  One morning when near a handsome residence the Witch stopped at the sound of a musical instrument. The music ceased and a lady of forty or thereabout answered her ring. She was surrounded with every luxury, but our Witch soon learned that here, too, was trouble. Yes, another mismated couple. The lady said that her husband and herself had never lived very happily together after the first few months of married life; and recently another woman had come between them, and her husband, desirous of a separation, was about to commence proceedings for a divorce from her. As for herself it mattered little, but for the sake of her children she had rather it would not be. Presently the husband came. He was a fine-looking man of pleasing address and unless appearance was deceiving he would do very well if started on the right track. Here was more work for the ever busy brain. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. Ecclesiastes vii, 29. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? Jeremiah ii, 21. He sat down facing the Witch, and after a little time was conscious of a new train of thoughts. His better spirit moved. Would it not be as well to live the remainder of his life with the mother of his children whom he dearly loved? What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder. Matthew xix, 6. Contract marriage is most suitable for the present age. That leaves the contracting parties on a grade with the cattle and admits of their changing companions whenever and as often as they like without breaking God's holy vows. And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receive it with good will at your hand. Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously; yet is she thy companion and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? yet had he the residue of the spirit. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away. Malachi ii, 13, 14, 15, 16. If a man put away his wife and she go from him, and become another man's, shall not that land be greatly polluted? Jeremiah iii, 1. When a marriage is solemnized by the word of God, then no law on earth is justifiable for breaking it; and when a couple truly love each other what but death can separate them? For misfortune of any kind only binds the tie of sympathy more closely. If this tie was not so easily broken more persons would consider whom they were marrying and what they were marrying for, and if less deception was practiced beforehand, there would be fewer marriages which prove such dismal failures. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah xvii, 9. We will be done with all this in the resurrection. In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. Matthew xxii, 30. When the Witch left this pair she was happy in the thought that they would live together on better terms, and be like a re-united family. |
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