The Washington bee., 1886-10-23

DdpllSt CHURCH, OH ST., Det. ID anu
| n. W., was crowded from door to
pulpit, with Washingtons most in
telllgent aud refined people. Young
ladies came out in their best attire,
old men and women who had past,
over the matrimonial sea, were
still full of their marriage vows.
Young men who had crowded
the isles on account of no seats
being vacant were the objects Of
the beautiful single young ladies.
The first business in order was
calling the association to order by
the president w Calvin Chase, and
the reading of an excellent prepar-
ed set of minutes by the secretary
Miss Lizzie Mason. After prayer
by Prof. W. b. johnson, several
beautiful pieces were rendered by
Mr.. Geo. Foskey, on the organ,
! after which Mrs. w. Calvin Chase
favored the association with solo
followed with another by Mrs.
Drew, who also with Miss Minor
sung duett.
The essayest of the evening was
Arthur st. A. Smith one of Washing
tons most talented young men.
His subject, which has been the
gossip of the week, was
MARRIAGE.
After reading several pages of
olden times in England, Spain,
France sc, He SAID: Let me state,
this subject was not selected by me
for this occasion, on account of any
special familiarity with the question
myself, but for the purpose of get
ting the benefit of whatever knowl-
edge the audience may have, of
the subject through few sugges-
tions which occur to me, at the
same time to bring before the Or
ganizatiOn question upon which
the ladies are equally as we'll post
ed as the gentlemen. In his anec-
dotes he showed love in
France, in England, he related it's
customs on marriage, where money
and meat were paid to make har-
mony sc. The question of marriage
is an old one and has probably
been discussed and decided by
more persons than any other that
has ever agitated the mind Of the
human race. The satisfactory set
Element of it is quite another thing.
Like the question of the future
state of man it has many uncertain
ties and unknown quantities and
unknown to be calculated and con-
tended with many people discuss
the question of the future state of
man and religion ; but comparative
ly few embrace religion as the sal
vation and a far less number are
willing to make practical test of
the question of futurity. But with
marriage it is quite different, every
body of marriageable age discusses
the question and decides it either
one way or the other for themselves.
IO uSClu6 WUtIucI lU Is
A DIVINE
or civil institution whether they
will or will not marry and under
what conditions and ceremonies.
The one being largely contingent
upon the other. That they should
marry for love and marry young,
stay married when once m ,rried,
and live faithfully up to the mar
riage vows is my belief.
THE CUSTOM
of marrying more than one wife is
no where found among nations in
a state of refinement and the rules
of virtue as well as the precepts of
the christian religion which we re-
cognize tends to its prohibition,
where polygomy does prevail the
women are less valued and their
mode of education are calculated TO
keep them in a state of mental
darkness.
AS has been truly said, married
life is the true field for working
out human destinies; and is OF
all others, the grand problem
which only the twain dredly con
cerned can truly solve.
Jerome MalOrd, was the first
speaker to open discussion on the
paper and said no one knows how
sacred it is to love a woman. He
pictured the females above all
earthly dignities. His tribute Was
logical and most eloquent. His
defense of the females was the best
ever delivered by him. There never
was a time'that man should have
two wives; that it is impossible
for him to divide his love.
A. u. Lenard, was the next
speaker, who said that if the men
were as half as good as the womet
there would be more purity in the
community. There was three thing