The Protestant church has never issued edicts regarding this matter,
but, for the most part, it has tacitly held to the Catholic teaching
in _theory_, while universally _practicing_ the reverse, in actual
married life. Protestants have looked upon it as a necessity, but have
taught that it was _regrettable_ that such was the case. They have
held, with Paul, that, "it is better to marry than to burn." And most
of them have chosen the marriage horn of the dilemma.

Among some European nations, attempts have been made to make it
impossible for husbands and wives to cohabit except for reproductive
purposes. In one of these nations, padlocks were used for preventing
the act. A slit was made through the foreskin of the penis, and
through this slit the ring of a padlock was passed, much as an
ear-ring is passed through the lobe of a lady's ear. The padlock
was made so large that it could not be introduced into the vaginal
passage, and so coitus was impossible when it was worn. It could only
be removed by the magistrate into whose hands the regulation of this
part of the citizens' life was given. Specimens of these padlocks are
still to be seen in European museums.

Now the terribly immoral thing in all this way of living has always
been the fact that it _compelled_ people to continually _violate their
consciences_, by _pretending_ to _believe_ one thing and constantly
_practicing_ the reverse of their proclaimed belief. That is, it lured
them into _living a continual lie, and such can never be for the good
of the soul_! It goes without saying that the sooner this abominable
way of living can be ended, the better it will be for all parties
concerned--the individuals who are the victims of such falsehood, and
the communities of which they form a part.