| Show THE RELATIONS OF LIFE THIS THE institution of marriage dates from the existence of the human race if age and antiquity entitle anything to veneration it must be most venerable its perpetuity is unquestioned its necessity is that for which all else was created there Is 18 no preparation on earth that will bring man to a celestial home without a union as contemplated by this divine sacrament the man is not without the woman nor the woman without the man in the lord it is an institution ordained by the eternal council for the life of mortals the elevation of humanity and the unspeakable joys of infinitude that council made no mistake in its provisions for the happiness of mankind if there is any failure in any instance it is because the conditions are wanting on the part of those who engage in it the all important question is hat are those conditions so 80 essential to the nature and wants of intelligent creatures 1 firak love is the presiding genius that t fats enthroned over au all the hap kineps pin essof of man that love which over rides des all the angry billows of pason which stays the tide of wrong whish oni works no ill III to neighbor the love that is an eternal bond the love of 01 godany union formed in the rel 1011 B of the sexes without this element enaena ena ent is lacking in the conditions oi of real fes happiness momentary pleasures may be had in the gratification 01 passions passion but they axe are all aU fleeting they e not entitled to the appella enof of happiness or even joy such as 88 spirit qi can approve or recognize au all such on is of the earth earthy and such must perish there is here no power over evil or passion merely their indulgence and gratification the relation of husband and wife without mutual love can never be a happy relation marriages of mere convenience are positive sins directly against the instincts of our own moral nature and we cannot violate them with impunity god has made love the cord by which to draw two human beings together and by it to make them one hence when this love does not exist marriage is against the canons of human consciousness and the divine law the good alone can excite love in the mind rightly trained moral deformity cannot excite it that only produces loathing hence minds need to be trained to read the bad in human character so that the good may never become involved in this relation with the bad where mutual love is absent there never will be that mutual forbearance which is so indispensable to the happiness of so intimate a union it is this love which precludes conflicts since love is ever eager to yield on either side and end all strafes by that sweet token through which spirits blend together where mutual love prevails such a conflict can never arise so as to become a knot to be cut and not resolved not until one or both have refused to be guided by the divine law and have violated it since that law tends to harmony concord and peace where the divine law is set aside there is no other law for them than that of nature the law of the strongest if the good and bad are found united then the good must yield all but daty for the sake of peace when a violation of duty is required the continuance of the union becomes an impossibility and the parties must separate because of this important fact that two cannot walk together unless they be agreed the law was given under the gospel dispensation that the believer should not be un together with the unbeliever this law has haa been renewed in our day with the restoration of the same mine gospel and it is for the peace and happiness of those interested that this law is ia made obligatory upon gods people in any age the experience of many of the youths of zion furnishes unmistakable evidence of the truth and righteousness of this law where parties of different faith are united in this union committed to different rit and ceremonies of oi religious worship it is a union where discord and strife must prevail or one yield to the faith and views of the other A relation formed under these condit conditions ioni can never be a union it is a fearful mockery a living ue lie since the moral judgments of each are am sacred and cannot be violated without sin neither can it be required of one or the other to do what he or she thinks should not be done when the sons and daughters of ancient israel married with the sons and daughters of those who were strangers and aliens to their faith and law they inherited the displeasure of god whose favor was not restored until all such were put away from among the people it is not necessary to pursue the evil consequences of such an alliance not only to the parties directly interested but to their children who could never be trained in the fear and love of god under the influence of a divided faith in a house divided against itaw 11 the relation which consummates the marriage union is clearly a divine one and the law by which it is formed is a divine law under which duties faithfully performed bring mutual happiness to each we are told that all laws have their bounds and conditions the conditions complied with will surely bring blessings the conditions of the marriage law are that they twain shall be one the love of god of moral excellence and virtue and the blessings are embodied in the falness of au all that can be enjoyed of all the happiness the soul of man is capable of receiving and of an endless nature the fact that he who obtain eth a wife lindeth a good thing and ob favor of the lord and that her value to is far above rubles rubies should induce some thousands of the young men of zion to take of her daughters to wife to per perform forn those duties which will enable them to nil fill the measure of their creation and thereby honor the laws of life and that god who is the author of us all it is a condition of the law of marriage that a believer shall not be united