again.” But how would this remedy the social condition of the two?

This is punishment, but not cure. The cause of the trouble is not even looked for by the bishop.

“Is marriage a failure?” According to the divorce-courts it is.

The Church concedes that one-twelfth of all marriages are failures.

THE SOCIAL MARRIAGE

I am not surprised that some make shipwreck, but that any come to port.—Stevenson.

SOCIAL marriage is based on the idea of a high and lofty friendship, an indissoluble partnership, an intimacy of relationship unknown in any other phase of existence.

Such a marriage was not intended by Nature. A new element is introduced when a social marriage occurs of which Nature had no thought, and we should reckon with this, not without it.

This new element is the intellect. Nature does not recognize it in the cosmic urge. So the meeting of man and woman on an intellectual plane, on a basis of the sweetest friendship imaginable, is the only condition by which Nature can endure the social marriage tie—which so often binds, imprisons, and makes slaves.

Even at this time man considers that he owns a woman; that he has purchased her freedom, her will, her habits, her aspirations, her time, her love, her energies, her future, every activity of her life. She is in very truth under a master. And the woman, as well, usually considers this true.

The woman thinks, because she is owned, that there are certain rights connected with her husband which she also has. In the majority of cases the wife realizes her inferior strength when might makes right, and the husband is not trusted. He must give an account of himself, morning, noon and night; of his money, his letters, his attentions.

The woman has certain laws which she, too, tries to enforce. He must support her, with all that the term implies.

“Didn’t he promise to do this on the wedding-day?” Certainly, yes! So far as I know, humanity is one in its nature, and neither male nor female. No woman naturally wants to be owned and possessed. Humanity rebels against tyranny; and there is more discord, more heartaches, more wrangling, more unhappiness among married people than among the unmarried.

Were it possible for men and women when they marry to realize that they own nothing more in “rights” after marriage than they did before, and would make no more demands upon each other, marriage even with its present accepted meaning would not be a failure.

The import of marriage, as it is understood today, is on the basis of intellectual friendship, a business partnership, mutuality in all interests of life. Few people know this.

We have mixed methods. Nature makes no compulsory laws in this matter of living together.

Society has done this. The laws man makes, man must enforce. But what God hath joined together, no man can put asunder. What God hath not joined together, man is not very successful in combining.

We have demonetized woman, taking away from her the natural strength, courage and independence that belong to the mother; made of her a slave, under which condition she does not thrive.

And neither does man thrive in being master, for the chain that holds the one is fastened to the wrist of the other.

Woman must make herself economically free, find work that exercises her body and her mind, and most of the cause of discord, unrest and unhappiness will have disappeared.

THE MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE

Its only end is the principle of existence.—Disraeli.

EOPLE who marry without ideals entering in as part of the contract have few disappointments or troubles.

If the woman expects the man simply to provide shelter, food, raiment, and the man expects a good cook, housekeeper and valet, and each fulfils his part of the expectation, there are few other demands.

Tenderness, kindness, attentions are asked for very moderately, and good service brings its own reward. Each understands the situation and has accepted this business arrangement with marriage. So there is no disappointment, no heartache. They get out of their marriage all they had expected. They are not guilty of experiment and folly. They have their quota of commonsense—and use it. Their ideals are simple and easily attained.

CONCLUSION

OVERS who marry think more of the Ideal than of all else. And if or when the Ideal ceases to remain in the presence of the husband or the wife, then love is gone. In its place sorrow sits.

Whatever marriage may have been in the past, it has now two distinct phases which should be definitely understood by all people.

I. The business partnership.

II. The spiritual relation.

THE BUSINESS OF MARRIAGE

You are dealing with something far more precious than any plant—the priceless soul of a child.—Burbank.

HE civic recognition of marriage does not take direct cognizance of the Ideal, or love-phase, of this unilateral contract, although it assumes that love is the motive of the union. The state takes it for granted that the purpose of this