! tiau ethics does not fas is often sup- • posed) teach the duty of preserving audi | multiplying life at all hazards. "Once, .'convinced that so-and-so was an nude- , sirahle citizen, Hie Church, while it be- 1 ' lieved in itself 'and had the power, lost ; no time in hurrying him out of thej world. Xo doubt they usually burnt the wrong people, which was very unfortun-j ate: and you must not hippos? that 11 want '*o see autos da fe even of ouri most degraded snecimens; hut mv point js that there is nothing inconsistent with Christianity in imposing as well as' 1 enduring per>onal sacrifice where the' f • welfare of the community is at!