Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-03-26
OUR WANING RACE.
The Number of Baoholors and Old
Maids Increasing.
Celibacy Becoming FashionabIe and tho
Outlook for the Nexe Genera
tion Consequently Very

!.
Ce'ibacy is coming IN fashion. says
tho Pittsburgh Dispatch. Modern young
Fen and women do not fall in love so
desperately as to rush into marriage re-
gardless Of consequences. With thu
advance of intelligence they are now
more disposed than ever to give the sub
.icct careful consideration. Modern So
cicty gives no countcnance to love In a
cottage and takes but little stock in
sentiment. The blue book Of New
York shows more bachelors than
married men in the ranks of blue blood
and money. Marriage is decried as too
expensive by the members of fashion
able clubs, and when one of their num-
her does fall in love, with wedding as
:, climax, it is the proper thing, as to
style, for his friends to 60 into mourn
ing r. g.EE =. .
Celibacy, in the early days of
Christianity, was esteemed great
virtue. 1t was upheld by the
apostles and holy fathers as q mark of
superior holiness. On the authority of.
tfc Scriptures celibacy was held by the
church to be the genuine condition of
Christian and those of both sexes who
chose a single life took higher rank
from religious point of view than
those who married. In those primitive
times the first marriage of n clergyman
might be barely tolerated, but q second
marriage was prohibited. St. Paul, it
"ill be remembered. was opposed to
marriage first, last and all the timeIand
he especially urged widowers, even
among the lnity, to refrain from marry
ing Il second time. The church, as it
grew III power, became more deter
mined to enforce cclibucy upon the.
clergy, and while meeting 4 strong re-
distance for centuries the Roman branch
finally succeeded in this object, willie
the Greek church compromised on the
concession that u priest might marry,
but mover rs n married nan could reach
the rank Of bishop or other high digni-
ties among the lords spiritual. Pope
Gregory VII. put the Gaal touches of
enforcement upon the law Of celibacy
for tho clergy BY Il decree to the effect
that every laynlan who should receive
continuation rom the hands of n mar
Rod priest :.houid be accommodated,
and that every priest who married
should II deposed. Luther is said to
have rc:.rricd more to spite the pope
t.Iua through love of Catherine Won
Fora. Whether this be true or not, he
nct Vhc example, for. the Protestant
"Drgy to marry, although he had as
srt&d q short time before that, though
the Wittcnbcrg people are for giving
ives to tho monks. they shall not force
nnc upon me. I will not be caught in
tho snare"
lint Though since the reformation
marriage amorT Protestant clergymcn
hos been the rule, tho idea is gaining
Ground with many people that cclibacy
is the hest condition for n Clergyman.
Without wife and family to distract
hie mind, they say, he could give his
whole mind and attention to his holy
calling. Others urge that wife in
many instances destroys his usefulness
by becoming n cause of contention in
the church, by other critics it is held
that WEcn naiuistcr--who is but rare
u paid we'll enough to relieve him from
l"cuniarY worricS-marries he gets his
aJ&e upoa the griDdStone, becomes nb-
Surbed in domestic troubles, loses the
cJecrfulnGSS that most becomes q Chris
ti2u aud fails in the spiritual power and
cioquencc that build up the church by
drawing tho multitude. Others contend
That too many ministers wives are like
IRIS. Proudie, who gets her fingers into
I'll tho ecclesiastical pies by virtue of
her power" as bishop behind the scene.
But on whatever. ground tho argu-
n,crt is put it is true that an unmar.
%" clergyman is preferred by many
II nc must marry, they say, he should
haze sense enough to. put IT. off until
Years Of discretion prompt him, to Lei
'Iis affections fall upon woInan will
money enough to Insure him q "goot
living,"' and ;,void any necessity for do.
L#tion parties or charitable gifts u
ITS and new hats. ,.....