The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-11-29
N A r & I A G E.

eQ out TO De SuCn DlunQ6rer ana
showed his incapacity to take care of
himself, and woman had to be made
to keep him afoat, there has been no
other horn to the dilemma for man
than to marry helpmeet and thus
provide himself with an increasing
caretaker. So, too, as the years roll
ed on, it was discovered that women
are not the highest worth who re-
main unmarried. Taking care of a
husband and children in their help
lessness, keeping up food supplies,
looking after the heels, knees and
elbows, which seem to be the princi-
pal component parts of man, and de-
vising ways and means to make the
family circle cheerful and contented,
somehow tend to expand woman's
heart and bring her in closer sympa-
thy with the whole human family and
make her more willing to reach out
and help wherever help is needed.
Thus by her tenderness and helpful
ness is she lifted into the highest es-
TEEN.
1t has been said that women who
have obtained distinction in the world
are all married women, and far as my
observation goes this is mainly true.
I can only count one or to who could
be called exceptions to this rule. 1t
is something of a balm to the weary
wife struggling along with the mani
fold duties a home and family create
to know that she is in frst-class COM
pany, and that the road she is travel
ing was ordained from the beginning
to be the best one for her and for all
concerned. She need not envy the
single woman who has to walk like
Kipling's cat-'' always and always
and always alone" for the single
woman has woes unknown to her.
She had best not try to fathom the
depths of "single blessedness" lest
it be revealed to her that there is not
much there to fathom.
Marriage was ordained of God it
is cowardly and selfish to shun it,
and think by so doing to skip the toll
and trouble allotted to women and
eat our bread and pancakes in the
sweat of some other brow than our
own. We must get married if we
would fill our appointed mission On
earth. The matrimonial market is
open to all, but it is the most uncer-
tain market in the world, and one is
liable to make bad bargains therein.
The laws of the land are against lot
teries, but marriage, which is gener-
ally recognized as a lottery of the first
water, is encouraged, nay, it is even
laid on us as necessity.
If one bargains for horse he may
find himself in possession of a beast
quite unlike he thought he was get
ting, but he has the comfort of know
ing it is not for life. If he has been
deceived he can get out of it honora-
bly,; but if he has been beguiled into
a marriage contract that proves to be
not as represented there is no road
out that is not attended with disgrace
and sorrow. His life is blighted
there is stain on him and his poster
ity that will not bleach out.
Divorces are not made in Heaven.
It is a wonder man dares to marry
knowing the uncertainties attending
the institution. 1t is a wonder so
many rash, thoughtless matches are
made that the outside observer can
readily see will be fraught with un-
happiness. Society can never be
more happily constructed than it now
is until people are purer in heart and
have higher ideal of conjugal duties.
To read the daily news, with all
the sickening details of divorces,
elopements, murders and general
squabbles, one would think that half
the world is at war with the other
half. Not as in the Philippine Islands
or the South African Republican,
with muskets and bayonets, but right
at home, at the family freside, where
there can be no happiness unless the
heads of the family are living in unity
and in peace.
If the world ever reaches that high
Christian standard, "Peace on earth
and good will to man." it must do SC
through the homes. Home is the
place from whence lasting virtues
enanate. And what creates home but
the parents and the children? Ir
the heart of the individual is the place
for reform to begin-there is where
the seeds of love and forebearance anc
kindness and justice must be planted
to yield good fruit. The serious side
of life must be learned at the family
freside. Here young men and maid
ems should be taught the responsible
ties and consequences that attend
founding new homes here they
should have their understanding:
awakened to the fact that choosing {
life partner is one of the most solemn
and momentous duties of life. MAR
rying in haste to repent at leisure
should come to be lost art, but alas
it seems to be gaining ground, if W.
might judge from the proceedings o
divorce courts and family feuds a
spread out in the newspapers of tn
day, which take more prominen
place in our daily readings than th
Gospel of Christ.
The girl who chooses her life com
panion because of beauty or wealth O
attractive manners, and leaves hi
character and habits unconsidered,
laying up for herself storehouse c
uncertainties. The venture may prov
to be satisfactory, but it would be th
exception and not the rule. Ths
man who allows gay dress, sprigh
ly ways and pretty face to blind b
: eve so that he can not see the dept
of frivolity and sel6shness underneat