Happiness is written all over the faces of the young couple on our cover page. They are two people in love with each other and who have been joined together in the bond of marriage.

God instituted marriage for the good of man. He said after He had created Adam, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him" (Gen. 2:18). What a joy it must have been for Adam when awakening out of a deep sleep there before him stood Eve whom God had formed from a rib taken from his side! Now he who had named all the animals had one with whom he could communicate and love. They became one flesh, and a wonderful life in the garden began.

Alas, the happy life was soon turned to sorrow. In disobedience to God, they sinned and sin brought death. However, God intervened and upon their confession of their sin, He slew and animal and made them coats of skin. Through the death and shedding of blood, sin's penalty was paid and God, on the ground of redemption, could and did show His love and brought them into eternal relationship with Himself. One this basis, the marriage of Adam and Eve was lifted to a higher plane. Just so it has been since, as grace triumphs over sin. Marriage without salvation as the basis of this union can never reach the plane of the fullest happiness of love.

Our young couple have the Lord as their personal Saviour. Not only that, they desire to live for the Lord and obey Him in love in all He desires in His Word. They are thus married "in the Lord" (1 Cor. 7:39). When this is the case, happiness in its fullest degree will be experienced in a growing depth and maturity with the stamp of eternity upon it.

Our issue this time emphasizes "happiness." Now, in speaking of marriage, I do not at all wish to imply that for fullest happiness one must be married. God does not call all to this union. Paul himself was not married so he could give all his time to the work the Lord had called him to. Other servants of the Lord, both men and women, have throughout the centuries past found their fullest happiness in a calling apart from marriage.

However, we rejoice in these days of the giving up of the marriage bond to live in sin to see a young couple happily married "in the Lord," and set up a Christian home.

Then, too, how important it is to continue together in daily prayer and communion with the Lord in the study of His Word. As each one grows in the Lord, the bond and joy of marriage will increase. The home will be a home where Christ is honored as Head and a testimony rendered for His glory and blessing to others.