Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-11-28


tied "Lcssons for the Clergy on Mar
raac and Divorce"
The Reverend gentleman said that
the subject on which he was about to
speak was suggested TO him by the
exceedingly large number of divorcc
cases that have been recently reported.
The sixth verse of the nineteenth
chapter of the book of st. Matthew
was selected as the text:
"Whereforc they are no more twain, but one
flesh what therefore, God hath Joined together
let not man put asundcr."
Reviewing the world in the order
of its creation, the speaker claimed
that God capped the climax when he
made Eve. That was the finishing
touch Ever since then we have had
the two sexes and they were wisely
made for each other The union OF
man and woman is by covenant, and
the contamination of the covenant con-
stitutes what is termed marriage. The
violation of this covenant by law; and
the separation Of the man from the
woman is called divorce The clergy
as class are utterly ignorant as TO
the nature of the marriage. When
we look into the law books we find
marriage defined as q civil contract.
The legal profession have so much TO
do with contracts and bargains that
but few, even OF the more intelligent
of that class, allow it 10 rise higher
than that. We are astonished 70 find
that the clergy are satisfied with that
definition. The civil contract is un-
questionably implied in marriage; but
that is not the whole Hence it is
found that when an action is brought
against a person for simply failing to
perform the covenant, it is not called
an action for divorce, but an action
for bre:s.eh OF promise of marriage
Although Rcbecca had been promised
20 Isaac and regarded as his wife, snv
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 coven-
ant, were regarded as husband and
wife, though they were not joined ir
wedlock until several years had elaps-
ed. Let the clergy learn from this
the nature of marriage, that it is not
merely a civil contract, but something
higher.
As to divorce, there are two kinds
known TO our modern courts a nlenSd
ct horo, or "irom bed and board" {"
which is merely mutual separation,
and a UiacuIo mdtrimOnii, or ''from the
bonds of matrimony," which is the
absolute parting of man and wife for
ever. The Bible recognizes but one
kinda menSd ct thoro This is set
forth in the oath chapter of Deuter-
onomy, first and second verses also,
in the 5th chapter Of st. Matthew, 81
and 32 verses.
Divorces are spoken Of in the Bible,
and the real estate OF the case as be-
tween Moses and the Jews was that
during the time intervening the prom
ise and the time for the marriage, il
either party discovered ground for
breaking the contract, it was done
This is what Moses speaks of-where
the party has gone no further than
the promise. After betrothal the man
could put the woman aside, but he had
to give her writing which was called
O divorce.
According to the Hebrew laws, if
any one took liberties with another's
wife, the law was satisfied with moth
ing short OF his death. The Jews
were very strict on this point The
divorce that the woman received for
the dissolution Of the marriage agree
ment was no more than an act of JUS
tice. But this was only given before
the consummation OF the marriage
and not after it.
When marriage is once entered in
to, no act of Parliament, no pope'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
brother. So it is with husband and
wife 1t is not like principal and
agent, partner and copartner; but the
twain is one and inseparable. Theirs
is a union for life and only made sep
arabic by death, for the husband and
wife are bound together by their con-
tract as long as they live. Upon his
death, the husbands power over his
wife ceases, and then she can take an
other husband.
Remedies should be created accord
ing to the evils. A great and dcspcr-
ate evil must have desperate cure.
Now what are the evils for which di-
vorce is soughtY Tho statutes Of
nearly all the United States grant d.
vorces for adultery by either the hus-
band or wife some 20 even so far as
to give divorces for incompatibility Of
temper and other frivolous pretexts
The law of God does not permit il,
but it will allow separation, though
not an absolute divorce.
The only remedy for adultery is
death-it is equitable. You will see
il so laid down in both Deuteronomy
and Leviticus ask you whether it
is not proper remedy now in modern
timesg And iii be carried out, the
one who has been agrieved 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 life of the evil doer. To the
credit and glory Of the people Of tho
United States, when the unfortunate
man who avenges his honor with the
blood Of the destroyer Of his peace, is
brought into court and comes before a
Jury of his cOuntrvmen. he is acquitted