ABORTION RATE DROPS

"WASHINGTON -- The nation's abortion rate has fallen to its lowest level since 1976, and a new study says the reason is a combination of fewer doctors doing abortions and more unmarried women choosing to go on with pregnancies.

"In 1992, about 1,528,900 women had abortions in the United States compared to about 1,608,600 in 1990, a drop of nearly 80,000 abortions, according to research by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, which specializes in studies of reproductive health" (The Tennessean [June 16, 1995],13A).

This has to be seen as good news. It is certainly the greatest of news for the 80,000 children who now have life, and the 80,000 mothers who have traded a lifetime of guilt for the blessing of a child's love.

If the research institute is correct, this places an even greater burden upon those who perform abortions and work in abortion clinics. The rationalization that "they will only go somewhere else" is never an excuse, it is rarely valid.

One ultrasonic specialist at an abortion clinic was told to never let the patient see the ultrasonic image of the fetus. She began to do so anyway, and she reported that 9 out of 10 women refused to have the abortion when they saw the child alive within them. This helped to convince her to no longer be a part of this sordid industry.

The reason for "more unmarried women choosing to go on with pregnancies" was not given. We have all seen the commercials on TV which promote life. These and other loving efforts to council unwed mothers in consistency with God's law are to be commended.

These efforts have certainly been dealt a setback by those espousing violence. This is a battle for the hearts of men and women; it cannot be won by acts of hatred and terrorism. It will be won one soul at a time as they learn and obey the truth (Jn. 8: 32).

In our haste to warn against this country's demise, we need to recognize positive signs as well. Some others: The overall proportion of smokers continues to decline, and the number killed by drunken drivers is slowly diminishing (although it was proportionately up again in 1995).

We have yet to determine if these are signs of the beginning of a revitalization of spirituality within this country, or merely the swinging of a pendulum of a clock mounted on a freight train destined for destruction. In any event, the time is running out for this country -- we dare not take solace in the 80,000 saved when almost 20 times that number are still being killed annually.