The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-09-23
TIE HKAcINTHE MARRIAGE.
A Cold.Blooded Reviewers Comments
Upon the E1-1Ionk's Letter.
From The Nation !

From The Nation
Father Hyacinthe has not only determined
to marry, but has written a long letter to the
Independent, giving his reasons. He denies
stoutly that he left his convent with the desire
or intention of marrying, and AYERS that he
has rigidly kept his VOW of cellbacy ever since
he took it at the age of eighteen. But he has
come to the conclusion that marriage Is one
Of the laws Of the moral world. which cannot
be set aside without overlurning the fabric
of lie, and without running counter to the
will Of Cod" although cellbacy may consLi-
tute "a holy and glorious exception" After
reaching this conclusion, and being fully
prepared TO love and be loved, he met with
some one to love him in the person of
Mrs. Emily J. Merlman, an American lady
who has had a very varied experience
of life. She separated from her first hus-
band, who is now dead; carried on a cor
set agency in Paris; was once a member of
Henry Ward Beecner's church; and was con-
yerted to Catholicism by Father Hyaclnthe's
preaching in Notre Dame, and Is now, we
presume, halfway back. Our readers may re-
member her also as the person who wished TO
90 out as O deputation from the Weman's
Suffrage Association In this country TO per-
suade Bismarck and Jules FaVre to stop fight
Ing In 1870. Father Hyacinthe likewise main
tains that cellbacy is not an article of faith,
and not even a rule of discipline of the whole
Church, bnt only of the Latin Church; that
the objection to 1t is q degrading prejudicei
that %celibacy, as 'relating to what Is most dell
cate, most personal, and most perllOus In the
relation OF the soul to God" Is not capable Of
being made the subject Of a perpetual en-
gagement. Besides fulfilling the great law
OF marrisge, however, his object Is to give
France and the Church tan example, which
he thinks they both need, and 'of which the
fruits, lie believes, will be reaped by
the future, even If they fail In the present.
The letter is very eloquent, and curiously
frank, and will be read with great delight BY
women and staunch Professionals; but we are,
nevertheless, satisfied that 1t Is The ruin of
Father Hyaeinthe as q reiormer or dissenter,
or schlsmutlc or whatever you please to cali
him. He might have exercised great weight
In the Old Catholic movement, or might, in
deed, II of more heroic mould, have headed a
religious revolutions; but marriage is fatal 10
all this, because nothing will persuade the
world that his desire for marriage had moth
ing TO do with his leaving his convent. When
a man Is seen kissing a pretty girl, there is
not the slightest use in his trying to persuade
people that he does 1t pro bono pu6ltco. THE
worlds %incredulity on this point is old, deep
and ineradicable, and 1t grows out of q long
and sorrowlul experience of the influence Of
the sexual passion in perverling the Judgment
and clouding the reason; and the best as well
as the worst of men have to be prepared.
when they talk of gratifying this passion as q
''duty," to be received with dlstrust, If not
with ec0rn.