The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-07-13
MARRIAGE. .


sents itselfto the mind Of mortal man thai
that which asks him, practically, to decio
what constitutes true marriage. for thi
decision nnst vitallv affect his dearest ban
piness. Omnipotent it must be, either 70
veal or woe. The vows which the heart 3,
freely takes upon itself in the halcyou day
OF its carly love must he either the prelud
of life made bright and beautiful Nv
harmony sweeter than that which tremhle
on the golden strings Of All angels harp, O
they will be the heralds which are to ushe
Us into an earthly existence, from Which ev
cry trace Of Htavenis tlotted out, and ev-
cry heavenly sound drowned. in ceaseless
discord. Those bonds which we voluuta-
r'iy take upon ourselves will prove to us
either bTgii: garland which shall encircle
our lives within it's perfurncd embrace,
blending our inmost souls together in a
union pure and. holy than aught else on
earth-a companionshiP tha, approaches
near TO the Friendships Of Heaven than any
other earthly relation, or thevswilI prove as
fetters binding us to all the bitter things Of
earth. Was this happiness and misery gov.
erned by chance all, as tho thousands who
believe that marriage is like lottery, or as
other thousands believe who accept the
theory that We are pared and fil,e for each
other before we are sent into this world,
but that in the bahelIke confusion Of this
mundane sphere we get josrIed out Of place
and nobody gets their mate, then our
chance Of happiness would he small indeed.
But it is not SO. for the same Infinite be.
nevoIence who has given us desire for a
pure friendship has also given us the means
of gratifying that desire. Our happiness
has not been left 10 bliud fate. Man no
longer bows 10 the belief that his path has
been marked out by an irrevocabIe DESTINY,
and that happiness and we are meeted out
ny ibe hand of Heaven. independent of his
own actions. No; our happinesssis gov
erned by laws as fixed aud changeess as
the laws of grsvitation. Aud, five shane
our actions in conformity to those laws,
whether that course of action be the most
simple and ordinary Of every day lie, or
the most complicated and important that
we are ever called upon to perform. it mat.
ters not. If it is but done in harmomy with
natures laws we need not fear for the result.
But in no social relation does mankind 30
entirely neglect the lava Of nature as in
that of marriage; that relation which is
more ultimately connected with his happi-
ness than any oher.
Most sad it is to think Of the untold mis-.
cry toswhicb this neglect gives bir b dou-
bly sail when we compare the picture of
life thus rendered blank and desolate with
the Eden.like, beauty with which it nigh,
have been surrounded.
All mankind are prone to sin. Perfec.
ton is not human; and the more intimate tie
relation in which we stand 10 our fellow be-
'ngs, the more apparent do these imperfec.
tions become. If, then, we take upon our.
selves the responsibility Of husband or
wife. under the delusion that our conpau.
ION is all that our earnest love could wish,
that'in bis or her character meet every vir
tue thataever adorned poor human nature;
nay more, for the heart overfowing with
the heavenly melody of'a deep. unutterahe
love; surrounds the ohjrct of its affertion
with q halo of virtues such "a never met
in single mortal; we shall find that time
will soon tear aside the veil of romantic
divinity with which We had surrour. .ded' th.
loved one' and then, oh bitter dsappoint.
ment. How rudely are We awakened from
our dream Of romance to the stern realities of
n matter-of fact world. We find that after
all, the "beloved" is but human, ana sub
Ject to human fraities and human imperf.c.
tions. And happy are ye if from your
hearts this awakening to truth does not
drive out the love for the being whom you
once worshipped AS dignity, and with it
"'I hope OF earthly happiness.
IT. upon the other hand. we. enter upon
this relation asbe..lsaanes ratiooakand intel
lieent beineApet expecting to end .perfec-
tions against which we must -ssxea unutu
al warfare. each helping the osfSE6 ovss.
come those points in our dispo,i,ions which
y allo~e5 to develop themselves, ;sould be
the source Of ceaseless discord, mar the
beauty Of our brightest hours, and into the
cup Of our happinesss sssr a drop q poi.
soned bitterness. A6aef, united to this
good resolution, there be deep, holy self.
sacrificing love. love which prefers the
happiness and we'll being Of the "beIoved"
to the qualification of sell, then will time
have The effect only 10 strengthen and rem
der more. perfect that union Of soul which
shall grow more and moro beautiful until:
at last, for augb, ws know. it may, in the