Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-22
A DISCOURSE ON MARRIAGE.

Rev. Or. Sutherland Addresses Young
Women in Particular Upon This Subject
He Advises Them to Trust in Provi-
dence Rather Than Powder.
A large congregation assembled at the
Second Presbyterian Church last evening to
hear DR. Sutherland on the subject Of "Mar-
riage," being the third OF his course of SER
mons to young women. He said:
God places marriage and the home at the
fountain of human history. 1t is the Oldest
and most important institution known to
man. We meet with marriage in the family
of Abraham long before the nation OF lsrael
was organized. The ancient pagan world
accorded the first place to the State ana to
it subordinated marriage and the home, ana
You all know the result. Christianity since
the beginning bases itself and all other IN
stitutions on the family. In view of all this
surely the introduction OF the theme Oh the
hour calls for no apology on my part.
What subject can be of greater moment
or more replete with interest than that OF
marriage when we consider its bearing upon
society, civil and religious, or the thrilling
associa tions with which il is invariably con-
nected. The aged are grave when consider
ing its relations and responsibilities, whne
it crowds the minds of youth with the most
fascinating images, and awakens IN the
heart the tenderest emotions. with many
tits only another name for happiness lou
can scarcely find youth starting upon the
tourney of life who can see anything IN the
vista OF wears to be compared with IT, lis
the goal all seem eager to reach, ana 1T is an
admitted fact that some aim to reach IL with
unwise haste. Their views of its response
bilities are lily defined and thelr notions
meager of its dignity and honor.
The candidate for its honors sometimes
revels in the land of dreams and poetic
fancies; and so fond, if not foolish, do per-
sons often become with the VagarleS OF q
lawless imagination that sober reason Is not
allowed to dwell upon its prose, nor temper
the present happy excitement with tne
thought that it may have its trials. How
hard TO convince the anticipant of its joys
that the rainbow-tints with which fancy has
invested welded life may fade in darkness
that the eulogium on its bliss prompted Dy
the efferyeScence OF feeling may be super
seded by the bitterness of disappointment.
Hearts and hands that are joined together
for life by tricks will sooner or later nnd
themselves separated by trials-possiDly oy
trials in court Be what you seem and seem
what you are, and if the young man whom
YOU think you would like to wed-and there
is no harm in such thoughts-lf lie don't re-
spond, console yourself with the thought
that lie is not the only eligible young man
in Gods universe, although he himself may
think so, and that perhaps. after all,
he would not make such Pood
husband-for you at least In other
words, my advice to you young women
is to trr st to Providence rather than to
powder Il use the word figuIatively) to in
cline the heart OF some worthy young man
to yours-some young man who Will nave
the good sense to appreciate you for what
you are and not what you can artfully make
of yourself. True marriages are, we believe,
made in Heaven, and marriages that have
not Heavens sanction and Heavens smile
are more a curse than n blessing 1t cannot
be expected that the benediction from
above will rest upon unions consummated
through deception.