The New York herald., 1870-05-09
JERSEY CITY CHURCHES.

The Catholic Church and the Marriage Ques-
tion-scrmon In ST. Pcter's by tho Rev.
.JOhn Grnhame-Free Love and the Doctrine
of Aflnities Viewed from Catholic Stand.
pOiut-The Abyss Into Which Society In
Drifting.
In st. Peters church, Jersey City, solemn mass
was celebrated by the pastor, Rev. p. Corrigan at
haf.past ten O'Clock. After the first gospel Rev.
John Grahame ascended the pulpit and delivered
q sermon on the sacrament OF matrimony, which
was an eloquent exposition OF the question OF mar
rage considered in It's invlolabty as laid down by
the Catholic Church. The preacher confined himself
10 this aspect Of the question without regard to the
obligations or duties OF the married state. The fol-
lowing is compendium OF the .sermon:-Tlere are
in uor,times many false and
ERRONEOUS OPINIONS
concerning questions on which our welfare in this
world ana in the next depends. II IS one OF the
misforsunes OF our times that many maxims are
submitted TO because Catholics do not stand in need
OF any particular elucdation OF them and secondly,
because the men who promulgate such opinions arc
not worthy Of any special notice. 1t is not
too much to say that there serious grounds for
apprehension lest many suffer In their faih on ac-
count OF the spread Of these perncious maxims.
Happily in the Catholic Church we have nothing to
say on this subject, because every member OF tnaJ
Church Is wei aware OF the lnhexible rules lad
no amount OF teaching can satisfy the requirements
OF society except
on this question Of the married state The Catholic
Curch alone lays down those rules In reference to
MARRIAGE which satisfies perfectly every condition.
law b. preserved there VII soon be an overthrow OF
all society, and consequently o all civilizat on. The
farther we remove ourselves from this law
the nearer we approach to the condition OF animals
and The more we sink to the level OF barbar. ans.
Our Lord, when he preached to his disciples and
f1rn,l n
strict he should enforce the Observance OF The
rament of matllmony the more consolidate d wOlld
junction Christ laid on his followers the
Catholic Church lays upon her cnildr
was marked by practices which were IN direct an
tagonism with the teachings OF Christ himself, as In
the case of the Landgraye OF Iesse. who Obtained
permls ion from the founders OF the Reformation
to take unto himself second wife while the first
was sui living; The Catholic Church is 9Th the only
tenaciously to the doctrine that ,.-s
MARRIAGE is lSDIsSOLUBLE
There are two commandments In the decalOgue
especially directed to this end, and there s no Cah
olic WHO has not heard the Injunction o. the Scrip.
ture 'Waom God hats joined together let no man put
asundcr.r $500 MQ rH
We lind leaders Of heresy preaching the contrary,
ana their preaching shows that there Is an affinity
between deistc opinions and the doctrine that mar
ria 10 is civil contract and nothing more But AS
modeus Is deserving OF the hatred OF every lover
OF Christian society, whether he speaks from rrng
puDifs or prOpOunds his the0 les the sterile plains
OF Utah. These opinions. both nlkur0pe and America,
Will have iatal result, and this result l. inevitable
Thousands Will shed their blood. and nations as
well as individuals will suffer in proportions 70 the
generality of those teachings. Free ove--what u
| ter expression What an awful principle Is
| involved In these two words A principle which
drags down man 10 the level OF the beast. We lind
| the words 4tt
| "syMPATHY" AND AFFINITY:
included In the vocabulary OF this SYSTEM Why, the
| very same sympathy would justify your taking q
mans horse or his watch. II you desire to have his
| watch at all you have a sympathy for it, and
II you have sympathy you are entitled to
take 1t, according TO the new Idea. See what
Is the result OF rejecting the supernatural idea
OF marriage. See how necessary are the teachings
OF Christ 1t Is our strict adherence to the doctrine
| OF the marriage relation that has preserved our
Catholicity ana our numbers. The corner stone OF
our Christianity Is the marriage contrasts II is the
sure foundation on which rests the fabric 0i our clvi-
lizaton. The day VIII come when society win real
ize that without this relation, interpreted by the
Catholic Church, 1t must fall to pieces. Society must
eventually discover that only in the Catholic Church
L ia .t WI lt.