The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-01-05
MARRIAGE OF DIVORCED PERSONS

MAhh1AG6 UE DIVUkUbD FhhSUNS'
Rev. R. S. Stubs announces in the
Vancouver Independent that he will not
knowingly offlciate at the marriage of
any persons who have procured divorces,
except for the only cause specified by
the Lord: Matthew 5, 81, 80 and 10, 9.
The intentions of the reverend gentle
man as set forth in the declaration no
doubt emanate from desire to do good
and arrest the advance Of evil, but just
what weight his decision will have upon
anything except perhaps to keep sundry
ducats, in the way of marriage fees, from
making his purse heavier at times, we
confess we do not see. We cannot see
how it would lessen cause for divorce
and no one who has used his eyes and
ears and understanding but must admit
that there are other causes than the one
referred to by our brother, that often
render the. marriage relation anything
but "divinely instituted" "-if every
minister in the land should as solemnly
pledge himself not to say the marriage
service for divorced persons as has Mr..
Stubbs. If the ministers had a mon
opoly of the thing it might throw OBJ
stacles in the way, but when as now
there is justice of the peace in every
precinct who can legally say the magic
words that will unite the destinies of
men and women in marital bonds, di-
vOrced persons will not have to look in
vain for some one to tie them up again.
We are not an advocate for "divorce
made easy - neither do we believe that
separations between husband and wife
should occur but for the gravest causes.
We do believe, however, that when per-
sons mentally, morally, and constitu-
tionslly organized so that harmony be.
tween them, or even tolerable degree
of happiness together is impossible, are
united in marriage, that it is a human
mistake and not divine ordinance that
brought them into marital relations
and further, that children who result
from such unholy unions are defraudeC
of the birthright which the mutual love
of parents furnishes them-a peaceful
and happy home. Such children
born in bitterness and nurtured il
convulsion "-are in a far more pitiable
state than orphans, while their parents
maintain relations that can only result
in inharmOny. The only remedy, i
there is a remedy for frequent divorce
and, far more frequent married misery
is in laws that will prohibit imma
ture marriages, and careful training
that will prevent precipitate action il
matter of such grave import. w
would think it much more to tn
purpose If ministers should solemn!
declare that they would not officiate a
the marriage of persons under the age O
twenty-five years, if the prevention G
divorce is what they are aiming al
The truth is that it is libel upon tn
} wisdom and judgment of the Almight
to assert that at least nine-tenths of th
marriages solemnized are of divin
} origin. They are too plainly the resul
} of human passion, indiscretion, an
error of judgment to be chargeabfe upo
the Creator. Brother Acton, of the IA
r vocate, says: 'It is in as good taste t
2 soIemnly lay the corner stone of
drinking and gambling saloon as TO n
! ligiuusly solemnize the marriage of d
7 vorced PERSONS" and while we cannC
t agree with him that this is fact b,
= cause the persons have been divorce,
? we imagine that it is true of perhal
e many of these and myriads of others.