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Show Marriage Is a Cure for Selfishness. Anything which wil leradicate one of the worst elements in human nature selfishness is a good thing and there :s nothing which will accomplish this so effectually as a congenial, happy marriage. mar-riage. Selfishness is a marked fault of the singie life. Not long ago a very brilliant young man asked me why he should consider the question .of marriage. He was making money and could do as he please. He could have anything he wished; company when he wanted it, or solitude when he preferred to be alone; there was no one to dictate to him what he should do, no one to criticize; and he did not like the slavery which comes from being bound for life. In other words, by remaining 'single, he can live a life of ease and luxury without working hard; whereas, if he had a family, he would have to work very much harder than he does and to deprive himself of many luxuries which he now enjoys, besides the taking tak-ing upon himself of Immense responsibilities. responsi-bilities. All these things he regards as sufficient excuses for not marrying. This young man considers everything from h:s own personal standpoint, the standpoint of his comfort. He has developed de-veloped colossal selfishness without knowing it; and selfishness never brings the best out of one. It has always failed as a character developer. Selfish people are never large, noble, magnanimous. They strangle their character in the bud before it blossoms out into the beauty and fragrance of manhood. There is nothing which crushes development of the highest and noblest human qualities like living wholly, fcr oneself. ' . Now I do not criticize people for not marrying, but I do Insist that most people are Ed constituted that they do not develop their highest their noblest qualities when single. It does not matter mat-ter how unselfish your ideas or how-generous how-generous and charitable you intend to be, if you are living alone you are likely like-ly to fall into the chronic habit of always al-ways thinking about yourself, your comfort, your likes and dislikes. You are not at all influenced by having to" consider- some one else in your plans, t you do not have the advantages which come from giving up your own little petty preferences so that another may have more pleasure or comfort. It is always a question of your own conveniences, conven-iences, your own comfort. |