Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-06

time, one divorce had been granted for every 2l.4
marriages. Here, too, we would have TO 40 what
Mr.. GLADDEN. did for New England subtract from
the total number Of marriages those OF Catholics, to
arrive at the exact proportion Of divorces to mar
risges among the nome Catholic population.
In these statistics we have before us the great
social question Of the day. Whittier are We drift
ing? What is to become of society, unless there Is
to be o sudden arrest Of this downward move
our family life is threatened with disruption, that
our railroads are multiplied beyond counting, that
electricity apnihilates distance for thought ana
voice, that Europe sends her millions Of emigranfs
to develope our untenanted plains. Opr material
civilization will not save us. The riches and spien-
dor of pagan Rome did not keep her from the throes
of moral death With virtue mere name, her out
ward material gloi was but the gided trappings Of
a corpse, and when the blow Of the barbar-
ian was leveled at her, che crumbled into
ruins.
Public sentiment is aroused to-day against polyg
amy, and most rightly 80. Polygamy Is blot on our
civilization, cancer that Ia eating the family, and
will soon, If not arrested disrupt society. But lot
us we'll consider is poygamy less heinous, less de-
sructve Of the family, than divorce? Is there not In
divorce tie same play for impure passion
Is there not even more cruelty to woman and child
In polygamy the neglected wife is still retained In
the home-in divorce, she is driven out among
strangers In polygamy the child still remains un-
der the eyes of father and mother; In divorce il
separated forever from one or the other The agita
ton against polygamy should be continued but let
it be coupled with agitation against divorce. There
yet left IN the land millions Of faithful husbands
and devoted wives, who would spurn the notion OF
divorce, nor would they brook the idea that their
children in the future could descend to 1t. They
should know the dangers ahead, not for them
selves, for their children, In the change for the
worse which is coming upon public opinion and they
should do all In their might, while 1t may yet be
time, to throw back society in the safe moorngs of
the old Christian principle Of the indissoubity OF
the marriage tie.
one respect the Roman Catholic church has proved
itself the conservator of the family. By consistent
and stringent discipline, it has always maintained
| the sacredness- Of the marriage bond" But his
euogy both of the church and Of the sacredness OF
the marriage bond is counteraced in the interest OF
Professionalism and of the law Of divorce, in another
passage. "Tbis representation of the Roman Cath
oIic church" he says "as the special custodian OF
| to be somewhat exaggerated when we reflect upon
the state Of social morality in Roman Catholic couu
| tries as compared with those in which Prot
estantism prevails - This is the old-tme calumny
often proven false, but and anon reappearDg
that Catholic countries inferior in the scale OF
morality to Protestant countries If the statement
were correct it would 60 far to answer what We have
| said of the evils of divorce But deny it mos,
emphaticsy, aud as Mr.. GLADDEN. gives no proof OF
his assertion, it is needed that give proof Of my
denial. Statistics and facts beyond number are &C
too apt to take France representing all Oatho
lie countries and Paris as representing France, and
the novel writer's again Of this cosmopolitan city ai
representing Paris. They are mistaken In each and
every assumption AS things are, there is decidedly
a great deal of vice in Paris, not
| more, if as much, than in Lon.
don and New York, and France, as whole, will
in comparison with any Protestant country Of the
world, cover herself with honor. We must not for.
get too, that act Of conjuga indelity in France
will be termed by our American WRITER'S as it should
be, adultery; but the same in America if some civil
court has sanctioned it by permitting previously
divorce, what no court will do in France, will bt
called an honorable marriage. Names, however. DE-
not alter facts,
The church has in all ages maintained the sacred
of the marriage tie. No subject Of hers, wert
ne king or emperor,wa safe from her excommunica
ton if he put away his legitimate wife. Again ant
| again were armies arrayed against her for he
steadfastness on this point, but she yielded
Henry VIII. would have remained the defender o.
the faith if the church hsd consented to in AnI
de Boleyn, the queen of Englond. She was able t.
maintain her high mission tn this respect, because
| she was an organized church-dogmatc in he
| teaching, supreme in her disciplinary power. Her
precisely is the weakness Of Professionalism and tn
reason why divorce is frequent in Protestant coun
tries. Professionalism has right to teach; each on
interprets the law for himself often to suit his
| desires, and whatever may be its oficia
| doctrines, it has no power to enforce them
1t yields before the popular current Professionalism
has never officially recognized cause for divorce
save, perhaps, the of adultery; but In practice
1t recognizes the laws Of the state. Religion, as
mere principle, is powerless. It needs to be EN-
bodied in strong organization and this present con
sideration is another proof that when Christ came
/ teacher, to make his teaching effective duIint
ages, he must have instituted Its guardian and in
terpreter, living church.