The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-08
Birmingham Realty Co.
2118 FIRST AVENUE
MATRIMONIAL REFORM
SCHOOL Is A FAILURE

it is their own. There is an old and
pithy saying that there are but two pay
masters-they who pay not at all and they
who make payment beforehand.
The man who will not forsake his evil
ways and lead a reputable life for the
sake of his own self-respect and for love
of the mother who bore him is scarcely
likely to do so for the sake OF any
other woman, however much he may pro-
fess to love her.
The modern doctrine, which teaches
that love is a disease and counsels its
treatment as such, hardly is new. Shakes
peare says: Love is merely madness,
and l tell you deserves as well dark
house and whip, as madmen do; and
the reason why they are not 50 punished
and cured is that the lunacy is so ordi-
nary that the whippers are IN love, too"
Moreover, Shakespeare is said to have
borrowed the idea from much more an
cient writer.
1t, perhaps is due TO this lack of rea-
son, which confessedly is an accompani-
ment of love in general, that so many
good and pure women are willing to marry
men who have wallowed in pitch, such
as none can touch and not be defiled,
trusting that love for themselves will
wash the black sheep as white or whittier
than any in the flock.
The better and purer the woman, as a.
rule, the more ready is she to assume the
task. Women, most of them at least
are born missionaries, and the protested
ly penitent sinner who confesses to ill,
deeds, many and grievous and in loves
name pleads for helping hand declar-
ing that in this lies his only chance of
salvation, has a better chance with the
best of women than has he who. while
really turning his back upon a discred-
liable past, refuses to talk about 1t. or
to put forth the need of womanly grace
for ais souls salvation.
King Solomon tells us that a good wife
will do her husband good, and not evil,
all the days of her life. But none the
less the fact remains that the reforma-
ton of bad man. by even the best of
wives, is among the most difficult of
human undertakings, task which John
Howard pronounced impossible. saving
by the amazing grace of God"
All of which does not mean that when
a woman has the misfortune really to
fall In love with sinner whb plainly is
repeDtant and who clearly is disposed to
regard her as an angel, she must draw
her SKIRTS aside and pass the other way.
In most cases. almost all, alas. 1t would
be better for her were she so to do a
wise old man used TO say that where
hearts have to be broken, clean, quick
fracture is less painful than slow crush
ing to bits.
But once in while such men are worth
saving, and are truly in earnest about
It. But one should begin the work of
reformation before marriage. and in the
same spirit of prudence which causes one
to wait for planks and for ropes instead
of lesping forthwith into a quicksand to
rescue HIM who is In danger therein
1t il not an easy matter to reform any
one, whether man woman. Few peo-
pie do not object to being found fault
with, and most of us prefer our own
failings to those OF our neighbors. Be-
sides, one may mean we'll yet be too weak
to do well: are we not told that the way
to he'll Is paved with good intentions2 No
man who cannot stand alone is safe
husband for any women and she who en-
deayors to hold up such a one is almost
sure TO be bent, If not broken, in the
effort.