Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-04
MARRIAGE A SUCCESS.
Rev. E. E. Donehoo breaches q Ser.
mon in Favor of Wedlock.
WHERE TRUE HAPPINESS Is FOUND.
Dr.. Sutherland Talks on the Incredible
Things IN Life.
TOPICS TOUCHED BY CRY PASTORS

byterlan Church, preached last evening on
the subject, "Is Marriage Failure?" The
text was, Therefore shall man leave his
father and mother and shall cleave unto his
wife, and they shall be one flesh" In the
course of his remarks he said:
"Some people declare marriage failure
from personal experience. They have
made trial of 1t and discovered to
were deIusivc and its promised joys empty
and vain. Others, again, are ready to decide
in the same way from the fact that they
have fully Investigated the question, col
lected statistics and collated facts bearing
on the matter and have been constrained to
the conclusion that it would be better if the
entire institution was abolished, since 1t
only tends to embitter mans happiness and
fill the world with lamentations Others
have nothing to say openly on the subject,
but from their actions they have made up
their minds that they will never allow
themselves to be caught in anv such cruel
trap, since they have seen enough to satisfy
them that marriage is delusion and q
snare. There are still others who seem not
to have made up their minds on the subject.
To Wed or Not to Wed.
'The perplexing question with them is to
wed or not to wed. They would give good
deal to know for certainty how the matter
stands, and whether, if they once venture
upon the sea OF matrimony, they may not
bitterly repent their rash act and vainly
long to get safely back to the firm and inde-
pendent estate of blissful bachelordom.
ia afi1I
for discussion is, is marriage a failure?' If
it is, then those Silly people who are show
ing an inclination to plunge into its miser-
les should be promptly warned ere they
pitch headlong into the fatal whirlpool,
while those who are houndering in the
dreadful abyss should be rescued before 1t
shall be eternally too late.
"The following are some Of the reasons
why think that marriage is not a failure.
First, because 1t was originally established
by the all-wise Creator, who instituted 1t for
mans highest comfort and welfare in this
life. 1t is true that man may and often does
mar the work of God and convert his rich
est blessings into a curse, but it must not be
conceded that God erred in the matter. 1t
was the Lord who gave helDDnate to Adam
and He it was who solemnized their mar
riage VOWS in the bowers of Paradise. He it
was who defined its nature its conditions,
its continuance, its purpose and obligations.
The twain were to be from the moment of
union one flesh and this relation was to take
precedence over all other earthly ties.
Decree OF the Almighty.
at was to be regarded in the nature Of q
contract binding alike on both parties until
dea th should terminate the relation. This
was Gods method OF perpetuating the race
and peopling the world. The man, there
fore, who says that marriage is a failure ar.
rays himself against the sovereign decree OF
the Almighty, and in effect says that his wis
dom is superior to Gods:
second, the history of marriage is an in
dorsement of the wisdom OF Him who insti-
tuted this blessed relation. Wherever it's
nature and obligations have been under
stood and respected, there peace and con-
which to bring to perfection their richest
fruits. Wherever the marital relati has
been disregarded. or its just obligations
ignored, there innumerable evils have
sprung up and hourished, and happiness has
spread Its wings for long flight from the
accurSed scene. GO.
"Third, the arguments so often employed
to prove that marriage is failure are by no
means conclusive. Whenever the snbjecti is
mooted the opponents keep croaking in
nonotonous refrain, just look at the num-
this not show conclnsively what miserable
thing marriage IS? Read the scandals that
are thus laid bare, OF domestic infelic-
sy fbs osy Of
of husbands or wives who have
hesitated at nothing short of
murder to free themselves from hated
bonds?' conceed that if one would spend
their time in the divorce courts, those OF
Chicago for Instance, they would naturally
conclude that the crying evil OF to-day Is the
celebration Of nupsial ties. and the one
burdened humanity, is the precious docu-
ment with the broad seal of the court upon
1t, which sets the two belligerent parties
free to follow out their inclinations without
fear or favor.
Az NJ
IT do not deny that there are parties who
enter upon this relation who ought never to
have done So and that 1t would be better
for all concerned that they should be separ-
ated, but this docs not prove that all mar
for yourselves how many unhappy mar
riages have passed under your own expert |
ence. feel assured that you can enumerate |
on your fingers all the marriages in which |
the divorce was the proper remedy. When |
you have made the enumeration and |
added to it all the married couples |
whom you have good reasons to suspect /
do not live as happily together as they
would have done separately, You will dis
cover the sum total when compar red with
the multitudes whom you see living har-
10 OoO The men who drift into our prisons
cannot trace their misfortunes to the in
fluences of married life, but rather to the /
fact that they proved unfaithful to their
privileges and blessings which were assured
them in tho married state and cruelty de-
serted the woman whom they had sworn to
love. honor and cherish. 1t is not marriage
that draps men down and converts the earth
into pandemonium, but the folly and greed
and licentiousness of wicked men and no
less wicked women who cast reproach upon
Heavenly Father established for the well.
being and perpetufty of the race"