The Washington herald., 1909-08-08
MARRIES EN- IN BATCHES
Virginia Pastor Thinks Nothing of Uniting Six Couples with
One Ceremony

treme cold has crowded the mercury
down near the zero mark.
An instance Of some years ago Is re-
called when a mountain boy and girl
rode up 20 Parson Borroughs' on mule.
the girl seated on a coffee sack behind
her lover. The youth was clad IN a suit
Of Kentucky jeans and wore a weather.
beaten slouch hat and brogan shoes. and
the girl was gowned in white. with blue
dots, and wore a gutta-percha engage
ment ring.
Pulling On the reins 70 stop the mule,
the youthful mountaineer yelled "Hellog'
The parson came 20 the door.
rs this the place you marry foIks?"
Yes. sir; here's where we tie EN- up
for better or for worse"
How much d yer have for marryin'?"
According 70 a mans purse. sir; would
$3.50 be too much?"
L can beat that in North Carolina %
was the youngsters reply, and without
waiting for the parsOn 10 cut the price.
be spurred the old mule IN the flank and
was OF IN the direction Of the North
Carolina lire.
Usually the minister finds the couples
glad 70 pay the marriage fee. and he fire.
quently receives as much as so from a
happy bridegroom. but now and then
there comes a man, with the poetry and
enthusiasm OF love dead within him-a
widower. usually-who grumbles at the
price.
What's your charger" inquired one OF
these prosaic matter-of-fact individuals
recently. who had just been married for
the second time.
We'll" responded the parson. when
was married. I paid the minister $, and
so good a woman 1 got, I felt that IL
was cheap at that"
NO woman replied the disgruntled
bridegroom. is worth that much"
Then YOU leave her with me" replied
the parson; Il Will pay the fee. now
that I am a widower myself. and con-
slider that I have gained a rare bargain
But the stingy bridegroom cut the
argument short by dropping two silver
dollars on the parlor table and hurrying
away with his bride.
I seldom volunteer advice upon the
subject Of matrimony." said the aged
minister. when questioned upon that sub
ject. "it being my chief aim 10 make
happy the young couples that come 10
nv place by CARRYING out the Scriptural
injunction regarding marriage. I recall,
however. that upon one occasion. by re-
quest, 7 preached upon the marriage re-
/ laton In a tent meeting. I dealt In that
discourse with the sacredness OF marriage
and with the requirements Of the Scrip
lures in regard 10 matrimony-'
| Asked concerning the advisabilitv OF The
marriage OF minors contrary 10 the wish
/ OF parents Mr. Burroughs said. 7 be-
l f~ F,s ~ -l-.r
in accordance with their own choice.
rather than that they should yield 10
\ parental dictatiOn. when that dictatiOn is
] absolutely contrary 20 the wish OF their
Young lives. The record OF my marriages,
/ 7 am sure. viii bear me out In this posi-
ton. Out of 1000 young couples married
/ by me in opposition TO the wishes Of their
parents so far as I have been able 70
/ trace. not more than five divorces have
/ been sought The percentage OF divorces
/ in parent-made matches is very much
! larger. Ny experience demonstrates
clearly the soundness Of my position. and
! feel sure that If parents would be
more considerate Of the desires Of the
, hearts Of their children in so important
/ IA matter as the affections. we should
/ have less and less OF the now growing
evil of divorce.
7 am under bond continued the par
son. 'to perform no Illegal marriage.
Formerly I was permitted 10 marry per-
sons not younger than thirteen years. The
law has been changed in Tennessee so
that the youngest legal age for either
/ bride or bridegroom is sixteen. must have
/ positive proof that neither one is younger
than sixteen before my services are
/ available I have been criticised by
the local ministry for my persistency
IN marrying minors. All 7 have 10 say
in defense IS that I never violate the
law. while 7 do heed the demands OF the
Scriptures bearing upon the marriage re-
lation. With few exceptions my record
viii be found 70 be one OF happy homes
established, OF which trus love and affec-
| tiOn is the secret
And so, through such experiences. Bris-
I tolls veteran parson. with a hotel for the
/ accommodation Of those who come,
dwelling Undisturbed just across The state
/ line from Virginia. is carrying on a per
petual business for which he would be
/ called 10 account under the laws that
exist within less than a stones throw
/ from his door