The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-09-23

unOcrstalus ina IT ne Eoce into that
relation there is no possibility Of his
getting out. or no probability. He
would be more slow to put his neck in
the yoke. He should say to himself:
Rather than a Caribbean whirlwiud
with a whole feet Of shipping in its
arms. give me a zephyr OF felds Of sun
shine and gardens Of peace
Rigorous divorce law will also hinder
women from the fatal mistake Of mar
rying men TO reform them. Ifayoung
man, by Is years Of age or 20 years of
age, have The habit Of strong drink fixed
on him. he is as certainly bound for a
d~runkand's grave as that a train start
ing u from the Grand Central depot
al eight O'Clock tomorrow morning is
bound for Albany. The train may not
reach Albany. for Il may be thrown
from the track. The young man may
not reach a drunkard's grave. for some
thing may throw him OF the iron track
Of evil habit. But the probability is
that the train that starts tomorrow
morning al eight o'clock for Albany will
get there, and the probability is that
the young man who has the habit of
strong drink fixed on him before 2s or
80 years Of age will arrive at a drunk
ards grave. She knows he drinks, al
though he tries to hide 1t BY chewing
cloves Everybody knows he drinks.
Parents warn; neighbors and friends
warn. She will marry him; she will re-
form him. IL she is unsuccessful In the
experiment, why, then, the divorce law
will emaneipate her. because habitual
drunkenness is a cause for divorce in
Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, Connecti-
cut and nearly all the states. SO the
poor thing goes to the altar Of saeri-
fee. II you will show me the poverty
struck streets in any city, l will show
you the homes Of the women who mar
ried men 10 reform them. In one case
out Of ten thousand il may be a success
full experiment. l never saw the sue
eeSsful experiment. But have a rigor-
u divorce law. and that woman will
say: IF | am affianced 10 that man, it
is for life, and if now, in the ardor Of
his Young love and | the prize to be won,
he will not give up his cups, when he
has won the prize surely he will not
give up his cups" "No. sir; you are al
ready married to the club. and you are
married TO that evil habit, and SO you
are married twice, and you are a biga-
mist. CO."
A rigorous divorce law will also do
much 10 hinder hasty and inconsiderate
marriages. Under the impression that
one can be easily released. people enter
the relation without inquiry and with
out reflection. Romance and impulse
rule the day. Perhaps the only ground
for the marriage compact is that she
likes his looks, and he admires the
graceful way she passes around the ice
cream at the picnic! 1t is all they know
about each other. II is all the prepara-
ton for life. A man not able TO pay his
" board bill. with not a dollar In his
possession. will stand at the altar and
take the loving hand and say: "With
all my worldly goods thee endow." A
woman that could not make q loaf Of
bread to save her life viii swear TO love
and keep him In sickness and In health.
A Christian will marry IN atheist and
that always makes eonjoined wretched-
ness; for IL a man does not believe there
Is God he is neither to be trusted with
a dollar o with your lifelong happi-
ness. Having read much about love In
a cottage, people brought up in ease
will go and starve in q hovel. Runaway
matches and Opponents, nine hundred
and ninety-nine out of a thousand Of
which mean death and hell, multiply
ing on all hands. You see them In every
days newspapers.
Our ministers In some regions have
no defense such as they have in other
regions where the banns must be pre-
viously published and an officer Of the
law must give a certificate that all is
right, so clergymen are left defenseless
and unite those who ought never to be
united. Perhaps they are too young
or perhaps they are standing already
in some domestic compact. BY the
wreck Of 10000 homes, by the holocaust
Of 10000 sacrifices men and women, by
the hearthstone Of the family, which Is
the corner stone Of the state, and In the
name Of that God who hath set up the
family institution and who hath made
the breaking of the marital oath the
most appalling of all p~erjurles, l i'm
plore the 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 out
side as TO habits, explore the DISPOSE
ton, scrutinize the taste. question the
ancestry and find out the ambitions.
Do not take the heroes and the heroines
Of cheap novels for a model. Do not
put your lifetime happiness in the keep
ing Of n man who has a reputation for
being a little loose In morals or In the
keeping Of a woman who dresses i'm
modestly. Remember that, while good
looks are a kindly gift Of God, wrinkles
or accident may despoil them. Remem.
Der that Byron was no more celebrated
for his beauty than for his depravity.
Remember that Absalom's hair was not
more splendid than his habits were
d~espicable. Hear III Hear III The
only foundation for happy marriage 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 anyone else
ever did, and they will do more to-day
for your happiness than any other peo-
pie. Ask them. and, above all, ask God.
/ used TO smile at John Brown, Of Had
dington, because, when he was about
TO offer his hand and heart in marriage
TO one who became his lifelong compan-
ion, he opened the conversation by say
ing: "Let US pray" But l have seen
so many shipwrecks on the sea OF mat
rimony l have made up my mind that
John Brown, Of Haddington. was right.
A union formed In prayer will be a
happy union, though sickness pale the
cheek and poverty empty the bread tray
and death open the small graves and all
the path Of life be strewn with thorns,
from the marriage altar with It's we'd
ding march and orange blossoms clear
on down TO the last farewell at that
gate where Isaac and Rebecca, Abra.
ham and Sarah. Adam and Eve, parted.
And let me say TO you who are in this
relation. II Won mike one man mr. yVom.