The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-07
shnuIan.t sar "obey.

TeW YORK sun
The Rev. u. Halsey W. knarp, the
pastor Of the Central Baptist church,
was very outspoken in his utterances
regarding the mach discussed word
said the genial and eloquent clergy
man. ssFo- ~ years | have never
made use OF the word obey when
performing a marriage service except
once. That exception was N the Gaze
II nv daughter, who. when she was
married. requested me 10 depart from
my rule In the matter and insert
obey In the ritual used. Why
she did so Il more than | can
tell; nevertheless | listened TO her
wf@lte*. and accordingly she promised
30 love, honor and obey in due course.
/ object TO obey for many reasons
In the first place, while 81. Paul GER
taEnly tells wives TO obey their hus-
hands. I take il that he meant the
Obedience 10 be more OF 4 spiritual
than OF a literal kind. The apostle,
deeply ver-ed as he was In all the
affairs OF life. would never have been
| guilty OF the absurdity Of insisting on
a bind oiledienee on the part Of one
human being To the behests Of another
person possessing nature fun OF the
frnilties and weaknesses Of humanity
| The thing Is improbable on the face Of
| IL. Imagine to yourself woman OF q
refined and sensitive mind locked 10 4
man Of low modes OF thought and
coarse tasfs and vulgar habits. How
can one No peryert the law of God and
! the cauons OF common sense rs 70
believe that scriptural basis can be
found for compelling that woman 10
render an uuquestioning obedience 10
the wishes Of the man she calls hus.
band7 II n woman Is 4 God-fearine
believer in temperance. is she to go 70
a saloon 20 purchase a pot OF beer be-
cause her selfish husband desires her
to do so7 Or Is a woman TO set aside
all her personal convictions la regard
10 religion or personal purity, or what
not. simply because the man to whom
she l. unfortunately mated Is an athe-
Isl or OF corrupt lief Yet these are
| the logical conclusions Of the obcdi-
ence theory. The fact Is that mar
rage. II IL be anything worthy OF the
name. Is n reciprocity of obediences.
The husband viii respect the wishes
OF the wife and viii be careful not TO
run counter 10 her desires. The wife,
on the other hand. viii be anxious TO
please her husband by strict obsery-
ance Of unwritten laws and By an al
fectionase study of his tastes. And
so the parties to the union will never
be arrayed one against the other, and
consequently there will not arise the
necessity for either husband or wife
10 strive for mastery"
But II the marriage Is not Of this
ideal nature. what them"
Then | say God help both. In
this case. II either husband or wife
eonscientiously believe themselves TO
be tn the right. they must act in that
connection. let the consequences be
what they may. When an unhappy
issue like this arises I say to the wife.
Follow no superstition of obedience.
but do that which your conscience die
t8tes as being ia accordance with the
laws 81 God. | believe that the dis
Ike that many women have 20 the
word obey arises not from n natural
tendency on the part Of women To
rebel but rather from sense of the
injustice Of the imposed condition. |
have with amusement repeatedly OBJ
served women who. when being
married according TO the ritual
Of the Protestant Episcopal church.
nntter TO themselves as they
pronounce the obnoxious word.
or draw WY mouth, or en-
neavof 10 substitute another word in
iss place. In after lie they viii boldly
tell their husbands that they never
promised 20 ohey him. And s-vsrv
sensible remark. too. | grant that 4
man has larger -;;ssstion al respossi-
l. ~ tlssf- Woman, bat fail 10 see
how his brings with ID right to conn
mand and the expectation a being
obeyesi. | am glad that there Is aris.
lag public interest In the matter. and
am equally glad that the Standard.
asoss y opening up its pages 10 the
discussion OF the subject. | am as.
s1red hat nearly all women ana the
greater proportion OF the other sew
val BE willing 10 exparga'e obey ana
III that Il brings vi IA IL. /"
~. Bchrends. pastor Of the Central
CONGREGATIONAL church, will sneak on
he subject TO morrow.