The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-29
THE SUBJECT or MARRIAGE.
HOLY, BLESSED. BEAUTIFUL wEDIocK.

A virtuous Woman is Crown to Her
Husband-she Will DO Him Good
and Not Evil, all the Days OF Her
Lie. Il
Young men, I wish to speak with
you on the very important subject
of marriage. Without marriage, our
world could not be kept in a virtuons
and happy existence. The voice OF
God, our all-wise and benevolent Gre
ator, is: "It is not good that man
should be alone" Every man, unless
there are plain providential obstruc.
tions in his way, should marry by
the time he is twenty-five years old,
and many men may, and should,
marry before that time of life and
the firm intention to marry should
be made in very early, youthful years.
Such virtuous intention, 80 highly
reasonable, SO agreeable 10 the will
of God, will have powerful influence;
in drawing very young man to live q
strictly virtuous and manly lie,
and will sweetly restain him from any
desire to be in the company OF bad
or worthless young women. Such an
intention will strongly incline him
to be industrious and economical. He
will not wish to drink ardent
spirits, nor use tobacco, nor will he
spend time in dancing or card playing,
nor in visiting theater or circus,
or q race course, or in foot ball, nor will
he wish to join secret society OF men,
for he will plainly foresee If an
intelligent, sensible, virtuous young
man, even if only in his teens
that home, with good wife, will
afford him greatly more happiness.
than the company of men atone In
secret meetings. The love and con1-;
pany of a good, sensible wife is, to-
a virtuous man Of good sense, the,
purest and happiest of all earthly
enjoyment. The marriage institution
is holy, blessed, and beautiful.
And now, dear young men, wish
to fix this truth deeply, indelibly, In
your minds, thst "a yirtuous woman
is crown to her husband" and that
''she will do him good and not evil,
all the days of her life" Remember
that when man marrles good wife,
he has a crown worth greately more
for his honor and happiness, than
the crown of an empire, or the
Presidency Of the United States and
that young man who does not ieel
more Joy and more highly 'honored,
when a good, sensible young woman
gives him her heart and hand at
the bridal altar, than he would feel
to be President of the great Americ-
an Republic, is unworthy of the
affections of such woman for his
wife. Remember, young man, that
with such wife you are immensely
rich, If she does not bring you
dollar !; yes, you will be rich to old
age with a good wife-rich with
wealth, rich with q good wife-rich
with poverty. Remember, God said
before He created q woman, that 'it is
not good for man to be alone" If 1t
would have been good for men TO
live without wives, God never would
have made q woman. He would have
peopled the earth, till the end Of time,
with men only.
Young man establish family Chris
tian altar for life, on the first day
of your marriage, If you are
Christian land If you are not q Chris
tian, be a Christian immediately
Begin with a moment of reverent
silence. Do not read the Bible in
course, from Genesis to Revelation, but
select, such portions as are most
suitable for family devotion. Do not
make it a rule to pray vocally always
morning and evening; for at times, Q
season of devout meditation, or OF
silent prayer, or serious and
tender exhortation, will be better than
q vocal prayer. Let your wife be left
perfectly free to take o vocal part with
YOU, from time to time, as she may
be inclined by the Spirit of God,
and her conscience and judgment.
Be frequent in secret prayer and
thank God in every secret prayer
for your wife, and pray earnestly
and effectionately for her. Prayer for
her will dispose you to love and honor
your wife more and more, as the days
and years or your lives pass away.
Do not expect your wife to be as per-
feet in every grace as an angel In heav-
en-. Remember that, possibly, you
may not be perfect pattern in every
thing wise, and good, and great, your
self.
Every young man and every young
woman, on their bridal day, as
husband aud wife, should unite them
selves firmly and lovingly together
for peace, as the great philanthropic
work of their lives. Let them labor as
"the God of love and peace" opens the
way before them, for "peace on earth"
now, not for peace in a far-distant
millennium" peace by the holy,
mighty power of unselfish love;
and when such love fails if ever, to
''conquer peace" let Arbitration be
q final resort, allowing in no case
an appeal to the sword.