West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-05-19
Marriage nniDiyorce.

Last week the Maine Methodists Confer
ence passe3 resolutions against the grant.
ing and obtaining OF divorces "for any
other cause than that specified by our
Lord" They declared that it is wrong
for a minister - marry couple VIXEN
there is suspicion of either of the parties
having been divorced for any other rea
son than breach of the seventh command.
ment; and they urged ministers TO preach
on the subject at least once a year, Fl.
nally they appointed the th-cc Methods,
pastors stationed ~ Portland as a commit
tee To further endeavor to bring about a
change in the State laws touching mar
ria and divorce Ia accordance with their
views.
Similar sentiments have been expressed
| by olher religious denominations of New
England; Just as the Roman Catholic
Church has always stoutly and even
| hereby opposed the treatment of mar
riagc as mere legal contract, which may
be set aside tor vui0us causes, as the
State shall specify. Though they put
their objections To- the divorce laws OF
most of the States in different language
and rest them ON different grounds, in the
main the Protestant communions agree
with the end reached by the recent pastor
al letter of the Western Roman Catholic
Bishops in ito discussion of marriage and
divorce. They would hayc divorce gran
ted only for the cause which the Founder
of Christianity specifically laid down.
Orthodox Protestants aud Catholics are
accordingly IN agreement in their opposi-
ton 10 the laws touching divorce which
prevail in very many of the States of the
Union, and which are general in New
England especially. Yet it cannot be de-
MED that the prejudice against divorce and
divorced persons has become much soften
ed Of late years. Formerly the mere
dread of public opinion would proven,
most married peorl' from resortiug to a
legal s. para,inn. Womlu IN particular
feared the ban which would be put on
them if they were tiyorceG, no matter if
they themselves hal been blameess.
And where there were children the evil
consequences to them deferred both hus
bands and wives fr1m making their dis4.
greemcnts pnblic, aud from seeking In,
aid of the law tn part them.
But of late, especially in New England
aud some of the Western States. the com
munity has grown 20 accustomed to diyor
COS ana marriages after divorce that they
fail 10 produce more Than n short lived
impression. The GAUGES of divorce have
been multiplied. the opp rtu1ilies FOR ob
tanning it are greater, aul the methods are
easier. Accordingly it is more frequently
resoricd 10, AMI has ceased to be 81 excep-
tional as it once was.
This, ot course. Is why Pto'est4n, de-
nominations ami IA. Rbm4n CLtho,ic
pri' ethoood are now 80 urgent in their op-
position - modem divOrc: law. rney
tend To- imptir H. sanctty the Church haa
always thrown about the m4Iriag, rcla-
tor, ana point IN the day when mqrriag.
shall he treated sc only legal C. ,n,eqct.
tob' treatcl by the law like other CON
tracts entered iuto between individuals
The church would then los. lis c,ntr,I
~: marriages, an the teachinCs of CHRIS.
tia' ity tuucIilc the rciutio, woull be
more ard more disregnrdei by those who
contracted them.
II is cay to understand, therefore, why
ihc churches v'e@ with SO great alarm
he prcser' lgxity at divorce. Il isa first
step toward undermining the Religious
i'ces which We surrouOded the relation.
Tho gDnositinp ,f 80. d.,