Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-21

could not make a loaf OF bread to save
her life will swear to love and keep him
in sickness and in health. A Christian
will marry on atheist, and that always
makes conjoined wretchedness; for il
man does not believe there is a God he
is neither to be trusted with a dollar nor
with your lifelong happiness. Having
read much about love in cottage, peo-J
pie brought up in ease will go and starve
in a howell. Runaway matches and elope-2
ments nine hundred and ninety-nne OUT
of a thousand Of which mean death and1
hell multiplying on all hands. You see
them in every days newspapers.
Ciergymen Left Defenseiess.
Our ministers in some regions have no
defense such as they have in other re-
gions where the banns must be Previous
ly published and an officer of the law
must give certificate that oil is right,
so clersymen are left defensoless and
unite those who ought never to be united.
Perhaps they are too young, or perhaps
they are standing already in some do
nestle compact. BY the wreck OF ten
thousand homes, by the holocaust OF ten
thousand sacrificed men and women, by
the hearthstone of the family, which is
the cornerstone of the state, and in the
name OF that God who hath set up the
AdAhuy lhhNilullVl anu VIM hdln uIuuo
the breaking Of the marital oath the most
appalling of all periuries, l implore tho
congress Of the United States to make
some righteous, uniform law for all the
states and from ocean to ocean on this
subject of marriage and divorce.
Let me say to all young people, before
you give your heart and hand in holy
alliance use all caution. Inquire outside
as to habits, explore the disposition. scru-
/ tinize the taste, question the ancestry and
/ find out the ambitions DO not take tho
heroes and the horoines of cheap novels
for a model Do not put your lifetime
/ happiness in the keeping Of man who
/ has reputation for being a little loose in
morals or in the keeping Of a woman who
/ dresses immodestiy. Remember that,
while good looks are a kindly gift OF
/ God, wrinkles or accident may despoil
them. Remember that Byron was no
more celebrated for his beauty than for
his depra witty Remember that Absalom's
hair was not more splendid than his
/ habits were despicable. Hear it! Hear
/ It, The only foundation for happy mar
riage that ever has been or ever will be
is good character.
Ask the counsel Of father and mother
in this most important step Of your life.
They are good advisers. They are the
best friends you ever had. They made
more sacrifices for you than any one else
ever did. and they will do more today for
your happiness than any other people
Ask them, and, above all, ask God.
used to smile at John Brown of Hadding-
ton because, when he was about to offer
his hand and heart in marriage to one
who became his lifelong companion, he
opened the conversation by saying. LET
us pray" But have seen so many ship
wrecks on the sea Of matrimony | have
made up my mind that John Brown of
7 IladdingtOn was right A union formed
in prayer will be a happy union, though
sickness pale the cheek and poverty emp
ty the bread tray and death open the small
graves and all the path of life be strewn
! with thorns, from the marriage altar with
its wedding march and orange blossoms
clear on down to the last farewell at THAI
gate where Isaac and Rebecca, Abraham
and Sarah, Adam and Eve, parted. And let
me say to you who are in this relation, IL
You make one man or woman happy you
have not lived in vain. Christ says that
what he is to the church you ought e
be to each other, and if sometimes,
through the difference of opinion or diff
ference of disposition, you make up your
mind that your marriage was a mistake
patiently bear and forbear, remember
ing that there is glory In the patient
endurance of a sad yoke. Life at the
longest is short, and for those who have
been badly mated in this world death
will give quick and final bill OF divorce
ment written in letters of green grass
on quiet graves. And perhaps. my broth
er. my sister. perhaps you may appreciate
each other better in heaven than you
have appreciated each other on earth.
ausrreIs to BE Avoided.
In the Farm Ballads" our American
poet puts into the lips of a repentant hus-
band, after life OF married perturba-
ton, these suggestive words:
And when she dies wish that she would be laid
by me,
And, lying together in silence, perhaps we will
And il ever we meet in heaven would not think
il queer
II we love each other better because We quarreled
here
And let me say to those of you who are
in happy married union, avoid first quar-
rels; have no unexplained correspondence
with former admirers; cultivate no sus-
picions; in moment of bad temper dc
not rush ont and tell the neighbors, do
not let any of those gadabouts of soci'
ETY. unload in your house their baggage OF
cab and little tattle; do not make II ar
invarable rule to stand on your rights
learn how to apologize; do not be sc
proud or so stubborn or 50 devilish that
you will not make up. Remember that
the worst domestic miSfortunes and mos'
seandalous divorce cases started from lit
. tie infelicities. The whole piled up train
OF ten rail cars teleScoped and smashed
at the foot OF an embankment 100 feet
: down came 10 that catastrophe ty get
ting two or three inches of the track.
Some of the greatest domestic misfor-
. tunes and the widest resounding divorce
cases have started from little misunder
standings that were allowed TO 20 on and
,, go on until home and responsibility AMI
religion and immortal soul went down in
the crash
.. Fellow citizens as well as fellow Chris
tianS, let US have divine rage against
J anything that wars on the marriage state.
! Blessed institution. Instead Of TWO arms
10 fight the battle OF life, four; instead
OF two eyes to scrutinize the path of life.
four: instead of two shoulders 10 lift tho
. burden of life, four; twice the energy,
twice the courage, twice the holy ambi-
: lion, twice the probability of worldly sue
cess twice the prospects of heaven. Into
that matrimonial bower God fetches two
souls. Outside the bower, room for all
Ill IT, m