The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-04-25
Marriage Promotes Purity.

Marriage Promotes Purity.
The family is the oldest and most
valuable institution on earth, it had its
origin in the Garden of Eden, and its
founder was God himself. There is
not an institution on earth, whether
sacred or secular, but had its rise in
the family. The church is but large
Christian family; the state is but an
aggregation of families. The republic
rests upon the union of states, the
states rest upon the family, and the
family upon the respect for marriage.
There can, therefore, be no permanent
condition of human happiness outside
of the family relation. God found it
was not good for man to be alone, and,
therefore, he made woman to be a help
mate for him. By establishing this re-
lation, marriage becomes to man an aid
in the stern conflict of life. Statistics
show that there are three millions of
bachelors in the United States. Liter
ature has little to say of the bachelor,
because he has been of so little import
ance in the worlds history. The word
itself is of obsolete origin, and as we
use it nowadays it may mean one who
has taken his first degree in the liberal
arts, or one who has not been married.
In past ages there were often laws
in various countries for Furnishing the
bachelor; in Rome a heavy tax was
laid upon him; in England a similar
burden was imposed. Our constitution,
in IVA, made it not valid for an I'M
married man TO hold an official position.
There may be good reasons why some
men should not marry; thus, noble sons
who provide for widowed mothers, or
again, some men should not marry on
account of physical or mental debility.
Men who are chemically diseased
should not marry if their diseases have
been brought upon them by their own
vicious habits. Society will have to be
reconstructed on this subject, so as to
realize that woman who has given up
her honor is no less untitled for the
bond of marriage than the man who is
similarly culpable.
Woman needs the strength and cour-
age of man, and man needs the uplift-
ing and elevating influence Of woman.
Another foolish notion that has grown
prevalent is that womanliness and good
housekeeping do not 60 together. Ig-
norance, incompetence and Incidence
have ruined many home; and
many men do not marry because
they feel they cannot support more
than one woman. Why should not
every wife be thoroughly able to
make the clothes for the family if neces-
sary; also to prepare the food and take
intelligent care of the household and
children? Is it degrading sphere for
woman? 1t is nothing but the thought
of fashionable fool! The notion that
our girls are to be reared to womanhood
without looking we'll to the ways of the
household is worthy of every woman's
ridicule and every mans contempt.
| Can woman be certain that there will
never be any need for her daughter to
do these things? When it is a degrad-
ing thing for the father of the family to
work, and strive, and plan to procure
the means of support, then it may be
disgraceful for the wife of that man to
be frugal and sensible, and stain her
lily fingers in dscharging the duties of
her house. Is it mental occupation to
keep forever bright the door of the
earthly side of Paradise? Is it mental
occupation for highminded woman to
do the grandest duties required of any
woman under the sun? Is it mental
occupation to perform those sweet and
humble duties for which God most
fitted woman? Why should a man
marry? Because it will remould his
character; and calculations based on
statistics show that the death rate among
bachelors is nearly double that of mar
ried men.
There is deep philosophy in mar
riage. Marriage leads us out of self;
| hri itieS. bnt
responsibilities are blessings in dis
| guise; they are the anchors of our souls;
take them away and we are lost. If
the relation brings more burdens TO
carry, it also brings more to carry them.
Marriage is the great refining agency
among mankind. Our penilentiary re-
ports show that nearly all criminals are
bachelors. The more married men you
have, the fewer crimes there will be.
The unmarried man is only half per-
feet being, and it requires the other
half to complete him. Richter, per-
haps, puts it too strongly when be says
that man cannot live righteOusly and
die happily without a vile. The
strength of a nation is in proportion to
the number of its virtuous homes
founded upon love. Love is the light
-lHe MAJESTY Vi llles tdhe IL AWAY anu
this world is a barren wilderness.
Love is of such refining and elevating
character that it eXpels all thoughts
mean and base; it is that which bids
us think great thoughts and do great
deeds, and which changes our common
clay into fine gold. 1t illumines our
dark paths with the very light of
heaven; it sends sn ever-stl canning
swell of joy through the household. 1t
shields from mptatiop, takes from life
its disappointment, puts lightness into
the foolsiep, bestows worth and beauty
upon the commonest facts, imparts
power to the efforts of the church, and
gives wings to the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Love, it has been beautifully
said, is like a cathedral tower, which
begins on the earth and rises above
buttress and spire into the air, and
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