The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-01-25

The unseemly discussion which
certain class of newspapers have
been making conspicuous feature in
their columns of late of the question,
''ls marriage failure?" Is simply a
fresh breaking out of the old and nau-
seous social malady of .'free love" 1t is
amazing that any editor who has either
any regard for the reputability of his
journal or any respect for the welfare
OF society should countenance the dis
cussion of so grave a theme in the
reckless and fiippant style and manner
in which it is treated by the class of
shallow and inconoclastic writers who,
in their anxiety to air their immoral
sophistications. delight to exhibit their
contempt for those things and institu-
tiOns which reasonable and good men
deem too sacred to be assailable.
The man or woman who seriously
asks the question '.Is marriage fail
ure?" is obviously disqualified, by q
lack of ether virtuous or proper ex-
perienee, or of intelligent or thought
ful conviction. from answering or even
discussing the question at all, the very
asking of it being almost proof posi-
tive that the one asking it is of the
affirmative way OF thinking, and that
he or she is of that way of thinking
because of experiences, observations
or theories that are at least superficial,
but more probably the resultants of
the individual folly or viciousness of q
depraved nature. A married life that
has proved failure because the parties
to the contract have had neither sense
enough, mutual forbearance enough
nor morality enough to be faithful to
its obligations is not a just sample OF
the marital institution, is not fair
illustration of modern domesticity,
Is not an exponent of the aver
age family condition of civilized
society. 1t is exceptional and
abnormal A true man and a true
woman, entering into the relations of
man and wife with rational delibera-
ton, with genuine affection, and with
high and pure motives. do not find
marriage a failure. They know what
they are about before they enter into
the intimate and sacred partnership.
1t is on their part not matter of i'm
pulse, of emotion, of money, nor OF
passion, but of mutual and reciprocal
affection, guided and consummated by
the dictates of reason and of thought
full anticipation of all the possibilities
and all the contingencies that are in
volved in the solemn compact. Such
matches are made in heaven, are heav-
enly in their lifelong continuance, and
extend beyond this life into heaven
itself.
Marriage is a failure only when the
man or the woman is a failure in his
manhood or in her womanhood. 1t Is
never failure when the man and the
woman are true TO themselves and to
each other. 1t is never failure where
the feeling and the motive and the
purpose are right. 1t is never fail
ure where true love and honor are the
links of unity. It Is never a failure
where good sense and good principle
lead to and control the relationship.
It is very rarely q failure, in any event,
where children are its fruitage and the
family altar is the center of its daily
sanctification.
Those who sneer and mock at mar
riage are not Gods people; they are
not of those who are the best develop
ment of modern civilizations; they are
not illustrations either of social NOR
Rlity or of sound sense. They are the
froth and scum that foat and bubble
upon the scrface of social life. They
are people of unbridled passions, sem
sual and selfish instincts or shallow
minds. They are not the many, but
the wild and reckless few. As rule,
marriage is not a failure, but quite the
reverse. When it proves failure, it
is an exception to the rule, just as
idiots, cranks. lunatics and moral lep-
ers are exceptional developments OF
human evolution.-Ch Chicago Journal.