Article October 22, 1966 Issue

A Satisfying Marriage

BARBARA—JEAN STINSON

Does happiness depend on marriage; and does marriage automatically produce happiness? These questions should be thoroughly considered before this step is taken.

Since marriage is a temporal, human institution, it cannot of itself give the true happiness which comes only from an understanding of God. Happiness is a spiritual quality of God, and we experience it in the measure that we understand and express God, who is Spirit.

The main purposes of marriage should be for the partners to express love and affection, to encourage and uplift each other, to maintain morality and virtue, and to provide a legal and moral means for reproduction. Mrs. Eddy, when asked what she thought of marriage, replied, "To be normal, it must be a union of the affections that tends to lift mortals higher."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 52;} To the extent that marriage does promote the spiritual growth of the individual, it becomes a means by which one can bring to light the joy he already includes as the child of God.