Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-22

just ground for divorce. Many most emil
ent men think wilful desertion to be just
ground, ha7ing their view upon the teaching
Of | Coriuthlans vii III the unbelivlng
depart let them depart, brother or sister Is
not under bondage in such cases, but God
hath called us to peace 1t has seemed TO
me, however. that the context teaches that
Paul did not So regard it. This meaning
seems rather to be "lf there is not pt ace in
Jthe house the two may live apart, but not be
divorced" To make desertion or drunken
ness or cruel treatment ground
for divorce is to put prem
ium on these things. To adhere to the
law laid down in the teaching of Christ
would doubtless work hardshps in some
cases, but it seems to me it is far the safest
plan to aIhCrc to His teaching on the subject.
Our lax divorce laws arc certainly q gross
violation Of the great principles OF the Chris
tian religion. And this violation is unques-
tiOnahy one OF the great causes OF the in
crease in the number OF divorces. | know
that it is held by some that law can not bc In
advance of public sentiment, but l hold on
the other hand that law ought to elevate
public sentiment. In many States divorce
is greatly ON the increase. 1t has been posi-
lively asserted that during the past fifteen
years there has been in the State of Con-
nccticut one divorce to every fifteen
marriages, for several years past
there has been in part of the State
of Ohio one divorce for every
seven marriages 1t seems to me there has
been great increase in divorces in the last
ten years, but within the last year there has
been decline in the number. There has
been such agitation of the subject that it has
begun to tell upon the number Of divorces"
"Our lax law upon the subject OF divorce
| is uuqucsuonably the most prolific cause OF
the multiplication of divorces. A great
many causes might be enumerated as leading
plities To desire n severance of the marriage
bond One of these is the thoughtless and
careless entering upon the marital relation
with no conception either of its nature or re-
spnnsiblities. | think that the eXtravagant
living of the age might be enumerated as one
OF the causes. Another not infreqnent cause
it seems to me, is the exravagant ideas with
which many young PERSONS begin their mar
Iicd life. They imagine that they must main
tain a certain standard of dress and living
which they see in others, forgetting perhaps
that they cannot expect 20 begin at the point
which others have reached only after years
of patient and self-denyiug work. This ef-
fort to maintain a certain style OF living
leads to debt, debt is soon followed by dis
content, discomfort leads to discord, discord
DEVILS direst devices might be described as
debt, discomfort discard, divorce"
"Ong Of the most effective remedies that
could be applied to the case would be nation
al divorce law. | cannot conceive how, when
people can obtain a divorce by removing
IRON one State to another that stringent
State law can have any enforcement upon
the subject The matter strikes at 50 vital
an inslitution-the sanctity of the family, and
has so much influence upon the nation that
| It calls for the most stringent measures Inc
| laws OF the States are made in accordance
with the state Of morality and public sentl-
| ment in each State respectively 30 that We
ARE at the mercy Of what may be
an immOr il community. Because if one puts
| himself under u SAFE where the standard is
lpw tor thu pup ,se of obtaining benefit f'om
that Standard lac nrulraz3s the higher stand
ard Of ncighboriug State SO To my mine
the only Elective remedy for many Of thu
evils relating to marriage and divorce would
b. national law If marriage and divorce"