The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-08

FREDERICK. Md. August N-Thc ser
mon of Rev. J. +. y Coleman. of this
city. on the subject Of marriage has Gre
ated widespread comment Father Cole
man is 10 announce his plans tO increase
matrimony among members of his con-
grggation al the services next Sunday
night and general expectancy is felt as
10 what they may Dee.
Think Of it," said Father Coleman,
discussing the subject last evening. "a
congregation like ours. and you seldom
hear Of a marriage. There is certainly
something wrong H. this. and this is
what ] am going 70 endeavor to rectify-"
Father Colemau's quarters are across
the street from St. Johns Church in the
old Novitiate Buildiug-the building in
which for many years the preparatory
school for the Province Of Maryland and
New York Of the Society OF Jesus has
been conducted. st. Johns Church. as
well as the school, is under the direct
charge Of the superior of the school.
Father O'Rourke. But the active admin
istration of the affairs of the parish are
entrusted To Father Coleman
Father Coleman is a man who is prob
ably on the shady side Of nfty-a tall.
spare figure. with dark hair and eyes. In
rep0se his face is set in serious and some
what stern lines but his eyes light up as
ne talks, and his expression softens into
one of great kindness. But the hnal
and strongest impression made 10y his
personality is his earuestness and sin
cerity Of purpose.
What can ] do for you2" ne asked.
after a word Of greeting.
THAT matrimonial bureau
His face began 10 look grave ''I hadn't
the rem0tost idea. he said. "of getting up
any sensation when / told my congreEa-
tion last Sunday night that ! would like
10 omen a matrimonial bureau in the
church. ! made the remark J0cuIarly and
] think my congregation understood il in
the way J intended they should
1T happens that I have been giving a
series of talks 70 my congregation on the
saCraments. On next Sunday night ! am
TO take UP the sacrament Of matrimony,
and my remark was made when 1 an
uounced my subject for that service.
Yes. ! told the congregation that in a
congregation as large as that at St Johns
there were entirely too few marriages.
St Johns is the only Roman Catholic
Church here in Frederick. you know. aad
we have in our parish about 1900 hap
tiled persons. OF course this includes
ybody-children and all; but this en-
rollment gives us an adult membership OF
at least 500 or 1000 persons.
Now. in a congregation Of that size
there ought to be a couple Of dozen mar
riaEes every year. Up 10 about ten years
ago we had an average Of about eighteen
marriages a year. Now We don't have
more than four or fve-if we have that
many
4 said ! would tell my people my plans
for increasing the number OF marriages
next Sunday night I can't tell you any
thing about them now. FOR the simple rea-
son that they haven't been formulated
have been thinking over the matter and
praying over il. and I am going 10 keep
on thinking and praying until some plan
suggests itself.
"Of course / have some ideas simmer
ing IN my brain. but they are all vague
AMI indefinite as yet. one reason for che
small number of marriages in this parish
! think. is the lack Of social intercourse
among tho young people And some of
my plans viii centre themselves about
ways and means Of bringing about more
! social life. or course any plans that l
may have viii be subject 20 the approval
% my superior. the rector Of the COM
mUnity, Father O-Rourke But ne viii
consent. ] know. 10 anything within the
bounds Of reason and propriety.
This matter Of a falling of IN the
marriage rate. ] feel. is one worthy Of
the most serious consideration Here are
all these young people. some Of mar
riageable age and some of more than
marriageable age. but they are an very
/ backward when il comes 20 marrying
what DO 7 think is the cause OF it, 10
/ may be- that there are more women than
men in the church-that may have some
/ thing 20 do with il. You know in a
! small city like this there are compare
| lively few openings for youug men. The
young men watch their opportunities
/ When a desirable chance comes along
/ they take it and leave for some larger
place. The young men 60 and the girls
stay
/ Then the general Industrial conditions
may have something 20 do with il. But
I down at the bottom OF il aE lies the gen
/ orally prevalent tendency toward uxuri-
/ Gus living. Girls are not satisfied with
/ the simple style Of living Instead or that
/ they look forward To having homes fur
! Uished eNtrayaEantly and elegantly. And
I tine men know they are unable 10 pro-
! vide the luNuries that are expected.
Il am very much in earnest. 1 want
/ 10 do what I can to- bring about NOR,
. marriages mere llaIt'g Ones ] IItaE- . no
/ ones that are entered into with ID iII
! siguiricaucs u what the step means
! would certainly not want 20 eEcour &c
! any other kind.
what the state Of affairs is in the
/ other churches iu Frederick ! do not
] know Some Of the churches have S0cie-
{ ties ia which the young men and young
women meet socially. and this Is what we
need think We have number OF 500
cietioS-th- S0daIity Of the Blessed Viz
/ gin Mary with "a membershi-. of $50: tHs
! Society Of the Infant Jesus and Holy An
I gels. CEildreu's society with Z member
/ ship Of 200, the League Of the E.lcrrd
! Heart n society for young and old with
500 members. and Bona Mors- another 500
cl'tF with about 90 members Eu. 81 OF
at the close % those services the young
people who attend them diSUrrs. without
/ coming together for social inter, curse
! Then We have the Catholic Benevolent
! Legion and the Catholic Beneficial S0ria.
~. both Of them business organizations
for men only.
You noticed the library building arroe,
the street That was ssta bIish..I about
| two years ago It contains nut library
Of 500 volumes. The reading room is =
large. delightful room. u Is well stDckcf
with books and papers, and is DcCUmiul
/ more and more popular with the vDgnl
people all the time The plaa. has good
pos- biujies Tor social purposes. som,
| social gatherings that have been held
[ there already have been very successful -
J Father Coleman's remarks on SUNDAY
night have aroused much g0Dd-uature,
discussion among the young people o
/ the parish. one of the male members o.
/ the church who was asked for IN OK
! preston OF opinion ON the subject wa.
/ quite ready 10 tell what the girls thiuI
I about H. He was "a little more reserve,
| in his statements about the feelings o
/ the masculine portion Of the rDur-rsrr4