Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-01-19
Divorce--the Sin and its Cure,

perpleXed the mOrallst ana the chris
tian of the present age than this
Both the laws of the land and the
ideas of the people have become so
loose with regard to it, that in the
minds of those who think of it at all,
its different bearings are cOnfounded
together; while perhaps by far the
greater part Of mankind never give
the subject a moments thought, save
to avail themselves of the opportunity
afforded by lax legislation of crafty
ing some selfish design or passion
So universal has become the needless
ness, the stupidity, the wicked selfish
ness, in reference to divorce, that
vice and even crime have come to be
almost inseperably associated with it
in the public mind; and the depravi-
ty of the public mind is shown no less
plainly in the fact that UiCe and crime
are not the terrible words they used
to be, than in the careless laugh and
the cynical sheer so frequently called
forth at the hasty proceedings of our
courts in granting bills Of divorce. 1t
is obvious that there is a great evil in
this matter somelUhere, and somebody is
responsible for it. Where is the evil |?
and who is to blame?
With one stroke of silent contempt
we can break through the crust where
the shallow arguments of the low
minded pettifogers and the puerile
acts OF incompetent legislators lie
rotting together; we will therefore
at once consider ourselves at the bot
tom of the matter, and strike our blow
at the root of the evil.
It is in the family that the training
with regard to this subject, as with re-
gard to other moral subjects, should
be begun. The public can do moth
ing till the family is set right. Let
children be taught from their earliest
years to respect the ties that bind the
family together, and to feel that there
is a sacredness attached to everything
that ccnters in the word home and
when they grow up they will have diff:
ferent ideas of the marriage relation
from those loose ones now so sadly
prevalent. In contracting that rela
ton people educated in this way have
deeper, purer thoughts, and strong
er, more abiding love; and in the at
ter years of married life they find far
fewer temptations to think Of such a
thing as attempting to annul the sol
emn compact: the little disagreementS
and the trihing unpleasantness which
inevitably occur, are forgotten before
they grow into great troubles. The
disease is checked in the first attack
and is never suffered to reach the vi
tals: the panacea being strict, sole
principle with regard to the divin,
appointment Of the marriage relation
enforced by the memory of an earl,
home, where the charm Of love wrough
its wonders in the golden circle of tn
family, investing each member with
tender interest in the estimation o
all the rest, and browning each hea
with a halo of glory reflected from tn
purified love of the family Of HEAVIER
Let all the children of the presen
generation be educated in this way
and it will be safe enough to prediC
that in the twentieth century such
thing as divorce will be unknown
The word will be obsolete, and tn
thing will be thought Of only as ma
ter of antiquity. To make plain OF
meaning we take an illustration ratl
er near the extreme perhaps, br
doubtless real enough to be familia
to us all. Right here in our comm
nifty is family, consisting of the fat
er and mother, people Of average i
tellectual ability, and half score @
bright, intelligent children. Povert
has chased them from one place [
another, and the "wolf at the door hi
sometimes opened quite crack, an
shown his teeth at the little ones i
side. The man and woman are u
principled, or at the least loose
principled in everything; and in the
estimation of the ties that bind theI
selves and their children to each OF
er, they are not many degrees abo'
the dogs and the pigs that swarm
their door. Now without any reft
erence to the other evils of opini,
and Of habit learned by these chill
rem, such as lying, swearing, thievir
and fighting, look for a moment
the way in which they learn to rega
the ties that bind human beings {
gether, and see how they are preps
ing to enter into and enjoy domesr
relations of their own. Words
love they seldom hear. Harshnt
and severity, or at the least neglt
and Indifference, are all they can 10
for from those who should be tn
parents. 1t was one OF the childr
Of this family, noble little four yea
old, who, when his tender heart
teacher shed tears at being oblig
IN nunish him told har not RI or,, ba y,