Far more has been written in these latter days concerning the preparation for motherhood, than the preparation for fatherhood. One would almost conclude that no especial fitting were needed to prepare young men to become parents. Because of the lack of strong public sentiment along these lines, the many sons come to marriage with no adequate idea of the duties and responsibilities before them, with no thought or knowledge of what they have, or should have, to give to the next generation.
Suppose a set of questions something like the following were handed to young men the week before their marriage, what think you would be their answers?
Do you bring to your bride the same purity that you expect from her?
What in your life and habits have you hidden, and would you still hide from her?
What mental reservation do you make in respect to your liberties after marriage, to indulge these habits?
What companions have you, whom you would not care to bring to your home or introduce to your wife?
What “wild oats” have you sown that have left their seeds in your constitution to be transmitted to your children, and they in turn to their children down through the generations?
How many hours of thought have you given to the wise, earnest fitting for good fatherhood?
Do you, in the sight of God, consider yourself fit to become the husband, which all this close relation involves, of a pure, sweet, true woman?