Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1883-05-10
MARRIAGE.
Rev. DIR. Grenell's Advice to the Young
People.

CORkGs
The word marriage" suggests
nearly as many varied thoughts as
there are persons who give it atten-
ton. In one, it awakens sense of
delicacy as if it were too tender 8
theme to admit of any but the most
careful treatment. In another, it
causes miith, as if it were matter
lof vast humor. In another, tender
Iness. In another, contempt. In
another, sadness. In another rev.
erence; and so on, according to the
age, the experience, the observation,
the knowledge and the sentiments of
the person. 1t has been held up as
a target for ridicule, and many are
the feathered shafts of wit and pleas
antry that have buried their points in
it. 1t has been a theme of sharp
and persistent debate.
Marriage, offering as it does, pecu-
liarly distinct displays Of the weakness
es and virtues of men and women !;
affecting, as it does, the order and
morality OF society touching, as it
does the deep affections of the heart,
is complex and many-sided theme,
and this fact will explain why some
smile and others look grave when the
topicls brought forward, and also why,
on every occasion when the marriage
ceremony takes place, the faces of
the spectators wear so great a vari-
ETY. of expressions, ranging all the
way from easy curiosity to sober ap-
tprehension; from sunny smiles to
streaming eyes. Says one, reproach-
fully: "How can you weep at such
a time as this?'' and the other
answers, "How can you do any,
thing but weep?" ''Isn't it jolly?"
exclaims one young man, and a
friend responds, with sigh, "Jolly
l feel as if I were at funeral
If good is to come out of marriage,
it is to come only by the utmost for
bearance, patience and fidelity; by
the existence, exercise and preserva-
ton of deep and true affection.
Marriage has perils as well as pleas
ures, and if anyone is led to discern
more clearly the perils than the pleas
ures, it is not strange that such an
one should weep instead of smile
when marriage is witnessed. The
first compact made between two
human beings was matrimony,
land the history of our first parents
shows how much that compact had to
do with fixing the destiny of both
themselves ard their descendants.
Divine law guarded with special care
the relation of husband and wife.
Monogamy was the ordained state.
All the inspired regulations consider
ed marriage as bond between one
4 man and one woman. Polygamy is
a perversion of man and not an Or
dinance of God.
But there are some things prelim-
l mary to marriage. The first and
most necessary of these is love,
There is attraction in love; there ia
admiration in love; there is passion
J in love, but neither of these, nor all
together, make true and abiding love.
All true love is grounded in esteem.
1t must be SO, or it will not last
Love cannot live on round cheeks and
bright and winsome manners. II
must be based on something that re-
mains unchanged when the face i:
wrinkled, and the eye is dull, and th'
form is bowed; and that stabl,
something is character. 1t has beeI
truly said, "It is to be feared tina
they who marry where they do no
love, will love where they do Nc
marry
! A second preliminary to marriag
is the betrothal. 1t is one of tn
t marks of the increasing lightness wit
8 which marriage is regarded that en-
i gagements are so easily and hastil
made, as is often the case. In pro
portion as matrimony is held in hig
respect, betrothals are made wit
, great caution and are regarded a
having great binding force. Anon
z us marriage engagements are to
. often formed and dissolved with
p precipitancy which reduces the Who'll
affair of mating to matter of uncel
= tainty, and certainly Injuries the rel
k utation of those concerned in it; III
e less just cause can be shown. PA
ties who have agreed to be marie
should regard the agreement as 81
), credly binding, should guard i
Y sanctity, and seek to carry it GU
k Marriage engagements should
made known. Honorable young mt
d will not inveigle young ladies into S
. cret promise of marriage. Discre
,r young ladies win suspect the motiv
of men who propose such proce
st ure.
re With true love, and q season
engagement in which love and di
" cretion hare ruled, the marriage I
m duces itself to verysimple thing
ct deed. 1t follows as naturally as t
Iy fruit follows the blossom. How m
he the welded realize all they ha
q hoped for in each others societ
Simply by continuing to be
each other, only in fuller measul
ut what they have been during cou