News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-05-08
THE MARRIAGE OBLIGATION.
Rev. DIR. WOrrall the Alarming Free
quency and the Evils of Divorce.


divorce was the subject of the dis
course delivered at the Presbyterian
church, Rev. J. NJ. Worrall, D. D. The
text was taken from Malachi IL, IS
'For the Lord the God of Israel hateth
putting away" In the course of his SER
mon the preacher said:
Marriage was the fact that immediate
ly followed the Creation. The law OF
this marriage was that one woman
should be the helpmate and companion
of one man. If my subject included
that of polygamy could easily show
that the testimoney of the Bible in its
teachings and in all its inference from
plurality of wives is the witness and adj
vocate for one man having but one wife
at the same time. But at present I in
tend to discuss only the question of di-
vorce. For long time after the begin
ming of history divorce was unknown,
nor have we any distinct history of the
| time at which it did commence. AS long
as the divine authority for marriage and
IFS sacred character were recognized dl-
vorce was never formally thought of, but
when the knowledge of divine law and
of the high origin of marriage was lost
then divorce in all its forms became
quite common.
My reason for this discourse is two
fold-fi first, the very great frequency with
which divorce is now obtained and for
very inadequate reasons; second, the
many evils arising out of this state OF
things. In former days divorce was con-
sidered as a last resort and shocked pub
lie feeling. Lately this evil has been
extended and is still increasing. 1t is |
invading the most conservative States |
and finding favor or at least countenance |
among some of the Oldest communities. |
Our own courts are so crowded with this !
kind of litigation that on all sides there |
begins to come cry and call for rem
edy. Now the evil of this is manifold. !
On the parties themselves there comes a
sense of looseness of obligation in regard |
to all domestic ties. There comes a sense |
of injury done to sacred relations; of |
breach of long established rules of law
and order that cannot but effect very
deeply the tone and sentiment of society
in reference to the most sacred relations
of this life. This lightly throwing off of
obligations solemnly taken and rushing
into what they may regard the freedom
of single life, but what the world will
always regard as a much less sacred and
pure life, will harm their own feelings
and lower the standard of truth and pro-
priety among others.
Then children, too, come in for large
share of grief and suffering and disgrace.
Hardly anything can so change filial
duty and affection as for parents to be
divorced. Hardly anything can more
deeply wound the feeling of self-respect
and the buoyant expectation of young
hearts for life than to feel that they b.
ong to family broken up in s,,o,
way. And whatever may be tba SO a
On the parties Immediately conc 'iieo'
whatever may be their views or feelings,
livorce does tend to corrupt society
md lower the whole standard of domes.
ic piety and purity. The reason divorce
las become so prevalent is, first, be-
,ause of low estimate of the marriage
citation. 1t is regarded as mere con-
ract of convenience. 1t is considered
MY a secular covenant. 1t is adopted
n kind of tentative way-to be right if
suits and to be abandoned if it is incon-
enient. There are few reasons why
ivorce ought to be granted, just a few,
nd those ought not to be overlooked.
hey are wilful abandonment, personal
buse, drunkenness and adultery.