Year: 1866

Rev. MI. r. Gaddis I'm Boston.


Rev. NJ. p. GADDIs has been at the hub to
lecture. His theme was "Love, Courtship,
and Marriage; )" and here is what the Bos-
ton Post has to say: %


The lecture of the Old Bay State course
at fremont Temple last evening was deliv-
cred by Rev. Mr.. Gaddis, a Methodist
clergyman, of Cincinnati, upon the above
named topic.


The speaker introduced his theme by re-
marking that as nation we were standing
upon the threshold of new age and about
to recognize new influences and act under
auspices differing from those of the past
The final tattoo of the rebellion has been
sounded and the flag waves triumphantly
all over the land, and it is time for us as
people to stop and inquire how the fruits
OF these victories may be made OF lasting
advantage to the nation. The whole land
is agitated on the great questions of Union
and Reconstruction but what OF the So
cial and moral condition.? What OF the
duty of the minister and pulpit and the
lecturer in an hour like this? Looking ut
the increase of crime, the rapid develop
ment of vice, the looseness Of our moral
and social organization, the prevalent de-
ceptions of love and conjugal fidelity, and
the sway of intemperance all over the land,
this is truly a time for work. There never
has been in the history of the world a time
when woman was so intimately connected
with the management of affairs as now
Her influence for veal or woe is being
planted in. every pulsation OF the WORLDS
heart. The speaker defined woman as mans
necessity. Without defining Love, he
considered in the truest sense OF the
word the nearest definition to be from
the pen of inspiration that God is
Love. The American people have many
loves, but the Love upon which courtship
and marriage is based is superior to all the
love OF position and wealth. Man to love
Alright must approximate in quality and
degree to the love of his Creator. Court
ship was defined to be the Wooings OF love,i
its origin being in an esteem for and de-
sire to possess the object of such esteem.
The permanent union of one man and wo-
man establishes relation of affection and
interest which cannot be made to exist in
any other way. Without it, man is incom-
plete and imperfect. Domestic love and
domestic relations are essential elements in
the development of human happiness and
progress. The lecturer said that, therefore,
a more thorough education upon this sub.
ject was necessary. Treating at length
upon the way in which cOurtships begin
the speaker then passed to a consideration
of the qualities to be sought for in women
which fitted them for the marriage relation,
and strongly denounced the prevalent ideas
upon fashionable education, He declared
that woman should be well versed in the
household accomplishments, otherwise she
is as unfit to be wife as a shoemaker would
be to navigate man-Uf-war across the At
lantic ocean. 10 many the cOurtship of to-
day consists only ola series of well-studied
mutual practical deceptions. The leading
traits of character which made women as
fitted to become wives were designated as
intelligence, natural and acquired, econO-
my, industry and energy. After giving
advice to the young men as to qualities TO
be sought in choosing wife, the speaker
enlarged upon the duties of men, arguing
that the blessings of home and happiness of
the family depended as much upon the man
as the woman. Proceeding to a considera-
tiOn of womans wrongs, the lecturer was
severe upon the practice of society in par
doning the sins of men, but not those of
women. Society should strip sin of its
mask. The lecturer enumerated some of
the leading traits of character in young
men for which young women should seek
before allowing their advances, as self-de+
nial, energy, industry, economy and benev-
olence. The girls, he said, wanted more
liberty, less restraint; more kitchen, less
parlor; more exercise, less sofa; more
frankness, less cultivated deceit; more
breakfast, less long nap. In concluding
his address, which abounded in quotations,
anecdotes and theatrical action, Mr.. Gaddis
dwelt upon the Bible as mine of truth,
and the Importance of the adornlng of the
mind rather than the outward adorning of
the person. .,,....