“The evil consequences of binding promises can be easily seen when we bear in mind that, in a progressive world, we know more to-morrow than we know to-day. Also, that harmony implies absence of external coercion; for, all external coercion being social discord, a promise that appears _just_ and feels agreeable when measured with to-day’s knowledge, may appear _unjust_ and become disagreeable when measured with the standard of to-morrow’s knowledge; and in so far as the fulfillment of a promise becomes disagreeable or impossible, no matter what the promise may be, it is an element of discord, and discord is the opposite of harmony. Hence, before you can hope to enjoy uninterrupted harmony, your institutions must be so molded that there is no place in them for a binding promise. In regard to the sexual relations, nothing but mutual inclination should be made the bonds of union. If you have closely followed my narrative, you will have discovered long before this time, that, on Mars, we have no _binding_ promises. In our just systems, we can not apply them any place, and we know of them only as relics of past crudity.” “But do you not think, Mr. Midith, that licentiousness would run riot here on earth, with _your_ system of sex relation, even if it proves to be ever so good and pure on Mars?” asked Rev. Dudley. “I do not claim that our system of sex relation would operate _perfectly_ here on earth, or perhaps on any other world,” observed Mr. Midith. “What I claim is not that it would produce _perfect_ results, but that it would produce, with highly intelligent people, much better results than your system of matrimony. That the human family can and would live a cleaner and happier life under our system of sex relation, guarded by intelligence and on individual freedom, than under your system of marriage, largely guarded by ignorance, force, superstition and jealousy. “The masses of the contemporaries of an institution rarely ever see the wrongs, cruelties and evils which that institution contains; they are blinded by their so-called _loyalty_ and _patriotism_. We might give a few illustrations: