The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-11-11
Second Marriages.

By a Lady Correspondent of the Rochester Unon.]
Custom tolerates this abomniable social
evil, if it does not approve it. 1t cannot dc
less, when the lax state of public morality
makes divorces even not only possible but
easy Of accomplishment. Marri' g by many
is no longer regarded as a divine institution,
but simply an alliance to, be entered into, and
dissolved, at the capriccs of folly, lust or con-
venience. l;a 5a 'Has.z
There are but few persons, comparatively
but that believe in the Immortality of the
soul and that those who have gone before
us to the spirit land will be recognized, and
ho,a the same relation to us, when we meet
them there, that they did here-therefore, to
such, marriage is ioraill eternity. A plurali-
ty Of wives or husbands, in the world to
come must excite the Same horror which it
does in all right minded persons when such a
state of things is contemplated here. In
this light I view it, | cannot divest the idea
from my mind that the contraction of more
than one marriage by the same person II no
less than kind Of polygamy.
How agonizing and terrible it must be to
devoted and tender wife when separated
from her partner, IN the halycon days of
their welded life, after waiting many long
years in the spirit land for the dear left be-
hind to find perhaps two or three later wives
of her husband sent to her before his arrival;
and when he at length comes, to have her
claim disputed, or at least reeeiveonly a mole
ty of that love which her priority should
claim as whole Aside from this there are
other considerations connected with second
marriages which are not less repelling. :;
First marriages are usually contracted
when youth, love and romance cement the
union with a tenderness aud sacredness which
no later periods can approach. The human
heart pours out its best and purcst oblations
upon a first union, and all ether connections
Of the kiLd are in comparison only ridiculous
burlesques upon the institution of marriage.
The heart can never yield but to one the di-
vine glow which distils the true elixir of
welded life. When this one is removed, the
fountain is dried up in this world, and no
rod welded by second love can again make
it flow with its original abundance and spark
ing purity.
How ridiculous, farcieal iniquitous then
are all marriages save the first How abhor
ent the bare idea of connection Of this
kind must be to all such as are basking in
the happy fruition Of first union, 10
think for instance, at some future day, that
beloved wife or husband may be removed
and others step into their. places; at their
boards other hands to preside at their fire
sides new faces to smile or frown upon them;
the arms that embrace them and the kisses
they receive to be bestowed by merccnary and
selfish intcrlopers.
When death takes away beloved wife OF
husband, the bcreaved instead of casting
their eyes around for one to Ell the place,
should live on the memory Of their loved
ones look upon the affection as only tempo
rary; bear the lost one ever in mind shape
every act as though their eyes were upon
them and as they proceed onward. nearing
the goal their love should be constantly in
creasing so as to be fully prepared for that
reunion which will be final and eternal.