72. LEGISLATION SABBATICAL.-Much might be said on what legislation is necessary to discourage Sabbath-day breaking, now so common by institutions and organizations for catering to the lovers of pleasure, by business men in the prosecution of large industries, by railroad corporations, and by the government itself in its postal and other service. Doubtless there is a temperate conservative construction to be put on these matters, and others akin to them, which will be perceived and enforced when the people are so educated as to have a right knowledge and appreciation of the Sabbath day.

An editorial in "Christian Union," May 9th, 1889, indicates a growing sentiment of regard for the Sabbath:

“The New York Central Railroad, which had already reduced its traffic on Sunday to a minimum, has now, by order which went into effect on the first of May, reduced its freight traffic on Sunday about fifty per cent. The difficulties in the way of this movement, and the methods by which they are met. we have already indicated to our readers.

It is now announced that the Erie Railroad and the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company have adopted the same policy, and will reduce to the minimum the running of all trains and railroad work on Sunday. General Diven showed in our columns last winter that such a reduction of railroad traffic is practicable, and these roads by their action are demonstrating that to this problem, as to the others, the aphorism Where there's a will there's a way' applies. It is said that the workingmen oa the roads are generally glad to get the rest day, although it necessarily involves some diminution in wages.

“The thanks of the religious community are especially due to M- Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose persistent urgency in this mathas at length borne fruit.”

73. THOUGHTS ON THE SABBATH BY BISHOP WHATELY.-Bishop Whately entirely misconstrues the scope of the Jewish Sabbath, and misleads us when he would make it a mere positive law, and thus abstract it from the decalogue. It is no positive law, the seventh day for rest. It is a law of the physical nature, and for religious thought and the exercise of the religious feelings. It is a law of the soul. After six days of toil, bodily rest naturally comes first; it must first be had, else the soul is in no fit condition for spiritual exercise.

The bishop lays stress on the "power of the church" and its "sanction" of the first day of the week as the Sabbath, but from scripture it does not appear that any power of the church was used, but that on the evening of the day of the resurrection the disciples, in view of this momentous event, naturally assembled together, and that Jesus appeared in their midst, thus sanctioning their act of assembling; also that on the next first day of the week a similar meeting took place.

Very pertinent and judicious is the note of Albert Barnes on John 20:26:

"From this it appears that they thus early set apart this day for assembling together, and Jesus countenanced it by appearing twice with them. It was natural that the apostles should observe this day, but not probable that they would do it without the sanction of the Lord Jesus. His repeated presence gave such a sanction, and the historical fact is indisputable that from this time this day was observed as the Christian Sabbath.

Hence it further appears that the first-day Sabbath, in lieu of the Jewish seventh-day, far from

being instituted by the "power of the church," instituted itself spontaneously, under the guidance of the providential hand, and with the sanction of the Great Head of the Church-in virtue of a natural logic of a course of supernatural events of the highest interest to man.

74. MARRIAGE.—

"Tell me, on what holy ground
May Domestic Peace be found?
Halcyon daughter of the skies,
Far on fearful wing she flies,
From the pomp of sceptred state,
From the rebel's noisy hate;
In a cottaged vale she dwells,
Listening to the Sabbath bells!
Still around her steps are seen
Spotless Honor's meeker mien,
Love, the sire of pleasing fears,
Sorrow smiling through her tears,
And, conscious of the past employ,
Memory, bosom-spring of joy!"

-Coleridge.

The authority for the marriage institution is "male and female created he them," and God blessed them and God said unto them, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth." (Genesis 1: 27, 28.) And the sacredness of marriage is enforced by "What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." (Matthew 19: 6.)

And the holy love that should exist in wedlock is set forth thus: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it that it should be holy and without blemish."

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself; for no man ever yet hated his own flesh." (Ephesians 5: 25, 33.) Marriage is honorable in all. (Hebrews 13: 4.) "And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage." (John 2: 2.)

The Conjugal Law: The general equality in numbers between males and females proves that the Creator designed one man for one woman; and that the union of the two must be sacred and inviolable is ⚫ evidenced from the degradation and miseries, physical and moral, that are sure to accompany its violation. Hence the many scripture precepts in favor of marriage as the natural, lawful and honorable condition. of life; and against all acts that are destructive of its beauty and utility and necessity in the continuance, preservation, cultivation and happiness of the human race. Among the blessings of marriage are individual happiness, numerous and well cared for children, peace in society, and good government from the increased interest of citizens under family relation, in the well-being of the state.

Hence to meet the requirements of the conjugal law, it follows that the marriage relation must be life-long in duration.

This Jesus taught: "The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

"And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall

cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh.

“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Matthew 19: 3, 6.)

Permanent and exclusive union is, then, an essential characteristic of marriage.

75. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MARRIAGE RELATION.—(1) Compatibility of temper is generally held to be essential to a happy married life. This word and qualification is, however, misleading, if construed as a similarity of temper, and it is not wise to put unnecessary obstacles in the way of marriage. A complement in temper is of higher value and more likely to exist. It is rare that there is a marked degree of compatibility in the temper of the spouses, and unless the temper of each is mild, compatibility is not desirable.

Two persons of high temper cannot so well live together as two of a complementary temper - the one quick, the other calm. The mild-tempered spouse will not fret on account of a hasty ebullition in the quick-tempered spouse; for valuable qualities oft are conjoined with a temper quick by nature as well as with a calm one, and the opposite characteristics will gradually become assimilated, and each be improved thereby.

Herein we find meaning to the scripture idea of unity, of oneness in the espousals, whereby two become one flesh; the most obvious in man, the corporeal, by synecdoche, being taken to represent the