she felt such
freedom as she had never realized in her life before. With this rock,
the corner-stone of truth, she commenced to lay a foundation which is
eternal and immortal.

CHAPTER XVII.

PENLOE'S ORIGINAL ADDRESS.

The Roseland _Gazette_ was very pleased to get something of a
sensational character in its columns, like the different stories which
had been brought to that city concerning Penloe's sermon delivered in
Orangeville. The State Legislature not being in session (to see how much
money they could get out of the pockets of the people for the benefit of
its members and their friends), there were no sensational charges of
bribery or boodle to report; and as Congress had closed there was no
news concerning laws passed in the interests of bankers, railroad
corporations, sugar trusts, whiskey and other trusts which are able to
furnish members of Congress with funds to carry their schemes through.
It happened to be at a time when news was scarce and dull, and therefore
the press made the most of the matter by writing an editorial on the
subject of sex relationship, which appeared in the paper the following
week, and was as follows:

"In our last issue we gave as correct a report of the remarkable sermon
preached by Penloe in the church at Orangeville, as our reporter could
get. Since then most all other subjects of conversation have subsided in
this county and the main topic of conversation has been Penloe and the
sex question. As to Penloe, it is not our purpose in this article to
discuss the man, but some of his ideas. The sex question is a very
peculiar one to the minds of many. Penloe's ideas are so radical that it
gives us a shock all over even to think of attempting to bring the
people to that mode of living. The thought we have concerning our sex is
instilled into us by custom, precept and example, so that from earliest
infancy to introduce such an innovation as Penloe proposes would
apparently, to our minds, seem like undermining our social structure and
its very foundations. While we admit the state of society is morally
low, yet what can be done to improve it? Can we ever reconcile ourselves
to persons of both sexes and all ages undressing in the presence of each
other and all bathing together naked? We question whether society is
ready for such a change? Penloe's theories are like many other theories,
very fine on paper but when you put them in practice they won't work.
What say you, readers