St. Mary's gazette., 1866-11-15

ed to Isaac and regarded as biz wife. the
marriage did not take place until she was
brought TO him, which was long after the
covenant had been made. The same was
the case of David and Bethsebah, who.
through their covenant were regarded as
husband end r:::e. though they were not
';o;ao5 in Wed. YAK until several years had
/, elapsed. Let the clergy iearn from this
! the nature of marriage that it is not mere
" civil cpntr ,ct, but something higher.
As 10 divorce, there are two kinds known
to our modern courts: mensu It hioro,
or from bed anc board, which is merely
mutual separation, and rinc{o natri
n,onii, or from the bonds<efmatrmony,'
which s the absolute parting of :ilan and
wife for ever. The Bible recognizes but
one kinda nncnsn ct horo This is set
forth in the oath chapter Of Deuteronomy,
G.st and second verses; also, in the 9th
chapter Of St Mathew, 81 and 50 verses
Divorces are spoken Of in the Bible, and
the real estate of the case as between Mo
ses and the Jews was that during the time
Intervening the promise and the time for the
! marriage, it either party discovered ground
for breaking the contract, 1t was done
This is what Moses speaks of-where the
party has gone M further than the prom
isa. After betrothal The nan could put
nc WOMAN aside, but he had to give her r
writing which waa called divorce.
According to the Hebrew laws, if any
one took liberties with ano.her's wife, the
law Was satisfied with nothing shor: Of big
death. The ws were very strict on this
! point. The divorce that tho ~olnan re-
ceivod for the dissolution of the marriage
agreement was no more than au act Of lns-
tice But this was only given before the
contamination Of the marriage and not af-
ter it.
When marriage is once entered into. no
act Of Parliament, no popa's bull, no act Of
! the Legislature, or no Judges decision can
undo it. You cannot dissolve the relation
existing between parent and child, sister
and e.oti.er. so it is with husband and
wife. |, is not like principal and aren't,
partner and capartner; but the twain ~
one and inseparable Theirs is q union
] for liz, snd only made saparablc by death,
for the husband and wife are bound togefh-
cr BY their contract as long AS they live.
! Upon his death, the husbands power over
7 his wif, ceases, and then she can take an
other husband
Remedies should be created according to
the evils. A great and desperate evil
must have a desperate cure. Nnw what
arc the evils for which divorce is souch;
The statutes of nearly all the United
States grant divorces for adultery By eth
cr the husband or wife some go even 80
Ear as TO give divorces for incomHatibili!g
of temper and other frivolous prctexts =
The Law. of God does Mt permit it, but It
>will allow & separation, though not sn al
soIute divorce
The only remedy for adultery is death
it is equitable You VIII see it SO laid
down in both neuteroHomy and l.eviticus
| ask Won whether it is not Il p-nner rcmc-
t;y now in modern times? And if Ii be
carried ont, the one who has been aggrlcy-
ed can then be married again When we
hear Of one shot down for committing adul-
terry, We are ready to forgive him who takes
the hfc of the evil doer. To the c-cdi
and glory of the people of the United
States. when the unfortunate man whC
avenges his honor with the blood of tn,
destroyer of his peace is brought into conr
and comes before jury Of his countrymcn
he is acquitted
Who would think Of hanging man whC
sho' the offender? 1t would be we'll fol
society, for our nation and for the churcl
if the old jewish law was still in force =