The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-18
THE MARRIAGE COMPACT.
DIR. M. SAMFIELD'S LECTURES ON
us MARRIAGE A FAILuREY'
He Contends That With a High Stand
ard OF Morality, Religious Discipline
and Willingness to Sacrifice and
self-Denial, 1t Is Not.

Wildly impressed with the startling dis.
cussion on the question, SIS marriage a
failurer" published in recent number Of
the Westminster Repiew DR.. M. Samfield
rabbi OF the Hebrew congregation of this
city, undertook to deliver course OF lectures
in which he expressed his views concern
ing that momentous question. In his first
lecture the reverend gentleman demon
strated that higher civilization has de-
veloped, higher type of the marital rela-
tons. Evolution teaches the important
I lesson that from the mere promiscuous
! sensual intercourse thousands OF years be-
fore the time OF Noah and Abraham, grad.
ually the higher ideal of family life
rose in the mind of man and woman.
Like the beautiful lily OF the valley, de-
veloping from beneath the BLACKLIST mire
OF alluvial SOIL 10 the higher type of mo.
nogamy evolved from the lower levels of
incest, polygamy and polyandry. ANY
social relation showing such an upward
tendency toward perfection
CANNOT DE A FAILURE.
Failure means retrogrossion; failure indi-
Gates relapse into primitive savage con.
ditions. 1t is not true that man and
woman fell from higher estate of married
lliei the Biblical story OF Adam and Eve
Is but legend, the golden age of moral
perfection is not TO be found in tho past.
but is to be attained in the future.
The second lecture, delivered last Fri.
day night, was prelaced by the following
statement Of the Rabbi: I'm the treat
ment OF the question, is marriage a fail
ure We are now getting nearer home.
and in leaving behind the past and step-
ping upon the threshold OF the present in
taking leave OF the marriage Of Yesterday
and taking view Of that OF today, | feel
that ! am trcading on somewhat delicate
and dangerous ground. However, while
| claim no iniallibllity OF judgment, while
i viii not speak IN ex-cathedra fashion. |
viii, Us ! am accustomed 10 do, take tho
liberty TO utter clearly, simply and
iorcibly my convctions-the resnl, of ac-
tual observations-no matter whether n
lew perhaps who have the cancer in the
heart and the skeleton in the closet vince
and smart when the truth is told and the
real state OF marital relations is revealed.
For better II certainly is when the symp-
toms and causes OF disease are discovered
and treated with prompt dispatch than 10
remain silent and stolidly indifferent until
We let the virus OF infection do It's fatal.
deadly work. believe that, by virtue OF
the logic employed in the delivery OF the
trst lecture, l have given satisfactory
proof that in
THE EVOLUTION or MARRIAGE
mankind has risen from the lower 10 tho
higher conception, from the primtiyescns-
sual motive to the higher type Of marital
friendship which teaches us
"lly sweet experience 10 learn
That marriage rightly undcnioOO
Gives 10 the tender aud the good
Apandlsc below"
81 am fully prepared to shy In the very
beginning OF my discourse that marriage
~ not failure la the MONDAY OF our civ
ilizaticn. that in the aggregate Il is a bless.
ing and a factor OF human happiness. AZ
God intended il 10 be. However am
also forced TO admit that here and therc i'm
certain cases II is made failure aud turned
into curse by mans or yomans fault, by
their indiscrciion, scnsualism and friyolitv
when We rcmcmbcrfrom what low bo.
ginninss this marvellous humanity OF ours
has come; when We remember out OF what
crude, course social relations tho ideal
iamiiy has developed, We should not DO
surprised 10 find that the family ideal IL
only very imperlectIy r'alized ~ yet; and
you must also remember, both for the
sake OF having correct ideas on the subject
aud Tor the sake OF keeping courage In
your own hearts as you look toward The
future, that the social dis0rnnization
and tho marital failures around a.
are not altogether dcgmdations from
higher nor altogether the
result OF moral dcpnvity. They
are rather the impcrfeclions OF an undc. |
Veloped and imperfect growth. They |
the fact that We have come only !
10 the beginning Of that which We hope 10 |
obtain aud which We shall strive 10 realize |
progressively in the future.
Onlya few people comparatively have
east oil the yesligcs Of the primitive condi. |
lions OF the past, but a Tow favored people |
have
BEGUN TO M CIVILIZED
in regard 10 social relations or In regard 10 |
matters OF government aud religion. Civ. |
lliznlion has only dawncd here aud there. |
Neither church nor state has the power 10
create a marriage they can only solemnize
i and lcgalizc H. Man and woman must
lint awake 10 the consciousness tina, mar.
rage Is not only a union Of hearts
md hands. not only social
but union Of mind, /
II moral responsibility, n harmonious
Iusion Of cares, hopes, interests Of both
husband and wife. We have plenty OF
egal marriages, but not all are marriages
IN fact Many n time minister feels
ike being an accessory 10 a crime by pro.
nouncing n man aud woman standing be.
lore him husband and wife. They, NJ
human beings, arc endowed with the
ncully Of foresight and prccognition, but
how few employ II before entering into
hc married statel Ono OF tho causes
nat mako marriage a failure Is that
,omc marry too late. Many men allow
themselves 10 become crusty old bach
'loTs They become confirmed In their
habits, customs, likes aud dislikes; their
'onduci and their opinions become cryslal-
zed; they cease 10 DO plastic and plant
nough 10 adapt themselves TO the lie aud
onduct OF another. some Of these have