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peculiar challenge, and again demands are made that surge with emotions
and need to be dealt with consciously and practically. One of these has
to do with sex, and in a very definite way. The modern young man and
woman are familiar with the fact that wholesome marriage requires good
marital adjustment. They think of this as the sex side of marriage. In
recent years they have heard much concerning the need of adequate sex
technique in marriage. Not only do they wish information that will
prepare them to handle this problem, but often they also need to get rid
of their worry that they may fail in this relationship. This anxiety is
more common than one might expect, both in men and in women. Even those
who are exceedingly sophisticated frequently have such fears. They
wonder if they have in some way made their adjustment difficult.

The last days of engagement frequently stir up feelings of doubt. These,
born of the thought of the seriousness of the marriage near at hand,
easily become allied with the anxious thoughts regarding sex adjustment
in marriage. There is every reason for giving young people at this time
the information they need to enter marriage as easily and satisfactorily
as possible. To give them a fair start we also have to take away the
nervous dread that may become their chief difficulty. This must be done
not by attempting to extract the emotion as we pull a tooth but by
destroying the fear by building up its opposite, security. This is the
way we always get rid of hazardous emotions: we destroy them as we
alkalize acids.

The reason why so much is made of sex technique as a preparation for
marriage is partly that in the past we have utterly neglected this side
of marriage and also that it is the easiest problem to handle. Needed
information can be clearly and definitely given, and there are a number
of excellent books, widely read, that provide this preparation for young
people about to be married. Such literature needs to be read calmly so
as to avoid exaggeration and not in the spirit of panic that sometimes
leaves young people worse off rather than better prepared for their
marriage relationships.

Since sex is so highly emotional and its difficulties as they appear in
marriage are almost always psychic in character--that is, born of brain
experience as a result of earlier suggestions and happenings--it is
fortunate that we have something besides a book to offer young people
that they may be sur