The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-06-01
RULES OF CONDUCT.

Every once in while some attempts to give
the world rule, by which we can measure our
selves, every question of conduct that is likely
to arise. First it's rule as to when to be born.
then how to spend childhood where to be educated
when to be married and why to die, The theories
and conclusions of these rule makers are always
hampered by the knowledge of many instances in
every mans own experience which controvert the
rule and show the futiHty of trying to put the
whole of mankind into one class, with one rule Of
conduct for them all.
When to be married furnishes many rules. One
rule is marry early another not to marry at all
Now the impossibility of conducting ourselves to
meet the requirements of both these rules is so APP
parently obvious that no proof need be produced
Even the makers of these rules can see that follow
ing one must externally preclude any possibility of
following the other Then the rules are so arbi-
trary One leaves no middle ground upon which
the weary wayfarer may daily, but must be made
the victim of the prankish imp Hymen, while the
other stee ones heart forever against the shafts of
the tabled of Venus. No doubt the makers of
rules draw from their own experience to furnish
others with the wisdom which experience only can
give, but the simple PRONUNCIATION of rules so oppo-
site in character these under consideration lacks
every evidence of that experience which would come
to one who assiduously followed both.
Instances are all too plentiful of a long and bit
ter repentance at leisure of hasty marriage but on
the other hand the incompleteness of the life of un
married men and women we'll past middle age fur
nishes quite sufficient evidence that they have not
found the true content which other married ones
claim as the result of their matrimonial alliance.
long time ago Lecky wrote that the early
marriages in Ireland were responsible for the chas-
tity of the and its poverty. No one can ques-
ton that he was rght-a least half right for chas-
ty and poverty have been the heritage of the Irish
nation though the poverty may have other causes
back of it, Since Leckys time there have been
many changes in social conditions and in America
at least the ideal of young men is to provide a
home and then take their bride to it. Not many
years ago when two brave young people took upon
themselves the responsibilities and burdens of home
building, they faced the future with mutual faith
and they together worked out the problems and to-
gether shared the hardships which necessarily fol
lowed. If they regretted their married lot their
regret was swallowed up in hard work. But now
the world with all its boasted strenuous life has
either grown lazy the people have lost faith IN
each other. Men wait for fortune to come to them,
and women wait for men with fortunes to come to
them. At least, so it seems in some cases. The
natural result is that marriage is delayed so that
following the first rule-to marry early-becornes
impossible by the passing of time and the second
rule-to not marry at all-is broken because 'the
way of with maid" remains That happi-
will result in marriages, both early and late,
is the hope of those entering it. Whether men and
women shall marry at all, and when, and under
What circumstances, will forever remain a ques-
ton which two people, and two only, can determine
and all the rules concerning marriage are set at
naught every day by some one defying them or
making one to fit his own particular case So
we have rules and rules and conduct fits into
the complicated or does not fit at all just as
VIC fear God and keep his commandments
Whatever may be said upon those other rules of
conduct, and they plentiful as weeds in the
garden, if happiness is the goal sought, then may
that man or woman be considered fortunate who has
learned to be happy whatever his circumstance
happy in the knowledge that rules made by men to
guide others to happiness are more honored in the
breach than in the observance.