The New York herald., 1872-09-16
AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

vorce-The Question as 1t Affects the
Pricsthood-Hyacinthc Christian ALI
ance.
Yesterday morning the Rev. Charles B. Smyth
preached on the text, 'GOd so Loved the World,"
&C., John ill.,, 10, III and In the evening delivered
the lecture announced, entitled "Lessons for the
Clergy on Marriage and Divorce" In his preface
to the latter took occasion to refer to the edI
toriai remarks IN last Mondays HERALD upon his
lecture delivered last Sunday evening. 'In look
Ing over" said he, "the editorials Of that very
able and distinguished journal, In which
my lecture was reported on last Monday morning,
perceived that its sitiQue thereon called ques-
tion, by implication, the wisdom of my delivering
lectures for the clergy, assigning q reason that
they ''never hear them, and do not very often see
them." We must beg leave to differ with the re-
spected critic, because our audiences are not al
ways destitute OF a clerical hearer, and IL they
were the bare announcement of the theme IN
leading and widely circulating paper must have, at
least the effect OF calling the clergys attention and
setting their minds thinking on the subject and
probably evolving something from themselves of q
beneficial nature, and 80 far be of use,
especially IT, as the same journal says truly,
''among professors Of religion there are
too many theorists and too few prac-
tcal Illustrations Of the life and power Of godness
In the SOUL" AS to the latter part OF the CRITICS
assertion. we think 1t s little too modest. We do
not even know with certainty. It is true that ser
mon or lecture will be reported the next day, but
IT, perchance, in the exercise 0fa
WISE EDITORIAL DISCRETION,
one is reported, whe does not know that Its con-
Thus the echoes OF last Sunday evenings 'lessOns''
have not yet died away, nor will they till editions of
Of soDo and G the Of those es
sons' thus have been felt In every nook and cor
ner, from the right reverend's sanctum In this
n fhn rlrnI lIn fAnt n fhn Il
explorer Of the benighted land OF the sons OF Ham,
As to preaching salvation full and free to dying
and hear aud Judge for themselves. we cordially
invite them to free seats to receive the glad
ttldings, tI 1 without money and without price,"
"What God hath joined together let no man put
asnnder." 10 ming and separating or marriage
ject OF text as they do also of our lecture this
evening There are many applications Of the term
marriage, as when 1t refers to the ceremony, to
the act OF one party in taking the other or to the
state OF both being joined. The ceremony or act OF
Joining the two might, in some instances, If we
uucivil contract but 1t is never properly termed
civil contract except by way OF accommodation in
law for sake OF classification In the nomenclature
OF legal subjects. 1t Is not for any practical pur-
pose, Ju,e deutnO mere civil contract. The Cath
olic doctrine that 1t is sacrament is even nearer
THE BEST DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE
is the junction of 2 woman to man, whom God has
made for him. Thus was Eve married to Adam;
in heaven" Any other thing called marriage, though
1t may pass in currency and have the stamp OF le-
Kay class Of the
commonly styled old maids get marreds Ger
tany. II they choose, provided they are not too
Old. May old bachelors get marriedY Yes; but
such men ought to be treated like letter received
too late when they presume to present their with.
fourteen. Nobody doubts the propriety OF young
men and young maidens getting married. Who
WIN say It Is not their duty to do 50 after G reading IN
laid down there by the celebrated, and now
rejuvenated Perc Hyacinthe, or the original decla-
to be Alone" or the divine command given to the
1rst made bride and bridegroom In Genesis l., 2s.
CATHOLIC PRIEST GET MARRIED.
is question now claiming public attention. GAY,
that Is the qnestion-there's the rub" 1t seems
posed for him to attack the citadel Of the priest
hood and take 1t by storm at the head Of an army
suo madsns Woas %eet with the fate
Of eRsca cessy ss nsa N a aS
but when man has taken solemn oath never to
marry-whether Protestant or Catholic-wherein
any any pretext after = proving BY Experience per- many
upon that point; but think that il l were wen.
twice before would marry widow Of forty;
after taking such an OATH nc Can It be ossii said
them "0 together % r'0n For the present % let US
leave that to their own consciences to
determine, and proceed to the second branch
Of our sublect-dfvorce. All honor to this State,
that let other States do as they may the State OF
New York does not allow divorce a Ut7lculO nl1t''f
mont except for that one gross cause for which 1t
is permitted by the Saviour In Matthew ", 49, and
XIX, 80. The passage to which the Pharisees
alluded in verse seven refers, not to woman who
had settled down for any length of time in the
marriage state, but only to one just married.
What they interpreted as q command in Dcu
terOnomy. XIV, /, Christ explained to be only a
permission, as we say an offence Is tolerated when
THERE Is NO JUDICIAL LAW.
to punish therefor, yet 1t Is not any the less an
offence according to the moral law. He proved
the indistructibity OF the marriage tie nom the
original institution OF marriage; the agreement OF
Noses and Christ; tho positive doctrine OF Christ
on the subject, and the fact that marriage is men,
toned by Paul. In Eph: ", as type Of the relation
OF Christ to his Church; depictedl the evils that
would result to the family to society and to the
State from a disregard Of the Christian doctrine
on the subject; urged the inviolabiity Of the mar
riage tic from the unceasing love OF Christ to his
bride, the Church, as shown In Rom. viii, $3.50,
and concluded with an appeal to the clergy to ex.
ert their influence everywhere throughout the land
in favor of the conservative Christian doctrine
upon this mOment0us subject.
FOURTH UNIvERSALIST CHURCH.
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