The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-06-29
CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE.

Our age and country in material prosperity wealth
and greatness stand at that sublime heights in which
Paganism stood when it ruled the world, But
in its great material progress it sanctions two evils
which are undermining society and will ultimately
sap the very foundation on which our government
rests, These are disregard for the sanctity and
indssolubility of marriage and total indifference
to religion In Paradise the union of Adam and
Eve was sanctioned by God who wled the propo-
CATION of the human race till the end of time so
that his name might be praised earth. In
crease and multiply and fill the earth" The same
was not only sanctioned but sanctiied by his divine
son who raised marriage to the dignity of sacra-
ment. st. Paul in his letter to the Corentheans
wrote He that gveth his virgin in marriage doth
well. This is a great sacrament, but | speak in
Christ" The Catholic church, following the teach
ing of her divine founder condemned the Mani
cheans who forbade marriage as an unholy state.
st. Chrysostom in defending Catholic teaching,
wrote: eve consider marriage lawful; we also
admire those who forego it." St. Thomas confirms
this teaching "The birth of children fidelity and
the sacraments not only palliate marriage but rem
der it holy" The presence of Christ at the
riage in Cana of Galee sanctions and sanctifes
it as a holy state
a union so holy and ordained by God should be
entered into with pure intentions and a clear con-
science The former was exemplifed in the case
of young Tobias who after his marriage said: "And
now Lord, thou knowest, that not for heshy lust do
take my sister for wife, but only for the love of
posterity in which thy name may be blessed for
ever and ever" The reason assigned by st. Thomas
for the holiness of the marriage state is he birth
of children" This being the primary end of the
marriage life and the effect of which is to bring
down the blessings of God on the true Christian
home what could be said in condemnation of that
terrible prevalent and fashionable crime that is OPP
posed to this, viz, suicide?
A clear conscience means that those entering
the marriage state should be free from mortal sim
Marriage being sacrament to enter that holy al
lance. when the soul is deprived of Gods grace,
is a sacrelege, l. e.. profonation of something
sacred If entered into with pure intentions and
clear conscience its effects, according to Catholic
teaching. are threefold CD 1t sanctifes the love
of husband and wife CD It gives them grace to
bear with each others weakness CD 1t enables
them to bring up their children in the fear and love
of God The first effect, the sanctifcation of the
mutual love of husband and wife is the highest
type of earthly love- st. Paul compares it to the
love of Christ for his church. Husbands love
your wives as Christ also loved the church He
that loveth his wife loveth himself" Its intensity
and the sacrifices that must be made to perpetu-
ate it he incucates by quoting the original COM
mand given by God. "For this cause shall man
leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to
his wife, and they shall be two in fesh.D But
this ideal mutual love and confidence is rarely per-
petuated in modern marriages as reference to our