WOMAN PREACHER RAPS COMPANIONATE MARRIAGE

"I do not believe in companionate marriage; maybe that is because I am single myself, and think married life is too interesting, but you young people will come back to the old fashioned idea of marriage, and see that it is necessary to take it seriously."

These were the words of Maude Royden, noted English woman preacher from the Guild House in London, to a group of Boston newspapermen in Symphony Hall yesterday.

Miss Royden went on to say that in every period of history there has been a cry that religion would die. "Look at the latter part of the last century, the period of oncoming science, yet that science which then seemed to make man insignificant biologically is now what makes him almost a god."

"Water, fire, and oil used to be our terrors, now they have become our servants. Even the thunderstorm is being used." Miss Royden then said that man has become a conquering spirit. He will not adapt himself to the world but will govern it. "A change has come, not into the universe or humanity; what has altered is the contact which is being established between the genius of man and the universe.

"With the advent of the new school of psychology, the old cry of 'will religion die?' arises again."

Miss Royden then explained that according to modern psychologists all man's reactions were subject to cause and effect "as much as the path of the start or the way of the sun. Of course a terrible fear creeps over the sensitive man. But we must recognize that there are spiritual laws and we must not ignore or repress them."

Concluding, she said that psychology was not harming mankind, but was performing a tremendous service. "The psychologist gives man power to cope with the spiritual world, as science has given it to the physical universe. Man should find truth and not avoid it, because he does not dare to face it. Knowledge alone is power, and truth alone can make us free."