The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1903-10-16
SOCIAL TOPICS, NO. 20. i.

MIXING RELIGIONs-BY o. o. WRIGHT.
In all matters of conscience it is of
the greatest Importance that persons
who are about to marry should come
to a perfect understanding and be
thoroughly agreed. 1t is grave mis-
cake to think that because one is con-
scientious he will therefore be reason
able and easy to get along with. The
more conscience the more difficult it is
to agree. The more conscientious one
is the more unreasonable he may be.
Conscience IS simply moral judgement
and each must go by his own. The
quality and value depends upon ones
knowledge, wisdom and the spirit and
purpose Of his life. The deepest, most
persistent, and bitterest hatred grows
out of the offense of conscience.
The strongest natural affections may
not be able to stand against the quar-
rels and contentious of this great moral
and religious arbiter. There is moth
ing better or worse about anyone than
his conscience. This is the umpire Of
all conduct and character and must
control our actions: Before any man
and woman decide to live together,
"for better, for worse,'' it is surely pru-
dent to find out how well they agree
as to the great essential principals
which must guide them at every STEP
Nothing can be more hateful to a
person of good conscience than a
person of bad conscience. 1t is the
sum Of all misery for one whose life is
pure and whose aim is high and holy
to live in the most intimate relations
with one who is false, perverted and
corrupt. And even when both hus-
band and wife are true and good there
can be little happiness, IN the highest
sense, if there is constant clashing Of
theories and standards as to right and
wrong, duty and privilege. IL would
not be convenient nor agreeable for
one who is a meat eater to live with
a Strict vegetarian. I read recently
Of woman who applied for a divorce
because her husband insisted that
they should live on cereals entirely.
A ranting, rabid teetotaler would most
likely make moderate drinker I'M
comfortable at times. And SO it is
best for candidates for the holy estate
Of matrimOny to take careful look
at each others theories of the conduct
of life before they tie up to each other
for the long pull together.
The supreme matter is that of re-
ligion. Whatever you do, or leave I'M
done, you will be obliged to reckon
with God. Whether or not you belong
to church Of any kind; believer or
unbeliever, your conscience is the tap
root of your moral nature, the image
of your Maker is there within your
bosom, the still small voice will be
heard betimes, and it is but sad bust
ness to be without the consultations and
hope of a reasona BILE faith in One who
is able to support and save. "Be not
unequally yoked with unbelievers,
said st Paul. 1t was warning to
Christians not to intermarry or be too
intimate with the heather. For a be-
liver to marry an unbeliever is always
a perilOus experiment. Such a union
at best must lack the most potent ele-
ment of the highest happiness Two
unbelievers may perhaps comfort one
another in their loneliness of unbelief.
or possibly they may lead each other
to feel the need of the consciousness of
God in the world; or they may simply
degrade each other more and more as
to the spirit. To be married in the same
faith and to be members of the same
church is to ill up the divine ideal,
and to fulfill the highest conditions Of
earthly happiness.
Mixing religions has always been a
matter of the most serious conse-
quences. Itdepends upon the religions
and the persons. AS rule the per-
sons become more mixed than their
religions In fact religions don't mix
we'll at all. Better be one thing or
the other and agree to it to start with
Or not marry out Of your own church.
To throw away all religion for the
sake of marriage is horrible infdelity;
20 compromise ones conscience is ter
rble; and to try to mix Oil and water