Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-04-01
THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF DIVORCE
SERMON Bf9REv. !kEFRED CREssEY, OF l.
g & AUsTIN,s8 q :

THE sCRlPTURAL VIEW OF DIVORCE.
: SERMON BT4REv. AEFRKD CREssEY, OF -
9 s 81 AUsT1N.ss e
q Matt. xix: 50. g
Ill. Now let US turn 10 the questi on
already anticipated: What man or ma
ton dare assume authority to put assun-
der those whom God hath joined toge,h-
er? The answer call your attention to
is this: LIST, the Jews, aud I'd, our own ma.
ton.
/. The Jews.
I quote from DR.. Adam Clark's Com
mentary, Matt. xix: 8. At this time there
were two famous divinity and philoseph-
icat schools among the Jews, that at
Shamnlai, and that of Hillel. On the
question of divorce, the school of Sham
mai maintained that man conld not le-
gally put away his wife, except tor adul-
terry. The school of Hillel taught that
man might put away his wife for q
multitude Of other causes; and when she
did not find grace in his sight, that is
when he saw any other woman that
pleased him better" RabGi Akiba said:
ut any mau saw a woman handsomer
than his own wife, he might put his wife
away; because 1t is said in the law, If She
find not favor in his eyes. '"-Deut. xiv:
L. "Josephus, the celebrated Jewish bis.
torian, in his life tells US, with the Ut
most GOODNESS and indifference, About
this time put away my wife, who had
borne ne three children, not being
pleased with her Manners
These cases are enough to show to
| what scandalous and criminal excess
this matter was carried among tho Jews.
2. Then we inquire how it was with
| us?
| find that divorces are very common,
some for one cause and some for another.
So that the question, rs it lawful for a
man to put away his wife for every
cause ?" is far from being foreign, but
really is applicable to US, and question
of the greatest importance. For, for al.
most any little thing that springs up be-
tween man and wife, divorce is applied
tor, and is obtained.
took the following: "Those whose atten.
ject of divorce, will be surprised at the
humber Of applications in the courts Of
our large cities and centres of population
10 have the bonds of marriage dissolved.
In indianapolis, in 1866, there were 822
|
vorce, which is more than one to four OF
the whole number of marriages. In Chi,
cagO, the same year, there were four thous.
and one hundred and 'eighty-two mar
riages, and three hundred and thirty ap
plications for divorce, being nearly one
to every thirteen marriages. In both
these cases the number seeking divorce
is alarming. But the unenviable and dis
graceful distance in which Indianapolis
leads Chicago in this warfare on mar.
riage, is to be attributed to the peculiarly
lax legislation of Indiana, which for
years, has been notorious on the subject
Of divorce. The various courts Of Chi
caEo granted bills of divorce in 1866 Ia
the number of 274; in 1866, the number
was 200; in 1857, 81, making the whole
number of divorces granted in in three
years 704. Is not this appalling? But
since 1868, Chicago has registered al
high as seuen hundred and thirty dppli.
cations IN single gear, representing fam
lilies containing about $500 souls, and
the most Of which are poor women
The Christian Statesman, says that the
number of divorces in the last 8 years
in four States, viz, Vermont. Massachu
sets, Ohio aud Connecticut, have beer
five thousand eight hundred and thirty
one. And In the year 1877, in Maine
there were five hundred divorces.
Brethren and fellow citizens, believe
that our lawmakers are TO blame for 81
lowing such laws to exist as they do, ant
not bringing the law of divorce in thes,
United States to the Scriptural standard
. Look at our statutes of Minnesota, ane
see the looseness of this matter. In tn
General Statutes Of Minnesota, page 407
sec. 6, we find the following: "A divorce
from the bonds Of matrlmopy may he ad
, judged and decreed by the district cour
on suit brought IN the county where pal
ties, or either OF them, reside, for eithe
of the following causes: LIT, adultery; %
, impotency; Sd, cruel and inhuman treat
. ment 4th, when either party, subsequen
to the marriage, has been sentenced t
I'm prisopment in the State Prison; 5th
willful desertion of one party by tn
Y other for the term of three years next pre-
, ceding the fling Of the complaint.
Here, then, are six causes In our Stat
- statutes for which man or woman ma
2 put away wife or husband. The first
: according to Scripture, the others are ur
D soriptural. What latitude is here give
for divorces! Brethren, is the matte
over stated, when say we are IN q
bad condition As were the Pharisees j
our LORDS day ON earth?
t Iremark, fur Their, that the peace of th
churches is endangered by this ungodl
practice of divorce. Among the indie,
tons and proofs of this are the essay {
+ Rev. DR.. Dole before the Illinois Baptl,
= Pastoral Union, and the General Confe
ence of the NJ. E. Church.
All Christian people and all true phi
i anthropists must awake to their dut,
f Politicians have made these laws, and b
o them public sentiment has been educ.
ted. And have no doubt that many er
: ter into the marriage contract because {
+ this lax state Of things, thinking, if al
l. don't work well, they can easily be d
O vorced and thus they lay the foundation
for enforcement before the contract is rea
!. ly finished. But let these unscripturs
1 laws be done away, and let everybod
y understand that the contract is for liii
. UNTIL DEATH DO THEN FART, and ma
! riage will be entered into with create
q solemnity, and instead Of being q ours
;. to many, as it now is, it will prove
blessing to all. Something must be don
y or we are 4 ruined people, socially, mo
i ally and religiouslY.
8 Hot drinks should be avoided in da
}. time during cold weather, as they have
tendency to weaken the lungs and effe
> the throat. Take DR.. Bulls Cough s,
i rup for all cases of Coughs, Colds an
E HOarseness. Price rs cents bottle.