Eugenics and the Moral Uplift
The Swiss “Society of Public Utility for Women,” said to be an influential body with branches throughout Switzerland, has issued a “eugenics appeal,” urging every young woman of marriageable age to undergo a medical and physical examination. “The aim of the society,” it is stated, “is to obtain healthy wives and children for betterment of the race.” The Greeks and the Romans may not have called it “eugenics,” but nevertheless they were possessed with many great fads and various plans for the “betterment of the race.” They even went so far as to destroy defective children, for the purpose of propagating only the best. But regardless of all their plans and ideals, their civilizations went to pieces, under a mass of accumulated vice, corruption, and social depravity. History further shows that these ancient nations not only had their plans for social betterment, but they had high ideals of morality; also that while they taught those ideals, they were not able to attain to them. While beautifying their homes and their cities with everything that is offered in the field of art, architecture, and the like, and while holding to and talking in favor of these “high ideals,” yet their luxurious dissipations hurled them headlong to ruin. All of which shows that man must have a moral power apart from and outside of himself if he is lifted up in reality, and there is nothing outside of the gospel of Jesus Christ that will furnish this. “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” In all parts of the world, this age is going wild over every conceivable kind of reform organization, and the people are talking great things, and seem to be hoping great things; but they are all doomed to disappointment. Jesus Christ has power to save; and every one who will, may come to Him and receive His salvation. But the eugenics fad, and every other kind of reform that leaves Christ out of the plan, must end ultimately in ignominious defeat. The Bible plan of salvation was devised by the infinitely wise and loving God, and offered to sinful men for their “social betterment and moral uplift.” The history of all the world, in all ages and climes, testifies to the wisdom of the divine plan. No other one has ever succeeded. None of these plans of to-day will succeed.