The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-14
REV. DR. MASDEN'S SERMON
PREACHED AT FIRST METHODIST
 CHURCR LAST EVENING.

"Marriage, or Formation of Homc," Was
 the Theme-Marriage Not Romance or
 Contraot-Speculative Tendency and
 Fancy Should Not Govern the Entering
 Into Marriage Relation.
 At the First Methodist church last evening Rev. Dr, c. P. Masden, the pastor preached an interesting sermon on Marriage, or Formation of Home" The text was Genesis ?, 24: 'Therefore shall man leave his father and mother, etc."
 Dr. Masden said that the founding of home as well as the building of churches has an intimate relation to civilization and Christianity. There can be no society without marriage and no civilization without homes.
 Marriage is not a romance or a con tract, but supreme affection between two pure souls, indicating it is Gods will that new home be founded The home instinct is well nigh univer- sal. Beasts have lairs and birds have nests. Most animals have a single mate. This is natures proclamation of the importance of home.
 Marriage has been the subject of | fitcion and song until we have popular false views of this sacred relation, and it is the mission of the pulpit to correct these false views of marriage which are putting out the fires of honor in 1 Ieo ,str, It stone cold and unhappy. Marriage must be lifted out of the realm of chance, of fancy or eXpediency into high social, ethical and spiritual rela- tions. Consequently only purity and virtue can stand in royal robes at this altar.
 | The marriage relation should not | be formed by the speculative tendency. Marrying simply for money, when the affection is feigned and false, is will lainy. To gamble with cards, to bet on horse races and bid for pools, is decent in comparison with this dia- | bolical custom of specuating with a woman's heart or marrying a man for wealth or position. Who was it Jupi- ter won in a shower of gold? Who ever 1t was, marrying for wealth is its modern type.
 | The marriage relation should not be formed by mere fancy. Sentiment is ! good if cooled by philosophy. Ro- Lance is desirable if mixed with pru- dence There is a vast difference be- tween fancy and love Socrates says there are two Venuses, one celestial who presides over spiritual affections and the other terrestrial who excites gross desres.' The history of love has been the struggle between these two divinities, There are examples oi this pure affection. Pliny says his wife loved the immortal past of him. Cornelia, the wife of Titus Grachus considered his marriage continued af- ter his death and she refused the hand of Ptolomy, king of Egypt. Dante, by the adoration of his departed Beatrice was redeemed from earth. Michae Angelo kissed the hand of Vittoria Colonna and regretted he had not kiss ed her cheeks when living. Under the dying pillow of Washington Irving was found lock of hair and a minia ture. The marriage relation should not be lottery, but founded on ac quaintance. Nasty marriages are no generally happy and are not prudent The worst of each other should bt known before marriage Friendship and acquaintance and associat atior should be the heralds of love Tht marriage relation should harmonizt with conscientious duties in life. Henc, John Wesley had a domestic he'll Hi: call from God drew him in one direc tion and his angry wife pulled him fl another. Goethe fancied Frederika 1T the groves of Sessenhein and called her a wood-nymph, but in Strassburs salons she became a peasant
 Marriage is not a contract, a fancy or lottery, but a supreme affection between two pure souls. The suprem affection must have three characteris tics, viz, personal and hence opposed to polygamy; pure and opposed to for nication, and perpetual and opposed t divorce. Only God, who governs, cal dissolve. The bridal altar is as sacre, as the throne of prayer, and blessed are they who stand there as true, pur and perpetual lovers.
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