St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-30
MORALS AND MARRIAGE
Discussed by Orthodox MiHisters--A
Shot From Sa I'M Joacs.


morning nominating committee of Messrs.
Marshall. Merrill and Hobbs was selected
to nominate officers for the ensuing month.
The following were elected: j. l.. Pitner.
president: A. r. Graves. secretary.
The following letter from Sam P. Jones
was read:
In your letter of the 18th you say that
you are directed to inform me that the
Ministerial association of that city was not
prepared at this time to make any engage
ment with me for any particular time.
One good turn deserves another. Let me
direct you also to inform the Ministerial
association of your city that l never re-
queSted the said organization to make any
engagement with the said Sam p. Jones for
any particular time.
A letter was read from Col. AleX4oge-
land, the ''newsb0y's friend" asking for
letter ind0rSing him. Rev. DR.. Marshall
objected to this. saying he did not believe
in this indscriminate indnrsing. He held
that if the colonel wanted an Endorsement
he should 90 to the pastors of the churches
he had spoken in for it. NOtwithstand ng
this objection. resolution was passed APP
pointing committee to draw up resolutions
fully indorsing Col. Hogeland.
THE FAMILY AND DIVORCE.
Rev. Charles E. Thwing then read
selection from his book, Family and Di-
vorce," touching upon the great changes
that have been made in the marriage re!a-
ton in the last fifty years. lie said that
the idea that marriage was merely civil
contract. to be dissolved at any time at the
convenience of either party. was growing.
Even among religious people marriage has
ceased to become religious ceremony. and
has degenerated into a sort of festival.
where all go to have a good time. The
socialist views adopted by some have done
much to weaken marriage. as nave also the
great changes that have taken place within
the las fifty years. Then wOman's sphere
was tie school room and the household.
Now she is engaged in nearly all things
that men are. Boarding houses were re-
spOnSible for much and the reader dwelt
on the number of idle women vino could be
found there. No boarding house could
be found that could take the place of home.
1t was not the same and never could be.
As wOmen's rights have grown larger their
duties have grown correSpOndinglY smaller,
thus leaving large number of irresponsible
women Money and property matters had
much to do with divorce. and would always
property. The enlargement of womanS
rights had already caused many divorces.
and was causing more all the time.
Woman's independence must be adjusted to
prevent these separations. The Church of
Rome had done much better in preventing
d vorces than the Church of England as il
had not been afraid to condemn sins which
called for condemnation from the church.
Other churches would do we'll if they wOuld
regard marriage more as religious cere-
mOny. The different divorce laws were
spoken of and roundly condemned by the
article, which stated few of the compiled
tons that might arise. This trouble was
only to be avoided 10y changing the conSti-
tuition SO as to establish uniform divorce
law.
SIGHT FOR THE MINISTERS.
Rev. Mr.. Bascom said he did not favor
divorce in any shape, and as a means of
bettering the marriage state would suggest
that no minister unite in marriage man or
woman who had former wife or husband
living. unless the violation of the marriage
covenant was the reason for the separation.
Rev. Mr.. PierSOu said that one lamenta-
bic thing was the fact that young men were
often engaged three or four times before
marrying. This. he thought, was a bad
thing and created a contempt for the mar
rage relation. He said it seemed to him a
good thing TO make engagements known to
the world. as the Germans do.
Rev. Mr.. Hovey brought up the subject OF
having marriage licenses made out so that
ministers might tell whether parties getting
married were doing so for the iirSt or sec
ond time. and other matters which all min
listers want to know. The only way to rem
edy this. he said. was to get the legislature
to pass law compelling the court clerks
to Tx marriage licenses in such a manner
that a minister could tell whom he was
marrying.
A discussion followed. and resolution
was introduced providing for the appoint
ment of a committee to draw up plans for
remedying the evil and presenting them to
congress. after laying them before the Min
isterS' association in two weeks. The mo-
ton was carried. Rev. Mr.. Thwing was
made chairman. The other members of
the committee are DR.. HOvey and Rev.
Dr. SAMPLE