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 union. It is only what is purely masculine in the male, and what is purely feminine in the female that can enter into such a union as constitutes a marriage. Whatever, therefore, either acquires or assumes which is proper to the other, must obstruct their union, and cannot fail to disturb their harmony, and mar their happiness. We therefore find in the Holy Scriptures a law against this violation of order. "The man shall not put on the garments of the woman, neither shall the woman wear what pertaineth to the man." The masculine and feminine principles are the workmanship of God; but on man devolves the duty of clothing them with suitable ideas, habits, and manners. It is possible for the human agent in this important labour to pervert the order and destroy the beauty of the Divine works, by making the outward character in some measure the reverse of the inward principle. From false views of the equality of the sexes, woman is most in danger. The feminine mind may come to be invested in masculine intelligence, which in itself is hard, daring, and fond of licentiousness, instead of being clothed in the soft raiment of feminine wisdom, which in itself is yielding, modest, pacific, and tender.

If one of the highest uses of marriage consists in the higher capacity and better opportunities it affords for promoting advancement in the life of heaven, its highest duties must consist in those which leave the parties in the best condition for spiritual progression. The absence of all inclination to govern by mere