Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-29
Free love ami D,vor.es

Editor OF the EceaiRq Saviour editorial of
Saturday on the frequency of divorces In this
timely. Without doubt there has been for some
decades past a great weakening Of the feeling
OF sanctity IN the marriage relation, especially
rs TO Its absolute IJe-tenHre, except for one
cause. This has gone on until the lightest diff
ferences that SO Frequently occur between the
best of people have been allowed to grow and
spread over the whole life into an alleged Gin
compatibility of temper or disposition" the
popular plea for separation and divorce. And
not few members of Christian churches have
allowed their minds and hearts to be so far cor
rupted, or swayeG to one SIDE, as to hold tha
the abatement and cessation of love on either
side is sufficient cause why the yet loving party
mus submit 70 divorce! But did not design
INJECTING my thoughts on your readers, but sim
ply TO ask you TO publish what is better. the fol-
lowing 10y Mary P. Lowe, taken from the "Uni-
tartan Review A. b. G.
MARRIAGE AND MALACHI.
What sound morals and philosophy we find in
these wonderful old records! How applicable to
the question OF marriage, agitated at the present
day, do We ind the third chapter OF Malschil
81 he Lord had no more regard to their Offering,
nor received il with good will from their hand"
Wherefore? "Because Jehovah has been a wit
ness between thee and the wife of thy youth,
against whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully,
although she wPs thy companion and Gov enanted
wife," Thy companion! How tender and ex-
allied IL the word applied to woman in her rela-
uoBs with man! Not his slave, not his mistress
not his plaything, not his idol, not his goddess,
but his companion! and this word comes from
the old Hebrew scriptures, which are charged
with narrow, low, and degrading ideas of the
sex, by those men and women who are trying TO
destroy the sanctity of marriage. Jesus said:
'Moses, for the hardness OF your hearts, suf-
fered you to put away your wives" But we
tnd the Old prophets still ringing out the trre
Keynote, far above the code OF morals which
prevailed in their day, and speaking as if with
the voice OF God himself. Jesus says again. ga
man shall leave father and mother, and cleaye
10 his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh"
We see IN tie cases OF separation and divorce
what long dissatisfaction and unrest often
Dwell with the parties concerned. We are re-
ferring of couIse to those instances where there
has been no absolute wrong on the part of
ether person, but simply want of
Supposing all OF us as human beings, were to
quit our friends and homes, because We found
uncongenial elements there. What a shifting of
social elements there would he! All the foun.
datIons of domestic life would be DESTROYED Is
II not one Of the first lessons we are to learn in
this world, TO bear and t0Tbeat? Shall the hus-
band and wife expect to be exempt from these
limitations to happiness? The tie OF brothers
and sisters, though strong in youth, cools off,
more or ieSS, az they go their various WAYS in
lie; family jars, injustice, selfshness, often
ALLEVIATE them from each other; and vet in mis-
fortune, aiiiictOn, the hour of death, hearts are
touched ana the old love comes back. Shall
the husband and wife who are separated, ifthey
nave ever loved, be more inSensble? Do we
not continually suffer from the feeling Of disap-
pointment in our relatives? They do what we
would not have themdo They tall short of our
ideal OF them, yet We love them still. VIII not
the husband and wife grow stronger by the sac
ntces they make? It may be said that the SEC
rifce is often all on one side. If go, the one who
sacrifices l. certainly the gamer in the highest
sense, and the other, II be or she do not appre-
ciate the generosity early, will rem smber IL late
and, dying, bless the giver. The children OF
such union, though not the most fortunate,
may esteem themselves blessed in the possession
Of one PARENT so noble, and will throw veil
OF tender regret over the memory Of the other.
They have learned in their youth the sublime
lie 7son nt the power, the dalcscy, the unselfsh-
ne OF true love, and Will go forth to illustrate
It IA their future lives.