The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-08
A SERMON ON MARRIAGE.
Rev. J. B Spiers on Marriage, and the
Sexes Here and Hereafter.

Rev. J. B. Spiers on Marriage, and the
Sexes Here and Hereafter.
Marriage, and the. Sexes Here and
Hererfter." was the subject of Rev. Junius
B. Spiers' sermon at the New Jerusalem
church yesterday morning.
No act of man, said Mr.. Spiers, is the
subject of 90 much light and foolish talk as
marriage, yet no subject deserves more
| serious study and consideration.
Marriage was instituted in Eden, as the
the greatest of all blessings, and It is justly
regarded still as the most perfect and felici-
tous state of life for those who are growing
in the image of God. $50 God created man
in his own image male and female created
be them" Man is both male and female.
Neither male or female taken alone consti-
tute an image of God, but male and female
together. What Is it to be in the image OF
Goda We think Of him as man, a divine
man. He is an infinite Jehovah accommo-
dated to man. Jesus is God because of the
divine essence Of which he was form, aud
man is in the image OF Gcd so far as be i
form Of the divine love, and no fart 0 !
la the second account Of creation woman
Is said TO have boon made from the rib
taken from man while he slept. Man, male
and female, had already been created, and
lived alone with God. Love of self may be
pure or an impure thing. In those limo
cent people-for Adam represents the state
of whole race of people-the love Of living
more Independently. which was an innocent
love OF self, is represented by the rib. This
was made into q love of living
as Of themselves, but from the
Lord. This love was ''helpmeeu"
forman. Thus the Lord, iu ways unknown
TO them, transformed the natural desire to
be independent Of him into beautiful love
OF living as Of themselves, but from him.
Thus, in true marriage, the wife. as a
rib. surrounds the MANS heart and pro.
tects while he gives up his conceit and self
love and loves only, his wife. Woman
is form Of love; man
form of understanding. aMan, as
to every atom of his being Is different from
woman. Duality is the law of the universe,
and neither is complete without the other.
The husband is the understanding, the wife
is the will, and when they are united IN the
Heavenly marriage all the old forms and
tendencies Of the miud,Eas well as the in
herited evils Of nature. are forsaken.
The Lord is careful that no man shall ae-
cept the truth except he can be kept in it
to the end of his life. Should man develop
into high state OF regeneration-should
his will and understanding be joined in
marriage and then separated-a high degree
Of preparation is committed. This is
equally true of the natural marriage, the
browning use of which is the procreation of
offspring. This should be the end in view
OF all marriage-to add angels to heaven,
aad thereby increase its perfection, for the
perfection of heaven is increased with the
addition Of every angel. This perfection
will never be attained, however. 'for the
earth abideth forever"
When q marriage is contracted from pure
motives this is the chief end in view. How
many there are, however, who enter this
holy estate from impure motives. Many
marry and do not desire children. This is
either due to ignorance or natural depravitY.
A marriage from motives of selfish gratihca-
ton merely is conjunction of the evil
will" and false understanding" and can
not be productive of the heavenly principle.
The marriage from natural love does not
take place in heaven. Their idea of mar
riaRe finds q fitting counterpart in the
sensual idea of the Jews, to whom Christ
said: I'm the resurrection there is neither
marrying or giving in marriage"
The marriage. which is analogous to the
union of the viii and understanding in
regeneration. does take place in heaven.
Jesus did not explain this to the sensuous
Pharlsees, for they could not have
understood it. The degenerate man
alone is not fully in the image
Their union is required in the heavenly
home, that taeybfnay be one flesh in the
image OF God. Their procreations are
heavenly principles corresponding to the
offspring of the regenerate mind. The
husband and wife in this world may or
may not be conjugal partners in heaven.
Many remain unmarried in this life, bat
for them, also, is there provided heavenly
marriage. Every angel will know from an
interior dictate who II is that the Lord, in
His great love, has provided for his part
ner,