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Modern Persecution, or Insane Asylums Unveiled
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797 | With each and even all these qualifications, he must expect that the exhibition of practical godliness, in the form of compassion for the suffering, or pity for the sick or unfortunate, is to be regarded as insanity, and attributed to a religious monomania. | |
798 | Indeed it seems to me that the age has become degenerate to that degree, that a person cannot live a true natural life without being regarded as insane. And I do believe that much of what is called insanity at the present age, is only a specimen of true, pure, simple Christianity, such as the present corrupt age fails to recognize -- so different is it from the educated Christianity of creeds, sects, and denominational religion. | |
799 | I believe that many in this asylum are such specimens of martyrdom for Christ and principle as the age produces, and that they are yet to be some of the brightest purest, noblest saints and angels around God's throne in heaven. | |
800 | I fully believe that some of those whom you have placed on the lowest plane in this asylum, God will exalt to the highest among His sons and daughters in His Kingdom. Yes, there is strong reason to believe that the first in this institution ''shall be last and the last first." | |
801 | Yea, in our insane asylums may be found the only real sane beings in the world, who, like the righteous of Sodom, are to become the world's saviours. | |
802 | Dr. McFarland, compassion and its natural manifestation, is not insanity -- it is Christianity. Sympathy is not insanity -- it is Christianity. Humanity is not insanity -- it is Christianity. Rational, reasonable conduct is not insanity -- it is Christianity. The true instincts of human nature, in man or woman are not insanity -- they are Christian developments. Neither is an unbalanced organization insanity. Physical agony and its natural expression, are not insanity. | |
803 | But, sir, each and all these, you treat as insanity, and you also treat them as a crime, deserving death, if you cannot subdue the patient without or short of death! | |
804 | I fully believe there are martyrs, whom you have murdered here, whose souls from under God's altar are now crying to God to avenge on you their wrongs. I have heard one of your favorite attendants say to, and of, a patient: | |
805 | "You deserve to die if you wont stop crying!" and, "it would have been only good enough for her if I had killed her!!" | |
806 | I have proof from a personal observation of your own actions, and I am not afraid to meet the charge before any jury in the world, in 1860, that you, sir, have exhibited more evidence of insanity on your part, than I have seen on any person since I entered this institution! and I think your insanity deserves, and merits, imprisonment for life, in a state of extreme torture; and unless you do speedily repent, I believe that you like Nebuchadnezzar will really become insane-that is, devoid of reason like the beasts, and you will receive the same punishment for it that you have inflicted upon your helpless victims. | |
807 | You have merited the reputation of a Nero, and that reputation you will yet have, unless you repent. | |
808 | You must receive according to our deeds, like all God's other accountable agents. | |
809 | I feel called of God, and I shall obey this call, to expose your character by exposing your actions, to the light of 1861, unless you repent. I have ability -- I have influence -- I have friends -- I have money -- I have God's promised aid, on which I rely more confidently than on each and all other instrumentalities combined to aid me in doing this. I have powerful friends of freedom who will help me to break the chains, with which you bind your slaves here in a slavery, worse than Southern slavery. | |
810 | I cannot believe that there is any class of convicts or criminals in our land, who are not treated with more humanity -- with more decency -- with less of utter contempt and abuse, than you treat your insane patients here. Most criminals have some sort. of a trial before they are punished; but here, all that is required, is the misrepresentation of an angry attendant, who thus secures to her helpless victim the punishment, which her own conduct justly merits upon herself. | |
811 | And besides, if one of their number -- the criminals -- has the moral courage to carry out the humane instincts of her God-given nature, by espousing the cause of the innocent victim of their cruelties, she must expect to do so at the expense of receiving the like punishment inflicted upon herself, for this desperate act of insanity on her part! | |
812 | Horrible! But true -- true as facts -- numberless facts -- can make it. | |
813 | And what is worse for you, sir, is the fact that this is known -- and known by those who are determined, by God's help, to have your character exposed and your insanity punished, as it should be, and will be unless you repent, and that speedily -- for, "The end is near and hasteth greatly." | |
814 | The sword of God Almighty is already unsheathed. The work of destruction has commenced and "a quick work will the Lord make on the earth." Justice, humanity, and truth, will reign on the earth, henceforth; and whoever and whatever opposes these principles will be overthrown and destroyed; or they will repent by doing right, by acting as well as speaking honestly, truthfully; or, in other words, by doing unto others as they would wish to be done by. |