Frederick Hollick

Frederick Hollick was a travelling lecturer and physician with extremely controversial methods and views. Hollick spread information about sex, reproduction, contraception and abortion through the use of large, brightly colored pictures and props, alongside his book The Marriage Guide: or Natural History of Generation; A Private Instructor for Married Persons and Those About to Marry. [1] His views sparked debate wherever he went. Many people appreciated his clear and scientific explanations of sexuality. However an equally large number of people were concerned that such talk was unsuitable for public discourse.

For his part, Frederick Hollick did was not dismissive of the Second Great Awakening. Quite the contrary, he attempted to incorporate aspects of the movement’s religious identity into his work. [2] In his book he stresses that sex for pleasure is not evil but is instead healthy. He goes on to say, citing biblical references to Onan, that avoiding sexual pleasure will lead to an unhealthy and evil practice of masturbation.[3]

[1] Peter Gardella, Innocent Ecstacy: How Christianity Gave America an Ethic of Sexual Pleasure (New York: Oxford University Press, 2016)

[2] Nathan O Hatch, The Democratization of American Christianity (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989)

[3] Janet Farrel Brodie, Contraception and Abortion in Nineteenth Century America (New York: Cornell University Press, 1997)