the benedictions of the Church have been " "justified in the children of benediction"-how universally, even amidst "the troublesome waves of this uncertain world," the peaceful salutations of the ministers of the Prince of Peace, in every house where "the sons of peace" were found, have "rested" and abode there, like a holy, heavenly talisman, controlling the ministrations of we know not what unseen cohorts of angels, but crowning with innumerable and obvious. blessings "the families that fear His name."

When, then, distinguishing mercies are obviously descending evermore on the people of God, as steadily as the benedictions which He has appointed in His Church are ascending to the throne of love; when multitudinous mercies, especially of protection and peace, as a rule, attend the households that wait on his ordinances; when we weigh what pains, what sorrow and anguish, worse than death itself, (for particulars let the daily newspapers testify)-with exceptions, if any inexplicable ones can be found, barely enough, on every principle of human calculation, to prove the rule-have passed over them; when we see them thus, as in multitudes of instances on every side of us we do see them, traveling along their earthly journey for years and generations under the distinguishing smile of Infinite love, who that is not a mad infidel-we say not

in respect to God's holy Church in the world, but we say, even in respect to the Divinely instituted efficiency of prayer itself the sheetanchor of every hope of man-can harbor for a moment the sentiment, that those solemn benedictions are an empty form; or in practical doing, dare risk his own or a dear one's connubial happiness or misery, on the earthly basis of "a mere civil contract," and in contempt of the proffered benediction of the Eternal Father, through the ministry of His Church?

Taking into consideration the declarations of Christ and His apostles concerning the sacredness of the institution of Marriage, it appears conformable to the duty of Christians to connect with the contract a religious sanction and prayers for the Divine blessing. Where the man and woman belong to a church which has made matrimony a religious ordinance, there can be no doubt of the duty of celebrating the union in the Ecclesiastical form. To do otherwise would be, in significance, to deny the sacredness of Marriage, and to reject the prospect of the Divine aid and blessing in the married condition.

"Where the two parties do not belong to the same church, there is a difficulty in determining [on the principles of duty] what religious form of solemnization of the union ought to be

adopted. To employ the forms belonging to both churches appears to be a course free from any valid objection; for it cannot be supposed that one of the parties shuns, as impious, the religious service to which the other assents. If the incongruity of sentiment on religious subjects go as far as this, the marriage cannot take place between religious persons.""

"Whewell, Elements of Morality, Bk. iv. art 794.

IX.

THE THEORY OF MARRIAGE.

SOLILOQUY.

HAT a dear creature she seems to be.

WHE

If I dared I would ask her to be mine. But, after all, is not Marriage a lottery with more blanks than prizes? Is it not the fountain of the bitterest miseries in all the world? What records of scandal and divorce, of dreadful shame and grief! Is it not certain, too, that many, many more homes than ever come into courts of law, or in any way yield themselves to the public gaze, are no homes, but prisons of daily torture to all concerned? Is not the risk too great to hazard one's present tolerable condition, with so slender an assurance of increasing one's happiness, over such a yawning abyss of unspeakable misery?

Then again, how can I promise so much? How can a man of truth and honor make toward any girl such a life-long vow? Who knows what changes may come over her, and over my feelings toward her? Are not like and dislike, love

and aversion involuntary? What if my rosecolored fancies should flee, and my love cool, and dislike and aversion should come over me instead?

Or finally, what if, with good intentions on both sides, we should discover, when too late, an incompatibility of dispositions? What if I am not suited to her, or to the married state, or to be the husband of any woman? What if she, however excellent in some things, is not the woman for me? What if she is not what I imagine? What if I am loving a phantom of my own fancy?

Yet I am wretched alone. It is delight to be with her-it is distress to be separated from her. I am sure I love her. Oh dear! what shall I do?

The wise and gentle reader, especially if he has never experienced such sentiments, may be pardoned if he read with some incredulity, that they are, nevertheless, by no means rare. The writer of these pages, in his official relations, has many and many a time been consulted on these questions, and other similar ones, infinitely varied, yet chiefly involved in these. When they are thus uttered by one, it is certain they are pondered in silent uneasiness in the hearts of a hundred more. What he has often replied in confidence and secrecy, he is about here to write, glad if it could reach to every thus troubled manly neart.