and permissible; but how few courtships there are which fulfil these conditions, and which do not appear to be dangerous and even sinful?
Father Schuen says in regard to this subject: "Young people of opposite sexes fall in love with each other, get engaged to be married, and not unfrequently remain in that state for a very long time, sometimes for years. Over this state of things heaven has reason to mourn and hell to rejoice. How so, you may ask, is there anything wrong in keeping company with a person that you intend to marry? I answer that in itself there is nothing wrong in keeping company, but that the time and other attendant circumstances very frequently convert it into a proximate occasion of sin, and that it can become very wrong. Love-affairs are frequently very lightly entered into; but they are often attended by great dangers and sad consequences.
That two persons who intend to get married should previously become better acquainted with each other is reasonable and right; in fact, ordinary prudence and the future happiness of the two demand as much. If they meet at times, provided they do not remain alone too much and especially at night, and then enter the married state in a proper and legitimate manner, such acquaintance can not be found fault with. But in many cases there is no prospect, or only a very remote one, that marriage will follow; at times there is not the slightest intention of marriage between the two that keep company. Or, when there is an engagement of marriage, they are constantly
