Even in the twentieth century there persist remnants of these primitive population controls. There is a tribe in Australia whose mothers refuse to rear more than two or three children. Not long since, one cannibalistic tribe ate every fifth child born. In Madagascar some tribes still destroy all children born on certain unlucky days, resulting in the death of about twenty-five per cent of all babies.
Close in meaning, found by a language model. A match does not mean the teachings are the same.
merciless slaughters of children and sacrificial banquets of men’s flesh and of blood—
Yet, though there were so many circumstances connected with love of children to draw on a mother to sympathy, in the case of none of them were the various tortures able to pervert her principle. But she inclined each one separately and all together to death for religion. O holy nature and parental feeling, and reward of bringing up children, and unconquerable maternal affection! At the racking and roasting of each one of them, the observant mother was prevented by religion from changing. She saw her children’s flesh dissolving around the fire, and their extremities quivering on the ground, and the flesh of their heads dropped forward down to their beards, like masks.
Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!