New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-04
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.
CLERICAL. MEDICAL AND LEGAL VIEWS.

INTERESTING DISCUSSION by THE CoNGREGA-
TIoNAL CLUB.
The Congregational Club held its monthly dinner
last night in Fleischmanns Vienna Cafe, at Broad
way and feminist. There were about eighty live
gentlemen present, among them being Roswell
Smith, the president of the club; the Rev. Samuel
w. Dixie, of Royaton, VT, secretary of the New
England Divorce Reform League; the Rev. Lyman
Abbott, John p. Newman Z. P. Ingersoll, w. II.
Ward II. c. Haydn and James N. Wilton, ID. II. G.
Honghton, George Wilcox, James Talcott,
Henry Heath, the Rev. George +. Pentecost,
the Rev. III. Bradford, ID. j. Carson, Charles L.
Hope, the Rev. Samuel III. Virgin, tho Rev. A. p.
Foster the Rev. DR.. L. w. Gilman Charles z. Peirce
Ralph H. Waggoner, Henry w. Hubbard, Thomas
H. Bouden, S. s. MARBLES, the Rev. DR.. w. II. Bar
rows, H. IL. Beadle the Rev. J. B. Clark, Elijah s.
Cowles, the Rev. William Westerield. r John NJ.
Goddard the Rev. X. P. Hubbard, the Rev. H. H.
Waite, the Rev. X. Twining, DIR. J. f. James, the
Rev. Charles Is. Ray, John NJ Stearns. John Z. Tai
mage, the Rev. A. F. Schauficr, the Rev. John
Kershaw and L. p. Ide.
After the coffee had been brought in the following
gentlemen were elected to membership Tho Rev.
DR.. Newman the Rev. J. S. Ostrander, DR.. w. NJ.
Butler james r. Keser and William A. Brown. The
rest of the evening was given up to discussions of
the question, Marriage and Divorce"
THE REV. MIR. DIKE's ADDRESS.
The principal address was by the Rev. Mr.. Dixie
lie said in substances:
The divorce rate tho Northern and Southern and some
Western States has in all probability doubled within the
last quarter OF century It's increase has surely ana
yorce laws or their administration. Procedure is bad
Personal service of the libel Is often easily eyaded the
design of the law defeated when notice IA given.
Causes are hurried 10 trial Occasionally the papers are
false ThecOnficng laws Of the several States in
the evil and adds hurtfu complications There
/ hI.ta llfah aplt
There Is strong probability III other evils against the
family have increasedwith divorce The moral statistics
OF our country go 10 show that crime against chastity and
cgtmatc births increase along with divorce Divorces
obtained In communities where everybody knows every
body else. by lawyers and through Judges who ones
neighbours scatter seeds aud bear fruit beyond the meas
ure of the secret ways known In great cities
rage Is chcapcned an entire community. Statistics,
too are bringing out he fact that as rule, the divorce
rate higher m the rural districts than Ia the cities In
| the Territories Mormon poygamy coRirons U.S. Tho real
issue IN It Is over the family But tie mischies OF poly
gamy are not sappng the blood OF our social HE gencr
ally "a divorce and licentiousness are The polygamy
and constitution OF the family. The intricate questions
OF the property and political rights OF woman lead into
Of marriage and divorce than any other opens into
the heart OF these living issues OF American society.
ton Of the family IA ndstinct Religion and education
In Protestant ideas and methods tend 10 partial sup
preston Of the family. Our very common school system.
essential ~ IT'S to ourpoltca system Is not natural
institution. like the family. for the training Of tho child
Through a singular combination OF circumstances, we
have on our hands the great problem OF the mly which
many will unite In calling. with Dr milford, "the most
important question that has come to the American peo-
pie tie War OF the Rebellion and which Mr.. Gold
over" It is in the fact that L IA impossible to get any
thing Ike i9 solution OF this divorce question wlnput
of the former hcs The individual and the state have
relatively received too much attention There Is no
public consciousness Of the family that can express Itself
In clearly defined demands for its place and rights in y
ing issues Much can be done soon In the way OF legal
reform Procedure can be corrected penalties provided
and enforced In the matter OF divorce; the record OF
marriages and their dissolution he extended into
states where such record exists and poyls
ton should he made for accurate official statistics
MAJ gl :
All amendments To the organic law OF the land should De
hcnye and eau come only at the cnd Of prolonged dis
cu-sious. and II may be. great political conflict. Inc
mote this wLoe topic OF the family can Do made the SUD
jcct OF special study by scholars by Summaries, by
schools Of political science and by local associations
which shall take II up for broad ana patient work. the
better II will be In the end
REMARKS by SEVERAL GENTLEMEN.
Several brief addresses followed Mr.. Dikes. the
Rev. DIR. Newman saying few words before he
was Obliged to leave the hall He said that it was
the duty of the Christian ministers to recognize
marriage as religions institution. and that only
one cause for divorce should be recognized adult
ery DR.. Newman explained that he would approve
separations for some causes. but would not give the
separated persons divorce papers. lie also spoke
against the rcmarriage of divorced persons by
clcrgymcn. The root Of divorce, Inc addcd, was self
indulgence.
The Rev Dr. Ingersoll said TINT the causes of d-
yorcc were legion, and that the craze for divorce
ran IN channels like malarial fever and, like that
disease IL would die out in time. The Rev DIR.
vocates for one cause only and the other which al
lows several causes lie deprecated the short time
IN which divorce tried, averaging. he said.
only fifteen minutes each, in Connecticut. There
should hc more difficulty also, lac added, IN obtain
ing divorce. Dr. Henry {. lIOughtOn said that
out of a spiritual union there came spiritual hcrcd
ity, and as truly from vicious union came Il VIC
iOus hcrcdity. lilo advised fathers 10 teach their
boys and mothers to teach their girls the things
! that they ought To know and wOud soon Learnt
from their parents lips they would learn them
purely from other lips impurey. In referring to
| the deep sleep mentioned in Genesis. Dr. llOnghtOn
said that il many n man now could fall into deep
sleep and receive directly from God his better half
he would do better than to make tho choice hlin-
solf.
George Wilcox, lawyer. told of an freshman who
rrprOyed by Judge for having married his
sixth wife while his first five wore living. was
trying 10 get "a good one" explained tho much
married man. Mr.. Wilcox advised legislation az
the proper cure for the evils of divorce, but SAID
that il should affect the making of marriage engage
mcnts as well az marriage contracts. The reform
. should begin further back than Is ususally sug-
gcsted he said and he advocated the passage OF "a
law compelling the promise OF marriage to be IN
writing which would prevent many disgusting
breach of promise trials. He spoke against tho
trial of divorce before referees. me hcN.
William Lloyd urged the education of tho Chris
tian public on the important question under dis-
cussOn and said that the secret OF the purity OF lto
rested with parents II they were chasto IN
thought, their children would be.
, THE WEATHER REPORT
covEpNuEN'p INDIr ATOMS