The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-03-29
A Terrible Arrangement.
REV. DIR. Din OF NEW YORK RATES NEW ENG
LAND As THE "CENTRE OF TIE MORAL CESS
POOL or SOCIAL CRINIE.''

REV. DIR. Din OF NEW YORK RA TIS NEW ENG
LAND As THE "CENTRE OF TIE MORAL CESS
POOL OF SOCIAL CRIME"
The course Of lenten lectures on
woman by the Rev. DR., Morgan Dix, the
well-knOwn rector Of Trinity Church,
New York, which he is giving in Trinity
Chapel is attracting much attention and
causing a good deal of comment among
fashionable people Recently his subject
was "Diyorce," and in his lecture he said
some harsh things about di Eorces and
divorce laws III the New England States.
After stating that there were ID lS7o in
Maine AS divorces; in New Hampshire,
24l in vermont, l97 in Massachusetts,
600; in Connecticut, 40l, ana in Rhode
Island, l9t, making a total Of 2ll3. and
that, on the basis OF popua tion by the
present census, there was one divorce to
every 1857 inhabitants, in New Ilamp-
| shire one to every l439, in Vermont one
to 1867, in Massachusetts one to 297l, i'll
| Connecticut one to 1853, and in Rhode
| Island ] TO every I'LL, he said
Listen to some further statistics from
the shameful record Of the New England
| States, which seem to be the centre of
/ the moral cesspool: In Massachusetts in
1850 there We're five causes for which
divorce could be obtained ami a ratio OF
one divorce to 81 marriages. In 1876 the
number OF causes for which divorce was
allowed had advanced to nine, and the
ratio TO one divorce for evely II mar
riages. In other New England States
the case was even worse. In Vermont
the ratio was one divorce to If mar
riages in Rhode Island, one divorce to -
| marriages. In Connecticut, one divorce
to II marriages ; in New Hampshire the
same ratio, and it was even worse in
Maine. Another fact must be stated.
From the total marriages I'd gistered in
the several States those contracted and
| solemnlzed by Roman Catholics must be
/ deducted, as they, all honor to them.
allow no divorce, following literally the
/ Commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1t is among Protestants or non Roman
| Catholics the divorces occur, and these
run up to as high Il rate as bne divorce
in every fourteen marriages in MaSsachu-
setts, and one in every eight i'll COnnec-
ticut. The practical result ofIthis facility
of divorce is that in the New England
States alone 1000 families are broken up
| every year, 1000 persons divorced Again.
IiplS llllo, llttt NlIllC llt laws IlOltttlIS
marriage have been thus gradually weak
ened and facilities fer divorce extended,
crimes against chastity, morality and
decency have been steadily Increasing
In Massachusetts, from 1860 to 1870,
during which time divorces lave increas-
ed two and one-half times while mar
riages have increased hardly four per
lcent.. and while all convictions for crime
nave increased hardly one- fifth, those
rlmes known as being against chastity,
morality and decency have increased
hree fold.
Looseness Of legislation has suggested
and increased looseness of living, and
dsproved the plea that the sins against
clastity will diminish if the law resulat-
ng marriage is made less severe. The
rsults OF this state OF things, if not speed
ly changed, will be the destruction of
he home first, and next of the social
oder, which is built on the eIhomc as its
necessary base. And communism and
socialism, which aim at the destruction
Of all existing institutions, are logically
correct in proclaming the design of
alOllshng marriage and making all child
rel the property of the State, to be reared
atthe public expense
he Boston journal comments on the
aD've as follows:
DIR. DIX ON NEW ENGLAND
The Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix, rector of
Trinity Church, New York, seems deter
mlEd hat, if his series of Lenten ect-
urei does not arouse attention and com
men, it shall not be for any, lack of ag-
gressveness i'll them. Having assailpd
the Iodern tendencies for the elevation
and iigher education of women in way
Whlcllhas drawn the fire of the indignant
advocaeS OF woman suffrage, he now
turns is batteries upon New England
which b describes as the "centre Of the
moral esspool Of social crime" Dr.
DlXs sttements are exaggerated, and
his manner is more rhetorical than ac-
curate. Without an ample basis for
statistica comparison we should be re-
luctant D believe that New Engla; d
makes aE worse showing in the matter
OF divorces which is what Dr. Dix had
particularly in mind, than New York. or
other Stfes We are somewhat at a
disadvantage in such comparisons, be-
cause we are in the habit of collecting
and preserng such statistics more care
fully than other States. To a certain
extent, it lay be said that the laxirv in
the malrla.e relation which DR.. Dix de
plores is no only not distinctively a New
England tedency, but it is not distinct
lively Ameran. European statistics show
that the rato of divorces to marriages has
: increased raidly there, as well as with
us.
) We emphaize these points, because.
7 when all is sad that can be by way of
) abatement, thre remains enc ugh of truth
in what DIR. Ok says to brin ng blush of
shame TO the Geek of the New England
er When Dl Dix leaves rhetoric and
5 comes down toigures, we fe ar that there
| is little room t dispute with him. The
substantial accuracy OF the statistics
which he cites has never, we believe.
been impeachet New England is not "a
} moral cesspoos but it is true that the
} number of divorces has Increased alarm
ingly of late yeas, and that, coincident
, with it, there ha been a large increase in