The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-12-20

Rev. l.. d. Temple continues to in.
struct the people in the practical
duties of marriage AMI home. Young
people are taking notes for future ref
ereiicc and great many find the
brief extracts published by the ketor.
mer very interesting The subject
discussed last Sunday evening was,
"Marr,acc as a Vocation" said the speaker
"a vocation Is life career into which one Is
called. The word il sometimes usehoi any
sort OF means by which rightly or wrongly, one
makes n living strictly speaking vocation Is
never a matter of convenience but response
to Gods call If marriage Is looked upon as
call from God to serve Him IN the family re-
lation burdens and disappointments VIII occa aston
no surprise when they come. Its 2 solemn
thing TO be married. said a maiden lady, yes
said her li''Ie niece who h ,eare ' Ioem mn
MOI 10 be" Young people seldom think
OF burdens is associated with mar
rage. Disappointment following lharrlase slc
no doubt a cause of broken homes anu divorce
scandals. The greater number OF divorces occur
after three or four years of married ne me
novelty of tho relation anu the fresAnosa %
Youth are then gone Temper and irrltblltE
arise ami disappointmcnts are keen. \ married
couple were sitting one evening after year
existence OF marriage and the wife began laugh.
ing. What are you laughing 1T ut: sara tue
husband. II was thinking" replied the woman,
'.how much like a fool you looked when you
proposed to me" "Ies'' said he witha sigh,
dtsSat sfaCtiOns in marriage lead to separation
and divorce To one who views marriage asa
vocation. these disappointment are taken as q
matter OF course and the family relation Is not
disturbed The Roman Catholic church regards
marriage as Il sacrament, the outward sign OF
an inward grace. That Is n beautiful idea;
The vocation theory of marriage would
improve and preserve the home. The preEa'
lenCe OF divorces Is in part to he referred TO the
notion that marriage is solely 4 matter OF con
yenience to the parties most concerned, In 20
wears from 1857 to 1856, there were 32s, Ilb Ill
vorces granted in this country, IS per cent for
the alleged fault of husbands, "a per cent for the
alleged fault of wives. This is not the limit OF
devastated homes. There are at least an equal
number OF other families where eStrangemeht
and misery reign, but where for various reasons
divorces are never secured. This state of things
| l. not the fault of las, nut of the heart ana
| character of the people involved. The five chief
grounds OF divorce are adultery, cruelty, dcscf.
| ton, drunkenness and neglect TO provide. II all
| who entered into the marriage relation did 1t at
| the call of God, there would be fewer causes OF
divorce and therefore fewer divorces. Mar
| riage is not chiefly for convenience and pleas
| ure. We are no longer children. Let us not
| think as children Marriage is sphere OF life
| into which one is led for the purpose of doing
the Divine WILL rs the general Is led TO war or
the prophet to his ministry. Such view OF
marriage will bring forth better offspring, With
better training, purer affections and better
start in life" The last sermon in this course will
be delivered next Sunday evening.