Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-19
WORK WHILE YE HAVE THE LIGHT,
Christians.
BY LEON TOLSToI.


| Christian marriage is not possible unless man
: Is inspired by love for his fellow creatures and
! the person whom he takes for partner must in
the first place be the obi ct OF this brothery af-
lection OF man for his fellow IS it is out of the
! question to build house unless foundation
| has been laid, or TO paint picture unless you
have hrst prepared the canvas or other material
upon which you propose to paint it, carnal
love can never be lawful, reasonable or en-
CURING unless as it is raised upon structure of
love and reverence of man for man. Only on
ms basis IS 1t possible to establish wise Chris
tian family life
still II is not, confess, quite clear to my
mind why the marriage you term Christian
should exclude tina: species of love for woman
kind which Paris felt.''
u do not suggest that Christian marriage
Goes not admit exclusive love for one woman ;
on the contrary it is judicous and holy only
when such love is one of its elements But
what l should like to bring out with degree
OF ciearness equal 10 the importance of the
point is that real exclusive love for a woman is
possible only when the more general love for
all mankind is respected and maintained intact.
Inat description OF exclusive love for woman
which the poets sing and proclaim excellent in
itself, although not founded upon tho love of
uan Tor ms fellows, does not deserve the name
OF love. II Is animal lust which very often
loses itself in hatred. The best proof of my
thesis that what is usually termed loye-Eros-
changes TO oeaStllness when not resting the
broad OASIS OF crothery affection for all men, is
the case In which violence is employed against
the very woman whom the ravisher processes to
love even while causing her pain that wall retain
be said TO cherish affection for person whom
he thus fortunes? Now in Pa gan marriage one
frequently finds cases OF masked violence VIZ en-
man marrles a girl who either simply does not
love him in return or loves another and ruth
lessly intiicts pain and suffering upon her
simply that ne may appease the brutal appetite
II grant all that interrupted Julius ''but
am TO take 1t that iflthe girl does love him. it
follows that there is no injustice in the matter9
IL SO, DO not see in what respect Christian
union differs from a Pagan marriage -
Il am not acquainted with the details OF your
own marriage, replied Pamphilius, ''but it is
perfectly obvious 10 me that every marriage
wherever aud whenever contracted, at the root
of which lies mere personal ENJOYMENT cannot
out prove an abundant source OF discord, just
among animals or auong human beings who are
but little removed from the mere animal stage
without breeding quarrels and fights; each one
Is eager to seize upon utbit. and as there is
not enough such delicious morsels for them all
the result is scramble and fight. II the
quarrel does not actually break out into active
hostiiities, it is none the less real for being
latent. The weak individual longs for the lus-
cious morsei, conscious though he is that his
more powerful neightors wi never cede IL 10
him, and although he discerns the impos Utility
of snatching it from his rival by force still he
ewes him with secret envious hatred and Is ever
ready 70 proht by any favorable op aortunity that
onerS to deprive him of it 1t is just the same
with Pagan marriages, only that the results are
iar worse IN degree, owing TO the circumstance
that the coveted object is . human being. and so
discori and hatred are engendered between the
spouses themselves
And how do you propose to compel the in
lenoihg spouses to love each other and no one
else besides? In every case the Young girl or
the young man will be found to love some one
else, IN which case, according to you, marriage
Is lmpossoIe. From this clearly perceive that
Ihe people who maintain that you Christians do
not marry at all, are quite right. This is also
me reason why You are single and will probably
aver remain SO. For how is 1t conceivable that
, man who msrries a girl should have never pre-
Tiously infamed the heart of any other woman,
'r that girl should have reached the age OF |
maturity without having ever awakened the |
ceiling OF love in the breast of any mani What |
10 you suggest that Helen should have dones''
Our elder Cyril speaking once of this mat /
er, remarked mat people in the Pagan world, |
Without spending even a passing thought |
ipon their duty OF loving their fellow |
nen, without having ever done anything to ed |
lcate such o feeiing, are solicitous about one /
hing only, how to excite in their own breasts |
'assionate love. for women; and they leave |
.othing undone to foster this passion It is Tor