DISPUTED DOCTRINES -- Chapter Twenty-Six

RACE SUICIDE

This is a question that is very much to the front in our day. It is usually referred to as "birth control," and is advocated by those who, on the basis of hygienic marriage, would limit the procreation of children to the "physically fit," and would arbitrarily fix the number of children of such parents to suit the pocketbook and purse, so as to allow them freedom and enable them to keep up their social relations and retain their proper position in society.

As far as it is a mere humanitarian scheme advocated by such as would breed humans just as men breed horses and cattle, there would be no room for its discussion here. But the idea has caught hold also of the Church; and men and women, here and there, are making propaganda for this cause, and a Lutheran woman is one of its most strenuous advocates. It is well, therefore, for us to be clear as to the teaching of Scripture on this subject.

God instituted marriage in the very beginning of human history. It was the first institution that He gave to man. "And God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." This command of God still holds good and will continue to do so until the consummation, when the saved shall be equal unto the angels, and shall neither marry nor be given in marriage.

Marriage may accordingly be defined as the indissoluble union of one man and one woman, according to the divine institution, entered into by mutual consent, for the begetting of offspring and for mutual assistance in life. And this is still the purpose of marriage. For this reason we have exhortations and counsels given in the N. T. Scriptures to both parties to this contract. St. Paul says: "I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house." And again, "She shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." And to men he says, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it." To this St. Peter adds: "Likewise ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."

This idea of marriage is regarded by many as old-fashioned in our day. The deep, intimate relationship which it involves is lightly regarded. It is looked upon by some as the satisfaction of the desire for mere companionship for the elimination of the loneliness of the single state. Some men would limit the number of children to one or two for social reasons. Many women enter into marriage with no intention of bearing children or of assuming the obligation that marriage naturally entails. And frequently everything that can be done to prevent the bringing forth of offspring is utilized.

There seems to be, on the part of many, no disposition to regard marriage as a school of discipline, but rather to look upon it as one vast honeymoon with no burdens or duties attached to it. Childless homes, which were once the exception and incurred reproach, are now looked upon by many, particularly by the women, as the ideal of married life. They scoff at the words of the Psalmist, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is His reward." And men are also found who jeer at the words: "Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord."

Too many desire to have the joys of married life without taking upon themselves its responsibilities. St. Paul indeed says: "Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency."

Many married couples are quite ready to follow the injunction as far as it forbids the defrauding of one another, but are quite willing to defraud the Lord in the matter by artificially preventing the natural results of their coming together. This is assuming a function that does not belong to them and renders them guilty of fornication within the marriage relation. Their action thus becomes a direct transgression of the sixth commandment and incurs its penalties.

Race suicide, or birth control, is a sin and a crime, and should not be tolerated in the Church. It destroys the sanctity of marriage and defeats the purpose for which it was given to men by their Creator. It will as surely as any other sin bring down upon those who commit it God's wrath and condemnation.

Back to the Table of Contents

Back to Sermons and Papers