The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-01-23
EARLY MARRIAGES FAVORED.
Duty to Church and Country Neg
Iected by Ambitious Parents.

Early marriage should. as a rule. be
recommended and promoted by those
who have authority and influence over
young people. The mature and DELHI
crate opinion Of great minds i'm the
worlds history has been in favor of
early marriages. Profoundly convinced
that early marriage is the great safe
guard of youth, and the preserver of
purity, they have strongly advocated
the early marriage of young men,
The morality of the Christian the
wisdom Of the philosopher, and the
knowledge of the man of the world,
favor early marriages
Marriage is the only natural. proper
and safe state for the majority of per-
sons living in the world. 1t is a sure
promoter of domestic happiness
only bliss of paradise that has survived
the fall The law of Sparta required
p man to marry when he became Of
age: if he did not he was liab1N -
prosecution. The salutary effect OF
this was seen i'm the superior morality
of the Spartans over the other people
of Greece.
The morality of the people of Ireland
is one of the brightest gems in the
crown of the loved Ireland of sor-
row." the practice of early marriage
contributes in great measure to this
morality. The peTnicious practice of
marrying late in life. which prevails
generally in France, is one of the chief
causes of the righteousness of that gay
and gallant nation. Unfortunately a
tendency towards late marriage has
been gradually growing among the
American people, especially in our
large cities.
This is one of the most dangerous
and threatening signs Of the times. 1t
arises from a love of luxury and dis
play which have oveTSpread the land
and destroyed that simplicity of life
and manners which was once the glory
and strength of our nation.
Parents are unwilling that their
daughters should marry young men
who are not well-to-do. forgetting
that they themselves were poor when.
they married. and that their wealth
has been amassed by long years of
constant toll. Themistocles. when asked
If whether he would prefer to marry
his daughter to a poor man of merit, or
10 a worthless fellow of an estate, re-
piled: Il would prefer man without
an estate to an estate without a man.
The trend, in our country, is to-
wards wealth and titles. Those who
have but little of this worlds goods
seek to be affiliated with wealth, and
those
which are foreign to the tastes of a re-
public. Neither appreciate real worth
The consequences Of marriages ar
ranged by ambitious parents. on this
false basis. have been most lamenta-
ble. Divorces in high society today are
proof abundant.
Daughters are unwilling TO aban-
don a life of east and luxury TO share
the fortunes of young men who though
moor. in material way. are rich in
real worth, and have that which VIII
command success. A foolish young
woman once refused to marry young
man on account Of his poverty. whose
death was mourned by two continents
the noble philanthropist, George Pea |
l,odv. Napoleon III. when in poverty |
IN I.ondon. solicited the hand Of an I
english lady of rank; she refused h1n, |
and his commentary on her rejection /
N his suit was. Madame, you have re-
r,eAd q crown Young women in re- /
rneinr Young men of talent industry |
and virtue, on account of their present
living on the hope OF accepting
worthless young men Of fortune, ire
luently refuse a life OF domestic peace
and happiness. -, - ,-o,,n-
,.o11en is so high that many young
,e,, despair of reaching it. These wo-
r ,,e, have very expensive tastes. that
make ii well night Impossible Tor
nan of humble life to support them
The reason alleged by many youhs
nen for deferrlng marriage is llldt
t,ey connot afford it. When some one
contained on one occasion, to Chiei
',,etice chase that lately young man
e his acquaintance had grown Gym
cal and censorious because he was en-
,a1ed and could not afford to marry
lie remark YVES that ANY young man
rbo can support himself, can support
pife-that is. If he is wise enough 10
oIoct tbe right sort of person. The
hief justice had married when ne was
Dung. poor and unknown, and ms sue
ess began with his marriage.
Many of the young men in America