“Wherever man pays reverence to woman,—­wherever any man feels the influence of any woman, purifying, chastening, abashing, strengthening him against temptation, shielding him from evil, ministering to his self-respect, medicining his weariness, peopling his solitude, winning him from sordid prizes, enlivening his monotonous days with mirth, or fancy, or wit, flashing heaven upon his earth, and mellowing it for all spiritual fertility,—­there is the element of marriage.  Wherever woman pays reverence to man,—­wherever any woman rejoices in the strength of any man, feels it to be God’s agent, upholding her weakness, confirming her purpose, and crowning her power,—­wherever he reveals himself to her, just, upright, inflexible, yet tolerant, merciful, benignant, not unruffled, perhaps, but not overcome by the world’s turbulence, and responding to all her gentleness, his feet on the earth, his head among the stars, helping her to hold her soul steadfast in right, to stand firm against the encroachments of frivolity, vanity, impatience, fatigue, and discouragement, helping to preserve her good nature, to develop her energy, to consolidate her thought, to utilize her benevolence, to exalt and illumine her life,—­there is the essence of marriage.  Its love is founded on respect, and increases self-respect at the very moment of merging itself in another.  Its love is mutual, equally giving and receiving at every instant of its action.  There is neither dependence nor independence, but inter-dependence.  Years cannot weaken its bonds, distance cannot sunder them.  It is a love which vanquishes the grave, and transfigures death itself into life.”

These laws are varied by God’s word, and written indelibly upon the nature of man.  Surely nothing can be more manifest than that they must be obeyed.

II.

Nature teaches us the Wisdom of adhering to the Divine Plan.

Anatomists tell us that in the embryo skeleton there is a marked difference of general conformation in the two sexes; that in the male there is a larger chest and breathing apparatus, which, affects the whole organization, forming a more powerful muscular system, and producing a physical constitution which predestines him to bold enterprises and daring exploits.  The woman, being differently constructed, finds it natural to content herself in the house, removed from the gaze of the world, and from rude contact with its jostling cares.

There is an outside and an inside world.  The work of the street, or the shop, or the field, is no more essential to the well-being of the family than is the work performed in the house.  God assigned to man the field, or out-door work, and to woman the home and housework.  In proportion as men and women fill well their separate spheres, there is harmony and happiness.  Man toils, and provides for the wants of his household.  Woman toils, and sees to it that the children are well reared, and that