The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-26
PULPIT AND PEW.
NEWS AND COMMENT OF INTER
EST TO CHURCH PEOPLE.

Adjustment of Death.
Child marriage. Infant marriage.
Cradle marriage. Enforced marriage.
What a repetition of words. and how
wearisome these words have become TO
some of u.s. Yet how necessary it is to
repeat them over and over again. in or
der to show how the bsneful custom OF
child marriage preys upon the Hindu
nation: how it effects each individual
and the community at large; and what
wrongs it has done to the people. There
"a no doubt about child marriage being
n comparatively recent Introduction.
there being sufficient proofs to show
that the ancient .Hindus did not prac-
tice IT.
Let us see. first, how the system and
the existing customs of the Hindus az
feet the parents. All parents, as we
know. are entrusted by God with great
responsibilities with regard to the phys
ical. mental and moral welfare of their
children. Among the Hindus. the duty !
of marrying off their children has be-
come paramount. From the time
child is born, the parents, especially the
mother, have TO assume an unnecessary
burden, unknown except among thCse
nations that practice child marriage
For the purpose of securing good bus
bands and wives for their children, they !
avail themselves of the earliest opportu-
nifty to get their children betrothed.
In the case o: n girl, this some |
times takes place on the twelfth |
day after its birth, so that |
the ceremony Of naming aud be !
trothipg may take place on the same |
day. The parents whose boys and girls
are not married before the ages of four |
teen and ten respectively, lose the re
spect of the community. The father
may not care much, but the poor
mother frets herself about the future OF
her child. fearing the contempt OF her
neighbors. She is afraid TO show her
self in the society of her friends, whose
disapproval she has, without any fault
of her own. incurred for not having
done her supposed duty. Many are her
entreaties aud prayers to God to re-
move this disgrace from her child. In
the course of time this condition of
things becomes uDbearable TO both
parents As a suitable match seems
impossible, they are at last obliged to
give away their girl to any man III the
caste who will consent TO take her, be
he blind, crippled, or even insane.
Let us now see how child marriage
acts upon the young couple. The boy
husband, while mere lad of twelve,
has to face the responsibilities of state
for which he is untitled. Very often
he becomes father at eighteen. If he
be still at school, he is Unable to concen-
trate his mind on his studies. He is al
ready distracted by family cares. The
burden thrown upon him is more than
he can bear If he has ambition. it
must be given up. His education must
be interrupted. He must leave school
and seek employment In order to sup
port his family. He must abandon at
once all his boyisb habits. and devote
himself to ceaseless hard work. He has
to maintain, if he can, his family, often
consisting of sickly wife and sickly
children, and to paw the debts incurred
by the marriages of these children.
Frequently, too, he has to pay the debt
incurred by bis father on his own mar
riage.
If child marriage is injurious to a
man, it is ten thousand times more 90
to women. The girl, as a rule, is mar
ried when she is eight years old. From
what she has seen of life in her small
experience, she ihas a great horror OF
going to her mother law. The mere
mention of her name is often enough
to throw the child into fever, and she
tries every possible contrivance to post
pone her departure. She knows only
too well the fate that awaits her. No
play, no amusement, no kind words.
no sweet smiles, not enough food. not
even quiet corner to rest in. Con-
tinually before her there will
be the stern and angry face
of the mother-in-law, who will
find nothing but fault with her.
and punish her in the most
cruel manner imaginable
from slapping to branding
and starving, or beating to death. Her
only consolation is to tell her mother
about TIE treatment she receives in her
husbands house. When the opportu
nifty comes she pours out ali her griev
ances with sobs aud signs in the hope
of getting redress. But, alas there Is
none. The mother has no power TO
help her. The only consolation she
can give is To say 1T was no fault of
mine nor yours that you were born a
woman. But since it has pleased God
10 send you as woman into this
|orld, you must bear it rs others have
done. As time passes you may find
your husband good and kind 10 you.
and then you may feel amply rewarded
for all these present sufTerngs."
To live aud die under the roof of her
husband Is the only salvation for a wo.
man. She may have lived dreary years
under her husbands roof, but she has
not yet died there. AS for living under
1t, the thought is absolutely repugnant
Life for her has not the slightest at
traction. Had she not better secure the
complete salvation as soon as posi-
bley The end is easy. She browns her
self in the nearest well, tank, or river,
or takes a strong dose of opium. Thus
is closed the brief chapter of sorrow and
misery.
The only help for the state Of things
have depicted must come from the
British Government. True, it has un-
dertaken not to interfere with the re-
liglous belief of the natives of India.
But child marriage is not sanctioned by
the ancient Hindu religion. 1t is a
mere custom. With customs the Gov
eminent has, to its credit, more than
once interfered, in cases of iDfanticide,
homicide, and suffice. But far worse
than these three combined is the prac'
tice of child neutrality-suspicious. New
Review.
Greek Churches In America.
Next Saturday October 18th, a confer
ence will be held in Wilkesbarre, Pa.