The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-12-28
Beecher on MatrimOnv.

Plymouth church was crowded Yesterday, both
1t the morning and evening service. There was
nothing remarkable III Mr.. Beechcr's morning
sermon, but in the evening Inc preached from the
+ eighth chapter of Genesi. Il somewhat singular
discourse on matrimony and ill-adyiscd marriages.
lie would say to all young men. stand to the Gus
tom and religion Of Your fathers. Many men
get wives and get with them the itch and u cursed
religion. Canaan i now everywhere where mann.
mon J. God. Where there II 4 goddess household
there il the land of Canaan. When a man gets Il
good wife he wants nothing more IN life. Mar
riagc i n thing not 10 be rushed into, but eau
tiously, religiously and discrectly persDrmed.
The religious idea was conveyed as all that was
rich and good in the family, and W. have got To
hold fast ON 10 it by our hearts "a well as by our
heads. Some people get married out of Il bound
ing passion, but he never saw one that was glad.
The men who do 50 have a wretched time of it.
but what kind OF a time must the woman have?
Men like to spite each other although they hurt
themselves. This passion of spite also enters into
the household, and even into political parties.
It's the Laws of human nature and the law of
politics. Acting imprudently and enyiOusly for
the purpose of splitting a neighbor is only another
way men have for spiting themselves. The
speaker here made another reference 10 the life of
Jacob, who, he said, lay upon a single stone,
which, according To our ideas, must have been
uncomfortable. But the man who can do this il
better than he who has all the luxuries. The
robins spend little of their life in preparing their
CBuci VI tutlI IOOl. IL Hiu NdUCucu lncin IN
his lawn, and n peek and a wipe of the bill put
an end To their laboTs after breakfast. The
speaker would rather sleep and dream as jacob
did on the stone than sleep and dream as some
men do ON beds of down. Men who dream cam
not sleep %soundly. 1t is one part sleeping and
another part awake. liz Is a proof of some phys
zeal imperfection in the body. \ drunken man
once dreamed that he went to hell, and what. he
supposed he saw there had such an effect ON him
that he forsook his cups and became a Christian.
This occurred in Massachusetts,. Dreams, there
fore, do some good, but very rarely. Better have
a settled mind and no dreams ut all. The speaker
again read that Jacob awaked out Of his sleep
and poured oil ON the stone, and named the place
Bethel, saying that thenccforth IL should be Gods
house Thus far the history. Now he would
show them how tn draw some profitable lessons
from il. lie then returned TO the question of
marriage. pointing out the great dangers arising
out of ill-chOsen marriages. Marriages should be
founded upon qualities that will last, rather than
upon the merits of affection. When a .uan
POUNDS n household, IL ought tn be done upon
moral grounds. lie that ~ selects will make n
household n blessing, though some people may be
very prominent in church matters, and vet not
very well adapted for n good husband or n good
wife. When the foundation IL properly laid in
the household. affection, admiration and even
interest will follow. If there be any disposed TO
take the daughters Of Canaan, he would tell them
to 90 back 10 the household Of their fathers. for
1t was not wise To mix religion. He that marries
u woman first, and thinks he can change her
religion afterward, knows little of human nature.
Many who hang their ambition upon those above
them, thinking that they will draw themselves up
thereby, often find themselves mistaken. lie
would recommend all, therefore, To go back TO
the land of their fathers to take partners for life
from among their ncighbors, and always of the
same denomination.
Mr.. Beechcr then proceeded to give n little
practical advice to his hearers, saying that it
matters little how We spend our early life if ut
last we turn to God Nobody so rich as he who
Is obliged to lay his head upon God a. n pillow.
that sells his manhood buys n mess of pOttage.
Let all, therefore, lay their heads upon the stone
and beg Of God TO bear them safely through.
The speaker next reminded some OF his hearers
Of the promises which they had made to God.
some when they were in n foreign cline suffering
from fever, and others while they were lying ON
the battlefield. lie would ask whether the
promises thus made had ever been fulfilled? If
not, Ire would ask the young people in his charge
to read, when they went home, the eli ghth chapter
of Genesis, and ponder over it. Could any man
ID better than this? The speaker then gave n
little Of his own experience when in England,
closed his most remarkable discourse with an
earnest prayer. The church was crowded, and
the sermon listened to with attention. though
during the delivery Of that portion of it which
referred u marriage, there was n suppressed tit
tering among the ladies.-N. Y. World.