Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-11-06
A Preacher Among the People.
THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY
WEDDING.

llere are eACepCiOuS, uuI thC iuiV 10
',1e children of this world marry and
are given in marriage. And If at
tended with that seriousness and at |
the same time hopeful and happy |
spirit that should ever be present at
the marriage altar, there are beauty
and grandeur in the confirmation of
the marriage vow. Then it means
husband, wife, home and the most
sacred associations of life. Measure
the distance from that communal re-
lationship of the past in which every
man and woman were regarded as
equally married to one another up to
the marriage altar at which a loving
couple pledged loyalty to each other,
and you measure the distance from
barbarism to civilization:
But, grand as the institution of
marriage is, it sometimes happens that
the road is not as smooth for those who
enter wedlock as they expect to find
it. Unless it has been carefully sur
veyed before the journey together is
commenced, the chances are that soon
after the honeymoon stage is left some
surprisingly trying places will be
found. Occasionally it comes to pass
that tie road is rendered so rough oy
the infelicities of the pair that they
find it impracticable to complete the
journey together.
Such condition raises questions
with which it is difficult to deal in
such a manner as to promote the in
terests of both society and the cou-
pie directly involved.
Regardless of the different theories
Of marriage. l have never been able to
see how general or individual interests
are to be served by compelling people
legally to perpetuate the marriage vow
after 1t has been morally annulled.
In fact, have seen cases N which, the
moral bonds having been broken,
could most conscientiously advise the
severing Of the legal ties. In such
cases it is not the separation, but the
union that is to be ,deplored. The NOR
al 1 would point is this: Consider
we'll before the life journey with an
other is begun.
The best time to get ones bearings
with reference to avoiding the divorce
courts,is some weeks or months before
the marriage altar is reached. And at
that time it is we'll nigh impossible to
exercise too much care.
Remembering that we fail to please
ourselves great deal of the time, it
must be apparent to any thoughtful
man or woman that choosing COM
panion with whom we are supposed to
be pleased the remainder of our lives
is not a matter of small concern.
Most men and most women, too, who
are worth anything at all to this
world have more or less temper-usu-
ally more-and, although the greatest
care may be exercised, it is likely
sometimes to become slightly ruffled.
Then in the child world, little Lord
Fauntleroys rarely exist outside the
minds Of imaginative and brilliant
writers.
These and kindred facts should be
most carefully weighed by those who
contemplate entering upon married
life. But with the greatest Of care
and sincerity. mistakes will sometimes
be made. Now and then it happens
that some pure and innocent Romola is
led to the altar by an accomplished
but villainous Tito, or that some no.
BILE minded man is rendered powerless
for good by the fact that he unwit-
tingly mated with shrew.
1t is in such cases that the much
abused power to grant divorce can be
resolved into blessing to those who
in all good conscience took an ill-fated
step when they went to the marriage
altar. But in a matter fraught with
SO much seriousness Of both an indi-
vidual and social nature, no pains
should be spared to reduce such cases
to the minimum.
To this end young people should
take counsel Of experience and learn
first of all that many of the things
that were Of prime Importance in their
lives up to the time of marriage
should in the very nature of things be
made secondary forever thereafter 1t
does not follow because a young man
gets married that LIE should hate the
things he once loved; but he should
love other things more. When Frank
Narclay proposed to Fannie Smith and
she accepted him, neit..er of them had
carefully counted the cost. Frank
did not realize that the step he was
taking implied giving up in large
measure, old associations and enjoy
ments and the devotion of his time
and means to other things. He imag-
ined that he could take Fannie and yet
toi oil a Of INT