The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-06

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the laws of God and man.
The Purpose of IL.
Men are sometimes actuated by tbs
willful and purposeful desire to bt
immoral, and. mayhap, they may
come to the marriage altar unsorrow
/ full for past sins. 1t is to prevent the
marriage Of such as these with pure
and innocent women that the minister.
refuse 10 give the blessing of The
Church.
Then others have sinned because
they were ignorant of the results o.
the diseases contracted in moral ways
If they knew they would not for 6
moment consider the possibility of de-
filing the lives OF those whom they
love better than themselves.
Another point which has been con
sidered as reason for the stand taker
Is that the lives of the youth may he
directed, and that they may he aided
TO live up to the ideals and not tc
fall into the sins of the flesh. Rein
forcements hurled into the breach al
the critica moment have saved armies
in numerous cases. and the knowl.
edge OF the results put forward al
the proper time, in the battle between
the ideals and the iusts, will save
many.
"The Church must bold up the
standard ard let them knew hat
II expects them to do their duty"
Numerous objections have been Of
fered against the stand taken by the
thirteen ministers, one of which IL
that the certificates required from the
physician OF the bride. or of some
physician certified by him. are worth
less in practice. Or. Bowie declared
that ii Is true that they are not in
fallable. and 1t Is not expected OF
them. But the certificates will help
prevent the marriage of those who
have purposely lived immoral lives in
the past, and II will call to the atten-
ton of those who have snned
through ignorance the horrible re-
suits.
Answers Some Objections.
"Tho objection that the examination
would be repulsive is without foun-
dation," the minister said. The cost is
not excessive being at the most about
SO, although when conditions exist
which should cause n more exhaustive
examination the cost would be more.
Nor is the examination humiliating.
what reason should a pure man have
of facing test of this kind or OF
giving his future wife evidence that his
life has been as pure as has her own ?
tinuance OF the double standard of
1t is true that men are vastly more
immoral than are women. but there Is
no reason for it other than of believing
that he can do without serious blame
what a woman cannot
"Immorality on the part of men is
not "A physical necessity, although such
is often stated. II Is a hideous lie"
declared Or Bowie at is not natural
that all men should defiIe themselves
In passion and lust Such liz not human
nature; 1t is the nature OF the beast.
Human nature is that nature which Is
tempted by lust and does not succumb.
while the beast nature is that which
Is dragged down and still further down
into oblivion. Weakened viii is what
allows the beast nature to rule and that
will is weakened by questionable litera-
ture. immoral plays and companion
ships.
THE movement Is not ahead of the
times" reiterated the minister. nor Is
1t contrary To public opinion or desire.
Our purpose and our duty is to lift up
the standard of singleness and to have
1t supported by the chivairy of the men
such AS you who are before me. l de-
pend on you to aid in the education of
this standard of purity for men"
Mr.. Bowie has planned a series Of
three sermons for the coming Sunday
nights and has chosen for his general
subject that of THE Message of Chris
tianity to Men of Today" Next Sunday
he will speak on Christ and the Modern
Doubt" the following Sunday on
Christ and Present Temptation" and
the series will close with the sermon
on Christ and the Large Life"