The Washington bee., 1909-07-03
EILL NOT UNITE
PHYSICALLY UNFIT
Rev. Dr.. Il s. Johnson's Strong
Uterances On Subject Of
IlI-Advise1 Marriages.
POVERTY MARRIAGES BISAPPa0yED
Boston Pastor Discouraaes Mating
on insufficient EaruiEES.-Those
with Communicable Diseases, In
herited or Acquired, should Re-
main Single.

3Uston, Nass.-.'I VIII refuse 70
marry. persons afflicted with con-
sumption or any hereditary or com
municabIe disease if I have personal
knowledge of such ailments exist
ms ana am also opposed to mar
rying divorced people. except in the
case OF the Innocent party" said
Rev Dr. Herbert s. Johnson, pastor
Of the Warren Avenue Baptist
I Church. IN this city.
Il do not tnink it advisable to
marry yOung,coupIes who are in poor
Circumstance. believe, through
observation and cc zaltadon. that
prospective bridegroom should
have an earning capacity of at least
SO q week before he should con-
sider the matrimonial venture. This
statement, Of course. does not ap-
ply in all eases. for there ere always
exceptions. but / think the union Of
/ persons in the middle class ia this
+ country, who are in poor clrcum-
stances, creates nothing but a he'll
on earth.
when ! made the state-,aut some
time ago from the pulpit Of my
church that ] would marry any cou-
pie that wanted to ger married IL
they did not nave the marriage fee,
my remark was a facetious one. made
half in jest and half in earnest, but
viii gladly perform the ceremony
for any unfortunate couple that
might have sinned. free of cost. II
they apply to me and give evidence
Of good faith. It is a piuable sight
IN large city to see a young girl
carrying a babe on her arm without
a husband to show his love- or g
father to provide for her and her
offspring.
''I was, perhaps. led to make the
statement that I would marry all
such couples thar applied to me
through a case that came to me not
long ago Our church is SO situated
In the heart of the city chat practi-
ability is cur chief aim. [ became
interested in q youns gif Who had
sinned. and I appeared in court IN
her behalf She was dressed in
mourning and carried her babe on
her arm Tt developed that when
her aged mother learned OF the sin
! and disgrace of her daughter. she
committed suicide by throwing her
self into the river And that is why
I 1 stand ready TO help uplift the sin
ners that are making a struggle to
live an upright and honorable life,
and our church viii assist them in
every reasonable manner, such as
finding employment for the husband,
etc.
Now as to the marriage of young
girls and fellows In meagre circum-
stances. There has been and is con-
stantly being brought to my atten-
tiou cases Of hasty marriages when
neither person is in a financial con-
dition to warrant their marriage.
Fifteen dollars q week Is little
enough to defray the expenses Of
home with It's furnishings. its doc
tors and nurses bills, the support
Of children and the mite that should
be given to charity by all Christ
fans. OF course, when / place the
weekly salary at SIS / refer. only to
the middle classes, that IS Irish-Am-
orleans, or those Of Anglo-Sax0n ex-
traction, and so forth. l don't refer
to the lower class OF people from
/ Europe who can exist on much less.
And IN regard to persons afflicted
with tuberculosis or other diseases
of a hereditary nature TO which man
and woman are subject, It is my be-
lief that a man or woman uDfortu-
nate enough to be effected with COM
muniCabIa diseases should be uuself-
ish enough when they are aware Of
these diseases existing to be content
to merely love the man or woman
and not ask one 20 have whole lives
blasted. It is a terrible thing to
have children born into this world
with the faint Of disease upon them.
Yet there are q great many mar
rlages IN this country In the course
Of the year when one or the other
Of tire contracting persons is a vic
tim OF some communicable sexual
disease, and Is the cause Of much
misery and the loss to the United
States Of millions Of dollars
Il wiz not marry persons whom I
know are afflicted thusly, and II
there is any suspicion in nay mind
I win ask them frankly about the
matter a man should be as unself-
fsh and sacrificing in such matters
as the soldier or the fireman or the
hundreds Of other heroes, and It is
their duty TO humanity as Well as
10 their country that they cast aside
all thoughts Of marriage when they
know they are unified TO become
husbands and fathers.
"I have steadfastly refused to mar
~ divorced persons, unless in the
cases of the innocent persons. There
are innumerable cases OF innocent
persons being divorced through no
fault Of theirs and they shculd not
he COMPELLED to suffer for the sins