Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-06-03

THE SUBJECT OF AN INTERESTING
SERMON ny REV. n. n. BIGGER
LAST EVENING IN THE
THIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.


the pastor of the Third Presbyterian
church, preached an interesting sermon
on the topic, Choosing a Wife" and
taking as his text Proverbs 1914: "A
prudent wife is from the Lord" The
sermon is the second of a series Of eve
ming ermons on the marriage question.
The sermon follows, in part:
One OF the most serious and import
ant acts of a mans life Is the selection
of a wife. For this reason only do I
deem it my duty to speak at length
on this subject tonight Too otten is
this looked upon as a sensational
theme. II this be true, then God was
sensational when he inspired Solomon
to write the words Of my text, and more
than fifty other portions Of the Holy
Writ bearing on this subject. For ex-
ample, t"Who findeth a wife findeth a
good thing.'-Prov. 1922. Therefore,
young men, l ask your earnest atten-
ton to a subject, the proper considera-
ton of which will in a great measure
determine the character OF your future
career.
You have now arrived at that age
when in a large degree you must act
on your own responsibility. You find
yourself in the enjoyment Of life, health
and strength, inhabiting a beautiful
world and surrounded by abundant
means of delight and happiness. When
you were a mere boy, you preferred the
companionship Of boys and probably
scorned Or were ashamed to play with
girls. Now, on the contrary, you feel
yourself powerfully attracted towards
young women. Whence, think you.
comes this remarkable change? Is it
not from Him who is the only source
of life and love, and who in his wisdom
has made the two sexes, and made them
for each other? And what could be His
motive in this but the desire to pro-
mote the eternal happiness. of His
creatures?
Before | proceed further, | will take
it for granted that you believe in Chris
tianity, in the existence OF heaven and
hell, or a future state of rewards and
punishments according to the deeds
done in the body. To the unbelfever or
professional profigate, who acknowl-
edges no law, human or divine, | do
not address myself. 1t would be of lit
tie use. | leave him in the hands of
the living God, who will surely call
him to account when he least expects
it, if he does not repent.
The fact that, on arriving at the age
of completed manhood, you find your
self attracted to the companionship of
young women, you may take as a notice
from God that the time is approaching
when it will ,Behoove you to look about
for a maiden whom you ear love with
pure affection and whom you believe
you can make happy as your wife. My
advice to you is to attend the voice of
God thus addressed to you; or take the
consequences. BY this | do not mean
that in a reckless manner you are to
Immediately plunge into the matrimo-
NAL relation, but do mean that it is
time for you to begin to seriously re-
fleet on the serious question and study
the laws and conditions Of a wise choice
of a young companion for life. Every
right-minded young man, on attaining
a suitable age, desires to become a hus-
band and father; and the prospect
cheers him in his trial. and nerves his
arm to greater and more persistent
labor than be would be willing to un-
iertake for himself alone. He is look
ing forward to provide for others far
bearer to him than himself.
God has not made us angels at once
but he has placed us in this world of
probation where. associated with our
fellow human beings. we may form our
characters and be gradually prepared
for our eternal home. To assist in this
preparation, there are often peculiar
circumstances when one of the other
sex-a better half, to whom we can
without reserve unbosom ourselves, is
beyond comparison preferable to one of
your own sex. To each sex God has
given qualities suited to meet the wants
as we'll as to enhance the joys of the
other. For this reason it was spoken
in Genesis: 1T is not good for man 10
be alone"
Our text says thu. a Iradent wife
Is from the Lord" This Icing .rna, Il
ia not hard for us to conjecture Wh,:e
an imprudent wife comes from, Now.
the first thing that we learn from this
text Is that in the choice of a wife you
should seek divine guidance. l know
that many people laugh at, yet, even
scott at the idea of praying over this
question. About fifty years ago, when
Martin Farquahr Upper, the Eng
fish poet, urged men to prayer before
they decided upon matrimonial asso-
citation, some people laughed. and many