Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-24
Fast Day in Fair Haven.

United Service at the First Church-Ser-
 mon by Rev. Mr.1 F4Ovey -.sA True
 Standard for National Reform.''
 For many years it has been the pleasant custom for the churches of Fair Haven to ob- serve the days of fasting and thanksgiving by united services from church to church. This year the meeting came in turn to the First Congregational church, and Rev. H. 0. Hovey was the appointed preacher, assisted by Rev. Messrs. Hart, Ball, Hammond and Petit There was an unusually good attendance.
 Mir. Hovey's text was Isaiah 59:19, "When the enemy shall come in like flood the spir- it of the Lord shall lift up standard against him." The subject drawn from this was that of the religious necessity for "a true stand ard of national reform" Among the topics discussed were various forms of widespread evil, tapping over from one state to another, and against which we were called upon by the instinct of self preservation to defend ourselves at the peril of anarchy and ruin. One of these was the Mormon question. An other was the irrepressible temperance ques, tion, concerning which the war was waxing hotter and hotter every year until it has now begun to thunder all round the heavens. Still another element in the flood of enmity against God and his holy laws was to be found in the capricious and inconsistent State legislation on marriage and divorce. Con- corning this matter the preacher said
 It lowers the standard of national morality for one State to recognize as lawful relation ship that, in another, would be treated as a penitentiary offense. Some States regard marriage as mere contract into which the parties can enter without the formality of a license, witnesses, minister, magistrate or ceremsny, whereas here such relationship would be immoral and punishable. And yet. if once contracted there, it would be legal here. Contrast such Iaxity with the need less severity of the laws of Connecticut, where e minister should marry 8 couple oR a license obtained in another town would be liabls to $500 fine and years imprisonment. There ought, somehow, to be fixed common standard uniform in all the States, from Maine to California.
 And so concerning the dissolution of the marriage bond; the confused legislation of the several States has led to the most lament able immortality and corruption. As an ex- ample cite case that came under my own observation in Indiana A distinguished citi- zen of Boston gained a temporary residence there, and was released from his wife on a plea of incompatibility of temper after
 
 for the second wife, and finally the first wife was legally adopted as the child of the newly welded pair and they.left the State. Such absurdities ought not to be possible in a Christian republic anywhere !
 The remedy for corrupt divorce laws does not consist in forced and dogmatic applica- tions of the sermon on the Mount, nor in sharp thrusts at those whose interpretation of the inspired teachings may not agree with ours, nor in pungent rebukes of those who may have as full an understanding and clear a conscience as their reprovers- The princi- ples of that naatchless sermon are eternally true for the individual conscience but it may not be practicable to weave them all into the laws of the land. Christ himself said, concerning some of his words, "AH men cannot receive this saying. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." Who would think it just to compel g man whose coat had been stolen to let the thief have his cloak also? Or who would favor law requiring every man of means to give to all asking him for money and to turn no borrower empty away? Yet those teach ings stand next to the famous passage sc often quoted as fixing the limit of divorce. am in favor of reform. should be heartily rejoiced to see wholesome legislation in Connecticut. Maine has just set 8 good example. Neither bigotry nor false delicacy should prevent the people from erecting 6 barrier against the food of licen. tiousRess that threatens their homes Men eminent for wisdom should combine to devise the best possible laws. Ii it be said that mems hearts still are hard, as they were in the days of Moses, and that g necessity exists for making allowance for the imperfections of human nature in framing laws that are to bind unbelievers as well as Christians, let the primal fact be remember ed that the original charter of the family, older than either the State or the church could have included in the divine idea of it no provision for it's own extinction. The sanctity of the marriage bond is the very ba- sis of society, foundation of the State, and bulwark of humanity