The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-11-22
TIE DJV0BoE oUEsrI0N.

THE DIVORCE QUESTION.
New York Sun: The Tribune for
some time past has been publishing at
great length the opinions of cIergymen,
awYers and .thers in regard 10 divorce.
They all agree that divorces have be-
come so frequent as TO constitute ser
ious, ifnot an alarming evil, but there is
not like agreement among them as TO
the best or most feasible way of curing
the disease.
The subject is also attracting very
general attention among the different
religious communions. The late Pas
toraI Letter of the Roman Catholic
Bishops dealt with It IN the uncom-
promising way which the doctrine of
that church requires, and which Pro-
testantism refuses to adopt. The Catho
lie religion tOlerates no divorce. A law
ful marriage is only dissoluble by death
whether it was performed by Catholic
or Protestant clergyman, or by civil
magistrate merely. A man may have
been divorced under the laws of the
state, but no Roman Catholic priest can
marry him again SO long as the wife
from whom he was so divorced is living.
Whether the state law in regard to d.
vorce is as loose as that of Rhode Is
land, OF as strict as that OF New York,
It makes no difference to that church,
excep, 90 far as il has general interest
in gu c morals, for it pays no heed to
any divorce.
Professionalism, however, admits and rec
ogizes divorce for adultery, and even the
most bitter Protestant opponents OF the
divorce laws, the Rev. DIR. Bacon. Tor in
stance, utterly refuse to go TO the length
of the Roman Catholic church. DR.
Bacon only advocates uniformity of the
divorce laws of the states, publicity Of
divorce proceedings, representation oI
the state in every Divorce suit, and res
tOratiOn of the twOfOld form of divorce
that from bed and board, or separation
merely without the privilege of remar
rage, and that from the bonds OF matri
mony, where the innocent party may
marry again.
He says, moreover, that even if the STATE
has loose divorce laws. the churches
ought not TO give them religious sane
ton by marrying people who have beer
improperly divorced. "The law which
the church administers is the law o
Christ" are his words; land when the
state declares that To be lawful marriage
which Christ declares 70 be adultery
it must count on finding the church tax
Ing sides with the Master"
AS q matter of fact, however, as DIR
Bacon acknowledges, the divorced pee
pie find Ii tie trouble in getting minis
tiers 10 marry them to new mates. The
are not forced to go before civil mag
istrate, whose simple duty it is to Obe.
state law. They can easily obtain tn,
religious ceremony, though the ministe
who performs it may convict himself O
gross inconsistency
IAN adulterous couple" says DIR. Ba
con, can find reputable ministers OF an.
desired Protestant denomination, elthe
in New England or out of 1t, who for
en-dollar bill" will pronounce them hus
band and wife ain the name of the Lorl
| Jesus Christ" Nor does he know O
any case where "this transaction la
brought the culprit under any for
NAL censure from his brethren or 81
| periors.'
1t seems to Us, therefore, that befor
this religious opposition to the divorce
law goes further, it Is imperative
that the churches should stOl
marrying "adduIterous courles.'' Tn
marriage reform must begin in thu
church, which stultifies itself when it dc
nOunces divorces for lesser ground
than adultery as sinful, and yet permits
its ministers to marry the divorced, ant
to admit them to the communion. WheI
il has "given the state to understand
that, whatever acts are entered on tht
statute book, the law which the church
administers is the law of Christ" then
and only then, can il consistently wage
religious war against divorce laws.
The Roman Catholic church permit
no divorce, and will sanction the mar
riage of no person divorced while tn
divorced husband or wife is living, l
the Protestant churches deem divorce
except for adultery, contrary to the Law
of Christ, let them likewise live up Il
their doctrine, and refuse to marry PEG
pie dIynTced on other grounds.
IL for the churches, first of all, Il
preserve the sanctily of marriage. Thei
failure to do that and the growth OF re
Iigious infidelIty are the great causes o
the prevalence of divorces now so mucl
lamanfed