The Washington bee., 1909-07-24
WILL NOT UNITE
PHYSICALLY UNFIT
Rev. DIR. II. S. Johns2z -.s.r,x
Utterances on St.Sp~cs of
Ill-AdviSed Marriages.
POVERTY MARRIAGES DISAPPROVED
Boston Pastor Discourages Mating
on insufficient Earnings.-ThOse
with Communicable Diseases, In
herited or Acquired, Should Re
main Single.

Boston, Mass.-'I will refuse to
marry persons afflicted with con-
sumption Or any hereditary or COM
muniCable disease if I have personal
knowledge of such ailments exist
ing, and l 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
Church, in this city.
81 do not think It advisable to
marry young couples who are in poor
circumstances. l believe, through
observation and consultation, that
a prospective bridegroom should
have an earning capacity OF at least
SIS week before he should con-
slider the matrimonial venture This
statement, Of course, does not ap-
ply in all cases, for there are always
exceptions, but l think the union OF
persons in the middle class In this
country, who are In poor circum-
stances, creates nothing but a hell
on earth.
When ] made the statement some
time ago from the pulpit of my
church that | would marry any cou-
pie that wanted to get married II
they did not have the marriage fee,
my remark was facetious one, made
half in jest and half in earnest, but
I will 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 pttiable sight
IN a large city to see a young girl
carrying a babe on her arm without
husband to show his love, or q
father to provide for her and her
offspring.
Il was, perhaps, led to make the
statement that l would marry all
such couples that applied to me
through a case that came to me not
long ago. Our church is so situated
in the heart of the city that pTactt-
ability is our, chief aim. I became
interested in a young gir who had
sinned, and l appeared in court In
her behalf. She was dressed In
mourning and carried her babe on
her arm. It 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
1 stand ready TO help upIift the sin
ners that are making a struggle to
live an upright and honorable life,
and our church will 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-
stantIy being brought to my atten-
tion cases of hasty marriages when
neither person is In a financial con.
dition to warrant their marriage.
Fifteen dollars a week is little
enough to defray the expenses of
a home with its furnishings, its doc
| tors and nurses bills, the support
| of children and the mite that should
be given to charity by all Christ
ians. OF course, when I place the
weekly salary at S15 l refer only to
| the middle classes, that is Irish-Am-
ericans, or those OF Anglo-Saxon ex-
traction, and SO forth. / 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 q man or woman unfortu-
| nate enough 10 be effected with COM
! municable diseases should be unself
| isk enough when they are aware Of
these diseases existing to be content
to merely love the man or woman
and not ask one TO have whole lives
blasted. 1t is a terrible thing to
| have children born into this world
with the taint Of disease upon them.
Yet there are a great many mar
/ riages IN this country IN the course
Of the year when one or the other
Of the contracting persons is q 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 will not marry persons whom l
know are afflicted thusly. and If
there is any suspicion in my mind
I will ask them frankly about the
matter. A man should be as unseif-
ish and sacrificing in such matters
as the soldier or the fireman or the
| hundreds Of other heroes, and 1t ls
their duty to humanity as well ss
to their country that they cast aside
all thoughts OF marriage when they
know they are untitled to become
| husbands and fathers.
q have steadfastiy refused to mar
| .ry divorced persons, unless IN the
cases Of the innocent persons. There
are innumersble cases OF innocent
| nsrsons being divorced through ne