The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-03-21
SACREDNESS OF MARRIAGE
ALTAR.

At the North Avenue United Pres.
byterian Church, North avenue and
Payson street, Baltimore, the pastor,
Rev. DR.. Thomas c. Atchison, recent
ly preached on "The Marriage Coven.
ant" choosing as his text, Matthew
xix, 6, "What therefore God hath join.
c1 together let no man put asunder.' u
Rev. Atchinson said, in part:
marriage is divine institution, es-
tablished by our Lord while man was
in the Garden Of Eden, and, like the
Sabbath, it has survived the fall, and
to those who mutually enter into its
solemn covenant and faithfully keep
it's sacred VOWS it will he perennial
fountain of blessings. Our Lord, while
here on earth, sanctified wedding by
his blessed presence, and it's relation
ship is likened by the Apostle Paul to
the mystical union which exists be-
tween Christ and His church. The
bliss and happiness of the marriage
union is to be found only in mutual
confid ence, affection and fidelity. The
home is the place nearest Paradise on
the earth, or it is the direst and dark
est desert land of which we can i'm
aeine.
''In some parts of our country to-
day efforts are being put forth to prove
that the marriage relation is mere
civil contract, a mere business part
nership. But away with such no
ton! Marriage is a divine institution,
ordained and established by God Him.
self, and has for its authority the seal
and stamp Of high heaven; and its
sanctlty, sacredness and true happi-
ness will only be appreciated and ac-
knowledged as we accept its divine
ness.
'Around the maria &c altar God has
thrown the most solemn and sacred
sanctions, and yet we all very well
know that it is an institution that is
being much DETAINED and trlfed with
in these later days. Socialism, Nor
monism and polygamy, in some quar-
ters, have been trying to turn this earth
into Turkish harem, or Salt Lake
cesspool. The marriage institution
was intended for the happiness and el-
ovation of our race, and yet in some
circles today an attempt is being made
to make it nothing more than business
contract, and to be terminated at the
wish and whim of the parties. Look
into the daily press and learn the facts
and figures of the divorce courts, and
it is enough to cause every Christ-lov-
ing man and Christ-loving woman to
blush for shame
"The number of divorces granted
today and the number of marriage
VOWS broken ought to cause every low
cr of truth to rise in his might and
power and speak out plainly and un-
mistakably the teachings of Gods
word on this heaven giving institution.
Down along the march of the centu-
ries history makes plain to us that un-
belief in every age has aimed its most
deadly blows at the family hearthstone
and dripped its most poisonous teach
ings amid the flowers of the marriage
altar. Dear friends, let US from the
pulpit and from the pew, from the
press and from the platform, and from
the home and the workshop, elevate
the marriage altar and give to it that
place in our hearts and lives which
God gave to it in the Garden of Eden,
and with which He has sanctioned it
down through the ages. The social
malaria of these times is false idea of
matrimony, and as result, the curse
of society today is easy divorce. Far
too many people today have their
heads SO filled with wrong and sickly
sentimental notions of the plain, old
fashioned and heaven ordained institu-
tion of marriage that they are not pre-
pared to assume its life e-binding obliga-
tions. The 'misfts' today at the mar
riage altar very frequently result from
hasty and thoughtless engagements.
When young people go into an engage
ment for life as carelessly and with as
little serious thought as they 60 out to
the park on a picnic or down the bay
for an afternoon of pleasure, surely
they cannot help but expect to pay for
their folly in bitter tears of sorrow.
And sometimes these engagements are
made in defiance of parental authori-
ty.
Young woman, listen to what your
mother has to say on this most import
ant move in all the journeys of your
life, and, young man, listen to parental
advice. and weigh carefully and well
the step you are about to take before
you assume the sacred and tight bind
ing obligations Of the marriage coven-
ant. 1t is no play-day affair this thing
of becoming man and wife. Life in the
home is not all "a merry go round 1t
means grave responsibilities and far
reaching duties. The most tremen-
dous place between the cradle and the
tomb is the marriage altar, and those
who stand there assume responsible
ties and shoulder obligations of wond-
rous range and power, and yet this