[Note: The following text was taken verbatim from the M Men-Gleaner Manual, “Love, Marriage, and You” used in 1956-1957. Previous entries in this series can be found here.]
Lesson 16
Keeping Morally Clean
AFTER a sumptuous dinner had been served, several young, married couples were relaxing leisurely around a glowing fire in Helen’s front room. Most of the group had been married two or three years. The conversation went from children to “projected satellites” and back to children again. Soon a serious discussion developed about what each couple considered to be the most basic values in life. Helen suggested children; Ron volunteered “the Gospel”; Harriet said she thought friends were most important; Harry explained that one of the greatest things to him was the sincere, basic trust shared by him and his wife. He said to feel that they were sweethearts for “time and eternity” and that no one could encroach on their beautiful love was all-important to him. Although no final decision was made before the group disbanded, every person there agreed that husbands and wives who live a clean life and are morally true to each other are building a solid foundation for a beautiful relationship throughout the eternities.
Quickie Questions
1. Which of the things mentioned in this incident do you think is most valuable? Why?
2. Why is it important for husbands and wives to always “be true to each other?”
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
I’d like to know more about these “projected satellites.”
Eric, that was my immediate thought, as well. There are so many possibilities . . .
I’m worried about them having a “glowing fire” in Helen’s front room.
“Soon a serious discussion developed about what each couple considered to be the most basic values in life. ”
Sure, whatever.
Of the things mentions, my children are most important to me.
….mentioned…
If you value “the Gospel” and are striving to live it’s principles then you will also be focused on your family and being morally true to your spouse.
I’m mostly concerned that the names “Harry” and “Harriet” not be given to either of the couples’ children.
Aside from that, this quickie is splitting hairs that can’t really be split. I’m with Sistas.
Was this type of writing really supposed to teach anyone anything?
I love the title of the lesson the overwelming emphasis in the excerpt and then the innocent open ended question. Is the teacher supposed to say that someone who values children or the gospel is wrong…in that lovely sunday school “not the answer I was looking for” way?
“2. Why is it important for husbands and wives to always ‘be true to each other?'”
Why isn’t it important to avoid splitting the infinitive?
Sputnik launched on October 4, 1957, so projected satellites would have been a very topical conversation.
#11 – Nah, I like the other possibilities way more than that.
I like the possibility that some of the guests wanted to talk about satellites, but others steered the conversation back to children. It was July 1955, by the way, that Eisenhower’s office announced intentions to launch a satellite for the ’57-’58 International Geophysical Year. The Soviets soon followed with an announcement of their own. Those M Men-Gleaner manual writers were up on all the latest.
“He said to feel that they were sweethearts for “time and eternity” and that no one could encroach on their beautiful love was all-important to him.”
::gagging::
#8 Seriously. Many of us (myself included) whine about the current manuals, but if I’d looked at the Church when this stuff was taught, there’s no way I would’ve converted.
“… and then, as the fire died down, they each put their car keys into a bowl…”
Ron: Our little Timmy lost a tooth.
Harriet: I think the space race, though in the near term might be dismissed as geopolitical sabre-rattling, ultimately speaks to the deep-seated human desire to define the self inwardly by exploring new frontiers outwardly.
Ron: Um, I don’t think you heard me, Harriet: TIMMY lost a friggin’ TOOTH!
16 – aaaaaaahhhh LOL!
Clearly an (astral) projected satellite is a euphemism for children…no?
M-Men who have satellites… this is seriously a Science Fiction religion.
Everything I thought of has already been covered in under 25 comments. #1, #7, #14, not #16, and #19. Carry on.
“Projected satellites” = the 1955 euphemism for recreational procreation as a precursor to actual procreation? I think so.
The most basic values in life: Children? Nope, those are pretty dang tangible things, not values. The Gospel? Well, the Gospel contains basic values, but it isn’t a value in and of itself. Friends? What the heck, people? Do you even know what “values” refer to???
Okay, one more try. The sincere, basic trust shared by him and his wife? Hey, look, someone who understands the concept of the word. No wonder the YW program implemented the YW Values program! No one knew what the word meant!
Funny_ these same things came up at our poker game last night.
I bet I could have values if someone would serve me a sumptuous meal and let me relax “leisurely” before a glowing fire.
Can’t have a nuclear family without satellites orbiting the central nucleus.
I guess a fire in the living room would be ok at the Potters.
So it sounds like this was a “polite” way of teaching the boys not to have affairs on their future wives? (without mentioning sex because who knows what kind of thoughts that would lead to)
Is it just me, or does that sound more like something a man would say after dubiously agreeing with his wife to hire the pool boy?
As someone who fits comfortably into the focus demographic of this lesson, I can honestly say that not much has changed in 50 years. Except that instead of using leisure time sitting by a glowing fire with friends and discussing the importance of morally clean spouses me and my wife watch old episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Netflix and scratch each others backs in 10 minute intervals.
Why did they put “the Gospel” and “time and eternity” in quotes? Is it an editorial mark letting the critical reader know that Ron really said “drag racing” and Harry said sweethearts for “good lovin’ “?
“No one could encroach upon their beautiful love”
That sounds like they want to avoid peeping toms more than be faithful to each other.
My thought about the party can be summarized in one word … lame… seriously, that is the best they can do for a discussion??!! Come on, there are no kids around. Let’s get down to some juicy gossip. quotation mark filled gossip.
Until I clicked on the jump, I thought it was going to develop into a “Key Party”
Oh well, I guess it was written about 15 years too soon.