The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-12
MINISTER'S AND MARRIAGE.
LOTS or ETN ~ THE MEETING or
BdPIIST PREfCH


Ronr- Of Laughter Drawn from the Gravrst
Of tue Cirrg, men \ Committee 10 ~ccure
nm Act Defining tue Duty at Ministers.
AT the Baptist ministers meeting yester-
dnv, Brother Goodenoueh read an essay cn;-
tied ." Under what crcuinst inces or for what
cluses may minister Of the gospel refuse TO
selcmuize a MARRIAGE ?" Brother Goodenough
found marriage commanded In the book Of
Genesis; Tia h. found In the census returns
the number OF girls born ne irly cqIilling tho
number Of boys. the proportion being 100 boys
TO 81 girls. and hence he inferred that nature
intended that only one man and one woman
should be Joined for life.
Tue cs,ayist would decline to pronounce
couple husband aud wife after either mad teen dl-
vorccd. bee use in Matthew xix, 4. the command
Of the Saviour IL not to marry "A divorced person
except when the marriage VOWS have been
broken. A Christian should not I've married to
hea'hen nor to jew. THO different modes ~
thinking and ~ lie and habits would preclude
the PROBABILITY Of n happy union. so great
would be the chasm between them that to unto
th1m would be morally wrong. On the same
grounds he would refuse to JOIN white vi h col.
ored uersOns. not through prejudice or because
one IA the more Intelligent, but because the dis
tinction Is natural.
Mari &c SHOULD not he solcmnlzed between a
pure ~ ! and man who has given loose rein 10
his ssions, a rake who has forfeited his shield
OF manhood. As to dIufaards. the essayist not
ONLY woulo not unite couple where either or
both we're addicted to excessive drink. but he
wouldn't live with either unlcss 1t was foreor.
daned that he should do A.. lIaughter.1
foolish person he would not ON general ptinri-
piles, consent to JON with another for life fur
even on the doctrine q evolution too m iny cen
tcnnills must come and 20 before the race
would attain even 10 common sense.
In thirty ve years the cssayist had united
mary coupl, =. but more OF them than he dared
say were mistaken marriages, and lie was sorry
that he lad solcmnizch them. IL Il always u
temptation u minister to solemnz- mar
ri ~, even though morally wrong Marriage lies
&C the foundation OF human society, and the
feCt must be recognized The ministers duties
are not q. str city defined rs tAev should be. and
II " thr duty of eonic men to draw up a set OF
rules for them.
Brotnor Anon. converted jew, now a Blp-
list minister. not oniv agreed with Brother
GOodcpouga that q Christian ahould not b0
united to jew In marriage, tut asserttd that
neither shoud member Of the Roman Catholc
Cbutch ANA Il Protestant marry. He made o.
pur. ~ religious ccreWuuy, and always pro1ciVd
serinon 70 the applicants and showed them
what they were blut To do. 50 that they might
have opportunity to back out. [L1ughter1
broIncr-liow long do you make tnat ser
Fifteen minutes" the essaylst replied, as he
took hlstcat.
The orctnren having Ave minutes each for
sacccles upon the ESSAY. launched into "a &C. q
r'ninis Cacc5. one story euxgesiins another
and so entertaining were tue tales that tue
uitratt Rs liftle bell warned tue tclltrs sgain
aui agata before either they or the listeners
seemed to knowit.
Brotner H0wen had been a chaplsin in the
army, .nd in port Hudson he united sX con
colorcu couples; they had been living a. hus-
lands aEi wives. and att ough they had thus
Violated the mr. | law AMI shouli moi h v.
been married, according - Scripture. Yet 1t
seemed hest for them and fhelr cniilreu. TN
That he was sorry for. Once nan whom
hs had Just made husband. was 90 pleased
tha;. telling him That p" was saloon keeper IN
New OK. be oHe1 ii 10 semi him basket ~
champagne. "1psen." said Broth Bna en-
OF, ppinc hi- e,es ssrro wluily. "how wishaG
that mad asked him his business; whould
Brother Fox would 20 further than the csray-
ist he would not unite couple who had nor
considered m fria-e for some time pre- ylous to
the ceremony. That marriage Of Young man
and woman who werc introduced AZ circus
day. VS. wrong; 50 was that marriage where a
boz ana Llrl out riding had m9rriare suggested
90 them 10y the mere sight u the minis tiers
house
lhen Brother Justin d. Fulton Of Hanson
Place. iliouklyn. fame turned his face t. the
brethren SUD exclsimcd: We say, What God
hath ined let not man put asunder. BGt wa
has God joinedS II white woman aud q tack
man love each other VINO has rig I g. refuse
To unite ,hemf middle aged white man aud
black woman GANG 60 ne aWhi.s ago, the
Il IS. Mr. Fulton cogtinucd, "Gnl asked him
wuy he wtnteI 10 ueny That weach. iai
wuil.p is flr ruthcr II I've r mt ralllr.Nl
he rearel. and 30 a h11d IN South t.r,liH.l
H. u.try the women love- le.i.lI,i no
Longer. igey Use ~ 30 ton, aud the ieaYfiiui
gi.i their da.srfe;. Ives 81 10 cd l1ir, ana 81 u'f
hay 90 fuss ul uigut % fan .tcithcr.' lrhyr,
Btlther Surlon lcoloredJ aid that le mad ot..
lived I,tIldlre, aud would uuite hi-ch a4I
Whics iftllft W.s uototh r reason tLau ,0I.r
forfleir bonn Kept ep1rt. II God has Given
love g. them 4 Was not name rlsn. TO lnt D..
fe.c. His cong eg .tiJn we've su.i,.sed O. be-
c-l1.e lat tuci W.re Just o. wlife ss fl..
holy OF m,ui-iDrs. H. c'iture they were moi uo
10 TIC vol. oat they $40 fA.idly CT 'hiut 4p.
Dr. J. 20. 900 ~ nd. 3D.. .efnn Voice fA..
trlgglf utt q C.Drls oi o. ellis from trt fI.ti.-
rem. ue.I .r,l thar nelti.e. cod ro, ua. ura N,t-
opposed e. the u.i,ing III ena Fa.s - -tl anJ Aes
ia marriage.
Would you. cried Bro,Ler q oodencu-h. tire
css4,i-t. permit loui wa!ic daughter TO II r,S
q col rcd man"
nr. iieed turaed and said in.nressiyelv. %
81 "i II ho pvrls'ei IN choosing rim iDr q
husband"
well would nt' aaid the esssvist.
linen the brethren tied To- learn from cachs
otlrr what Laws slAnu ON the statute boob II
New y ok relating to m.rli H.se, nut they were
soon befogled. ana Dr. inOuas SAID, "A COM
mittec should be appointed - bring together
ma,eti uut Of which the lCgiJiat Us IL Albany
tlis winter can draft laws declining the dui, Vi
mlnlstcll.'
Ana The n Getting nppcirted nr. Arnitlec, Dr.
Thomson, pr. msOn, aud the HeN. Messre.
ITulutr aud khOdu..