Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-23
DIVORCE.
4 Defence of Rev. DR.. Dix,s Views.

To the Editor OF the Free Press and Times;
My attention is called to your editorial of
the l4th inst, on divorce. | think your
article is illogical and unfair toward the po-
sition Of DR.. Dix aud OF those Christian peo-
pie who still would regulate home and social
life by the laws of the Gospel rather than
the acts of any State legislature. OF course
1t is mere circumstance that In his statistics
DR.. Dix points especially to New England
as in error and in peril. Yet l cannot agree
with you that in this he makes "a great mis-
take" for | think 1t the strongest showing
possible In the settlement Of this country
and the establishment of our social and do
nestle institutions no section was so firmly
ruled by the religious idea as New England.
In no other were the purity and sanctity of
marriage so strenuously dcfendcd-and in
this thought to point to the condition of New
England to-day with people living
passively under shameless laws is tony
mind far stronger case than TO point
to any of our Western States with
a social organization constantly formative,
and with mixed foreign population not to
be compared in intelligence or in morality
with our ancestral New England. The
forefathers of New England left us teachings
and traditions which we now deny. Our
Western States have had no forefathers.
Confessedy the Bible once ruled New Eng
land. never heard such a claim made for
Illinois. 1t isthe drift Of things We deplore.
You assert that it is by no means going to
the root Of the matter to hold that the
trouble comes from viewing marriage as
merely A civil contract. In mythology the
ancients used to believe that The world rested
on the shoulders of the giant Atlas, but only
an impudent and alarming curiosity could
ask what Atlas found under him. some.
times, indeed it is said that Atlas stood on
heap of stones that went 0all the wav
down. Now is il not going deem enough to
saw that Almighty God. who made man.
kind male and female, has also made the law
bv which they should live together as male
and female Or do we need a supplement.
ary act of the lerlslatureY
You say that the Christian view of this
subject furnishes no reason whv husbands
shoIld prove unfaithful and intempcrate
and wives ounrrelsome On The con.
trary | think it furnishes the yery strongest
reason. These husbands and wives know
that If they will but continue unfaitbful and
intemperaie they can he divorced and mar
ried again to other parties. and i'm hundreds
OF cases tllpk mike no elIOTt IOT mutual tO.-
bearance and love.
Again Won say intemperance is one
great cause of marital unhappiuess,
Yes, but 1t is Il mixed matter and Il works
both ways. Iptemperanoe makes unbappy
homes and unhappy homes make great
deal of iutcmperance. can use this second
fact as rightly IN sunnort NV arpsment
as Won can uSe tbn frst In sunnort of
vours
"FarIv marr;ogos - vou affirm ore ano,ber
cause of trouhle I'm, ,hint for other reaSons
their numh,r is staod;,v d;u;n;sh;nn vear In,
wear and os IN defects in onr system If nub.
lie education li,tlr can he locked for bv wav
Of remedy Fduca,ion viii do for men ne TO- To-,
dav exactly what il has done in mast
times no less and no more f
Won saw we are relying .,,oo little IN home
training bnt This IL lie rcaaoning in q cir,
Gle The ,ooseness If the domestic 10 and The
imnnrtv Of tho n,arriaan s,ato ar. ,hn ve srv
elomnnts nj ;ssue T6ev will not curs
,hon'saivos IT,, ,,,;i, ror,,o,,,ota ,hon,
sn,vns N' W." i.'p'''"''
7 ADM, Mr. Editor ,bo, Ib.vo rood in
vow nannr "cnnfossodi,, ,ho ,aod;ra ;onrrai
IN Verrnipon,Nwi,h srrprsn and dscp main
,.arr rrnrds On Jivorco an, oS,",,
ishad ,ho, '' vom nrono,nco os ' ..~rona
onI ME, ,nH ''' r p''n nTnr, to hr;nss
haol, ,ha ins,;,,,;a' If narr;oco 70 lie onn
tnSsa,i,. e rin;,;ra d snsir,,snI oronnds