ocial standards. There is a spiritual side to
marriage; practices in secret, unapproved by others, detract definitely
from this important phase of marriage.

Even if the young man can convince himself that not waiting is right, in
spite of what his fiancee may say, she is unlikely to agree in her
heart. Very few men who rationalize themselves into believing that such
a course of action is wise would be as willing to have their sister
or--some day--their daughter do likewise.

Remember these truths: In married life itself there are many difficult
decisions, many things you would like to do, which wisely you do not.
You are definitely preparing yourself for marriage in strengthening your
character by saying "no" now.

If you have decided not to, do not allow yourselves to be in situations
which make it unduly difficult to carry out your decision. Drink
stimulates the sex urge; few decent people would enjoy remembering that
their first sex experience came when they were stimulated by liquor. If
you drink, avoid emotional situations in secret thereafter, until this
stimulus has worn off. If you harass your serenity and loving contacts
by reopening the decision every time you meet, try to do things together
in which this sex element does not present itself as a perpetual
problem. One couple beset each time they were together with the
difficulty of carrying out their decision not to, deliberately decided
to visit art museums together instead of merely "petting"; this new
interest minimized the other problem and gave them something most worth
while to discuss, and it is now one of the many fine things in their
married life.

Margaret Culkin Banning, in _The Reader's Digest_ for August, 1937,
summarizes "The Case for Chastity." For the engaged couple, the
following of her points apply: the girl who is unchaste with her fiance
often hesitates to get competent medical advice; venereal disease is a
danger; abortions are dangerous physically and emotionally; fear should
never accompany sex; sex experience before marriage may harm sex later
on; one's "moral code" is violated; some discoveries should be saved for
marriage itself; premarital relations stimulate jealousy after marriage;
early marriage is a better solution.

* * * * *

From the sociological standpoint we should take great satisfaction in
the increasingly wise way in which young Americans are approaching
marriage. Fifteen years ago t