The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-24

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christian church and uuitedly lighting the
good fight Of faith, singing Am a Soldier
Of the Cross" etc. We cOmmingied our
tears together in the chris. ian warfare and
service Of the captain of cur salvation.
a YOUTHFUL GROOM.
Your readers will not, l trust think we
have made IL point to ego for revenue
only" and may illustrate that by saying
IN ny most palmy matrimonial days l have
IN many instances rejected no- few couples
on ace unit OF eng too young or some
other good reason. A fine looking V ing
couple gave me 4 call for union purposes.
| 1 asked one of the usual questions, Are
you Of agsW The young man said, Il am
not ll5e 81" Then | said, You must ex-
cnse me for not going on with the cere-
| mony. Had you Id me YOU were 81 from
your mature manly looks l would have
thought You were fully q, and [ would
have been free to have married you, but
now know you are not, 50 | decline. lie
SAID, Cannot 60 away AMI come back in
, an hour and tell you l am 21s [ am pre-
pared to pay you very literally for 1t"
told him l could not, he must 20 else
where or remain single for the present.
could not in this or any other case ''sell my
blrthright for mess of pottage." He said: Il
| bet you I'll tel the next minister | go TO that
am 81" | presume he did, and | presume
the knot was tied.
AN IRATE BRIDE.
VIE give another somewhat amusing
| case 4 couple called on me t. wait on
| them in this important matter. l declined,
because had some knowledge Of the young
| lady. | was sure she was not of age. and
hence said to the party l decline. / did
| So IN the most gentlemanlY manner, and
presented her with beautiful volume, a
small book, religious book that | was in
tie habit of giving along with the certfi-
| cate She was intensely angry, and she
| threw the book furiously at my head and
said: II did not come to get book, but
husband and my marriage certificate, and l
am very indignant.
They were beat on being married. They
went to another minister, were married,
and her mother was bent on prosecuting
| Tie clergyman. | knew the mother aad
minister both. l tried to be a peacemaker
| between them, and it is likely did the good
minister valuable service IN the case. So
far as | know 1t turned out well. After all
the furor, divine providence often brings
! good ont OF apparent evil
| All throu my long administration
have tried to be careful, and yet i'll one case.
| it seems, ! was deceived. A lawsuit fol-
| lowed, but | was vindicated. I was engaged
week beforehand, the party came in broad
| daylight, a witness came with them, they
were married, aud somewhat more than
| year afterward l was prosecuted and really
lried before Judge Pierce, now deceased,
and a jury Of my c)untrymel. 1t was
unfavoraOle t. her parents, who sued me,
that they were s. late bringing this action.
! Inc bride was as true to me as the needle to
! thu pole. With ner smiling young babe in
her arms she was asked: why did you
deceive the ministerFn
THE BABY SAVED HIM.
She replied: 1--WE were determined to be
married; we wanted this minister and no.
body else to perform the ceremony. and I
knew if told him my right age he was to }
much of a gentleman to unite us, hence |
did deceive him." The sweet babe
seemed to be looking right into the faces
and hearts of the jurors, and when the case
was given them they quickly decided in
| favor of the clergyman, and the prophe'5
| words were verified: "A little child shall
lead them" A little thing sometimes de-
cides case in court; for instance, recently
a little chicken In a great trial saved mans
life.
BY the license law that went into effect
Oct. l, 1885. was heavy loser, for | had
a wonderful prestige in that matter of per-
forming the marriage ceremony, if moth
ing else. All classes II people, more or less,
came to me-professional gentlemen, law
yerS, p Ysicians, ministers, police officers,
merchants, mechanics, farmers. etc. From
1860, when the law requiring marriages to
be recorded went into effect, on to 1885.
The health office will show a wonderful
record, of which l need not be ashamed. II
the four years, 1883, 1864 1865, and 1866,
not less than $40 couples we're married,
believe | reached my altitude
iu 1867. and united 161 couples in one
year, among the rest a Chinaman to an
American lady. On this hesitated until j
took legal advice, which [ did from Attor-
| II NrIlb a fria of
man, DR.. Lamdin, whom l had married,
sent this Celes ial to me with letter of in
PRODUCTION, and | have every reason to be
lieve it was happy union. This Chinamau
" as said to be rich This heather man
with his queue nearly two feet long hanging
down his back, did not neglect to bring
along a 81 greenback with which to cheer
the minister. Persons of many nationalities
have called on me to perform this ceremony.
TniS was greatly the case during 1876, the
centennial year. In September of that year
there were tweaty-one marriages performed
at my residence.
BIGGEST WEEK ON RECORD.
But the greatest single week of my life
in TINS matter was the last week of Septem.
Der, 1885, the last week of the existence OF
the old law. 1t "was the last rose of sum
mer,n especially the lest day. From early
morning until midnight the cry was made,
Behold the bridegroom cometa." My
hands, my heart, my head and my pocket
were all full. That was "the great day OF
the feast" Nineteen couples were Marie
during the week.
Since which time, though may have hat
my proportion with other gentlemen, al
honest confession is good for the soul, they
have been like anges' visits, few and fal
between" They have crossed over to Cam
den, n. j. Is this right and honorable
strictly! Ought we not to be married under
the laws OF the state for the sake of our OWL
int est, where we expect protection in all
respects, and for other mighty reasons!
ut is a long tide that never turns.
Already bill has been introduced into the
| legislature of New Jersey, now assembled
in Trenton, on this subject; if passed, it will
be salutary and prevent much evil.
Should not The license law GA this subject
be similar especially in the two SIS er
states, both so close tog sther geographically
and also among the thirteen original states
Of this glorious republic? This holy es tatC
"Chrlst adorned and beautifei with his
presence in Ca Ia of Gailee.' and is COM
me ded Of st. P III TO be honorable among
all men; and, therefore, is not by any to be
entered into unadvisedly, but reverently
disc eetly, aud il he fear of God"
As ministers, may ne ever have a higher
motive IN view than the compensation in
silver or gold, aad be able from the heart
ever 10 say to parties ming to us:
Tf,.-E ~ al. L., ID, ,,,st.