with an unbeliever such a union is declared to be unequal and cannot be perpetual saints and sinners cannot become one in the spirit of love the one must become loathsome to the other alienation and final separation are am the inevitable result as evidenced in too many cases where young mothers have been forsaken and subjected to a life of sorrow and regret for having listened to the flattering tongue of the deceiver who like satan in the garden made promises which were never intended to be kept these conditions attached to the law of marriage are in harmony with the wt fact that no woman in the capacity of mother can perform her duty to her children as required of her by him who created her for pose pos and at the same time live in fellowship and union with a faithless wicked man because of this fact which is a perversion of the entire plan of creation all the seed of abraham the house of israel whether by lineal descent or by adoption have ever been forbidden to ingerma intermarry rry with those who were strangers gentiles because of their unbelief and rebellion against gods god Is law this condition relating to marriage was imposed upon israel in all ages for the protection of woman and the honor and safety of the institution it was a fearful time of sorrow and lamentation when all those who had violated this condition and connected themselves allens in marriage mar nage had to be put away from among the people and they and their children cut off from the promises that were secured to abraham and his seed only the conditions of this law are well understood by the saints saint the israel of today to day and few will dare to place themselves outside the terms of redemption by their violation all the relations of life there are none so desirable terminating in such glorious results as that of the family its very foundation is love by which two souls are drawn together and made one in a union that is imperishable when its conditions are am duly honored this union is both of the body and spirit it includes all the powers and faculties that each may possess and is the most perfect in its nature of any thing that can possibly affects affect or relate to the happiness of man it takes in all that is sacred the very essence of all human existence father mother and ho home methe the dearest things of earth are the legitimate fruits of this union in it each is made supremely happy in the joyful task of filling the measure of creation all burdens are made light toll toil becomes pleasure and sorrows are turned into joy by the ginistra min tetra eions of that love which seeks not ito ite own but an another others good the conditions of this family relation are most desirable to every human being who can rightly contemplate the divinity of his nature and this brings me to my christmas proposition which the reader may well conclude must be in accord with these apparent facts the very idea of christmas sug geste the presentation of gifts and every lovers lovera mind must be on the rack in order to ascertain by what token he can cam best give assurance of his sincere devotion I 1 propose to answer this question for the young men and young women of israel in utah and the surrounding country to all such I 1 would say qt it is time you had passed the childhood of life ceased to play with baby toys as gifts to sweethearts and began to auton put the habiliments of manhood and womanhood for the honor and good of your race this suggestion ls is made to not less than from fifteen to twenty thousand of the youth of israel who are trifling with lifes lifers demands and gods designs by neglecting to enter upon the duties of married life it is not only christ chrict bastide but the merriest time of a leap year in which the ethics and conventionalities of society accord to the lady all the privileges in this respect which the ardent admirer claims and rightly so for it is her natural right a right of choice to whom she will commit herself for protection and exaltation choose what token and what way you please to express your admiration and determination but the plain smooth ring of pure gold has been aptly and appropriately adopted as emblem of that undying love which has no end reaching to the eternity beyond as does the marriage vow which is for time and all eternity in its full significance and in all sincerity let it be the christmas gift of the young men of israel to the fair daughters of zion who will accept the pledge and return it with that love which only woman knows let it not be said in israel that woman has loved too well and been betrayed by one who should have protected her you celebrate the christmas advent of gods great gift to man it was the gift of a life the best the choicest the first born from among many love could devise no greater gift with which to secure your love happiness and redemption show now your appreciation of that gift by henceforth appropriating yours to the happiness of another and live in those relations by which you may evidence your love and secure that of the good whether on earth or in heaven life is a reality and demands your most earnest endeavor in the performance of its duties the con which you can fulfil fulfill your duty to woman will secure for you happiness and the glory of dominion and the marriage institution with you will not be a failure you have all to encourage you your parents will help you your country invites you with a liberal homestead and you win will learn leam that he who lindeth a wife lindeth a good thing and obtain eth favor of the lord her price is far above rubles rubies her wealth the wealth of worlds he who is so reckless as to determine to encounter the storms on the perilous voyage of life without the companionship and aid that have so wisely been provided for him is like a ship at sea without ballast or rudder like the captain without pilot or compass S W B R |
