The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-03-16
Communicated.

Mr.. EDIToR:-In your issue Of March ed
you tell the story of young woman who hes
itated to 60 on in the ceremony that would
have made her wife, because she did not
wish to ayow obedience" to her husband. 1t
was only when the matter was placed before
her in its proper ligst;" that it was an aidIe
and imperative FORM" by some married wo-
men present. that she consented to allow the
ceremony to proceed. Poor little thing. Poor
married women! Worthy disciples all of their
Washington trousered goddess. Now it is in
defense Of that word @obey," and also in de-
fense of home prospective brides who may
not be SO fortunately(?) surrounded by worthy
matrons, capable and willing to explain away
the antiquarianisms of the marriage service
that write.
The term "obey" has but one meaning,
whether used religiously. politically, jurldl-
caily or otherwise. Before priest or poten-
tate. police judge or preacher, @obey," in the
highest Interpretation, in this case the only
Interpretation of the term, is the willing ac-
ceptance Of state of beng in conformity
with absolute right. A mechanical temper Of
mind, obedience to mere custom, outword
impulses rather than inward spirit, recogniz-
ing no higher law than the opinions of others,
no higher authority than that which drives the
galley slave, is not obedience, is not ito obey"
1t is simply slavishness, making of ones self
an echo, machine, freed shaken by the
wind" straight staff bent in the pool"
The development of mind illustrates the
case in point very nicely. We are born into
state of lawlessness. A child knows moth
ing about law, it has no notion of law: it is
a little savage, very lawless; volatile; gaseous
rather than solid. Little bv little it begins to
learn law, natural law. AS of heat, by burns;
of gravitation, by falls. In society it learns
other laws, of school, state, society. If these
laws are obeyed the man Is called moral; if
disobeyed he is immoral. Now custom has
made different standards of morality, but con-
science, the voice of God, has but one stand
ard. 1t is absolute. Hence will do what is
right, not because of any outword authority
father or mother, legislature or society And,
to go further, not even because my own con-
science demands it, and not even because it
is the law of God; but because God, the great
Lawgiver, is love, no longer "must,"I no
longer merely obey, wish and desire to con-
| form to the law, to have that law part of my
life, to be the natural expression of it. This is
obedience; then, truly obey.
The original question. One bride comes to
the minister and says: "Do not ask me to say
obey do not wish to be servant of my
husband; l am his equal" Another bride
comes and ''obeys." Not that she wishes to
be servant, not that she is not her husbands
equal. but because reverence and love are al
work, desirous to make her life one with his
She looks up to him and wishes to have all
her life run in the channel of his noble life.
And SO the child looks to and beyond the
parent, SO the citizen looks to and above the
statute. 1t is one of the awful disappoint-
ments of life to find our trust and confidence
violated; where we look for man to find a
thing; but true obedience demands high
standard. May we men not be found want
ing, then the brides may not be found
hesitating. Ed.