ws of the land. They allow their
sympathies to overcome the moral truths that previously had been their
guide. They commit a crime by taking a life, even though that life were
not fully developed.

Many women have the false idea that there is no life before the fifth
month and so think they are not destroying life if they have an
abortion at the end of the first, the second or even the third month.
This idea is entirely erroneous, for there is life from the very
beginning and it is just as wrong to destroy life the first few months
as it would be to do so later.

Aside from this moral reason there is a very important reason for not
having abortions. You may regret it afterwards! Let me give you an
instance. One of my friends, a charming young woman, was married several
years ago. After her marriage she moved to a distant city and I did not
see her for about four years. Then she returned and called to see me.
During the course of our conversation I asked her if she had any
children. Her reply in a very sad tone was, "No, I guess I did too much
interfering at first, so now I cannot have any." Then she told me she
had the idea she did not wish to have children for several years after
she was married. So during the first year she had an abortion performed.
Now for two years she had been wanting a baby but none came. That is the
history of so many women. The regrets!

All women naturally desire to have children. If they do not, they are
the victims of false ideas or of fear. Anything which is natural is the
best, so usually a woman who bears children is much healthier than one
who does not. Think of the women of your acquaintance and see if the
mothers are not happier and healthier than the women who are childless.

CHAPTER X

MATERNAL IMPRESSIONS--HEREDITY

Every child has a right to be born well. An undesired child never should
be brought into the world. An undesired child or a child of parents who
are not in good bodily or mental condition comes into the world with an
inheritance that perhaps never is overcome. How can we expect children
of parents with criminal tendencies to become good citizens?

Children born in circumstances under which the expectant mother has been
subjected to fright or to cruel treatment are handicapped in the very
beginning of life's race. Maternal impressions from fright or physical
violence undoubtedly are followed by the birth of individuals malformed
and in many respects with a