The Delaware farmer., 1883-10-26
WHAT TO MARRY.
Not Wealth nor Beauty, but Virtue, Truth
and sincere Affection.

Rev. C. G. Goss delivered in New
York an interesting sermon on '"The
Mistakes Respecting Courtship and
Marriage"
The importance of the subject, the
preacher said, can only be appreciated
by those familiar with the infelicities OF
married life. Our public journals TEEN
with incidents of domestic troubles. Di-
voree is getting to be about as much an
institution as marriage. The causes of
this are found in the sickly sentimental
ism of our so-called story papers, the
representation of artificial life in the
scenes of the stage and want of proper
instruction as to life's duties and re-
sponsibiities from the pulpits. If ever
the circumstances demanded free, bold
utterance in respect to the ills of the
married relation it is at the present
time, and we need expect no better state
of things in domestic life till the pulpit,
the press and the stage unite in turning
the tide in a better direction.
First, it is a mistake for young
people to marry simply for beauty.
Beauty, often, is only skin deep, and
serves as veneering to cover up a de-
formed heart and soul. Some of the
most homely persons we have are in
wardly the most beautiful. Such was
Annie Steele, the tender pOetess of Eng
land. Sucn was Watts, the great poet,
of whom lady said that she admired
the jewel but abhorred the casket. Seek,
then, for a partner in life who possesses
the inner beauties of virtue, truth, and
true affection. Such will cause the
countenance to be all RADIANT, not with
cosmetics, but with that which will abide
amid the stern realities of life.
1t is a mistake to marry simply for
social position. This marrying of sur
rather than of a partner is the
bane of married life. For young man
to marry from such base motive is
simply to add one to the family, but |
that one is often a consummate fool,
and cat and dog life is generally the |
Those who marry simply |
external surroundings deserve nothing
better than a selfish, calculating, design
ing woman, who will shoot missiles of
anguish and sorrow into their souls all
through life. Young men in seeking a
wife should look only at the individual.
qualities, not external circum-
stances, should influence them. A girl
Who helps her mother cheerfully, cares
or her brother and is kind and affec-
ionate to her father is one to make a
owing wife. A young man who loves
nd cares for his sister generally has a
ender, loving regard for his wife. With
ueh there may be glittering surround
ngs, but beneath that is the ring of the
rue metal, which sounds more sweet
nd harmonious as life progresses.
Motives of wealth too often operate in
he selection of life partners. This is
he case in respect to both sexes. ''Did
he marry Eell?' is often asked-that is,
id she marry long, full purse. No
latter how honest, industrious, respect
Die he may be. There are no terms
rong enough to express contempt for
~ two-legged creature who, not having
herited wealth and not having brains s
lough to make it, will go to work with
I'D deliberation to marry it. This hay !
6 one eye on woman and the other on c
9r purse is baseyhypocrisy. Themis- t
cles said he would rather marry his
-ughter to a man without money than 7
money without the man. A true man
res for his wife rather than on her. ?
dependence is the prime idea of true 81
lnhood. Barter this away by living y
your wife's money and you become
nply serf. Il Il
In the practical duties of daily life the
'or creature who married money and ~
s to live on it undergoes a terrible w
lcifKion. Married life to him is any, y"
ng but a paradise. He is always the St
wing sycophant or the self-willed ty- &c
1t, and in either case the difficulty in i,
ases. The trouble was not so much
the act of marriage on his part as in Xxx
motives which prompted it. He did !,
SOW affection, hence he did not reap NJ
but he sowed sordid selfshness
ich produced an abundant crop of
row, strife and regret. am
-oung men, Danish all ideas of marry 63S
wealth Earn it, then you will ap-
ciate it and know how to save it. If 47C
,o,,,,.G I,:.,