St. Paul daily globe., 1893-01-29

in a sermon preached in the cathedral
at Sioux Falls two weeks ago. 1t was
sermon OF uneQuivocal painne5S, and
left his hearerS-a considerable huuOer
of whom, by the way, were themselves
members OF the ''divOrce cOloHy"-ln
no manner of doubt as to the bishops
position OIL the question. Among other
things, he said:
ANY institution or practice carried
on in community which IS sapplng the
moral life of that community Snoull ne
exposed and suppressed. The time mas
come in the history of our falr state
when the divorce industry carried on
here should receive such treatment
Some say that it is good thing for
South Dakota to have divorces and di-
yorce suits. [ say that it is alarming,
and our lax divorce laws have become a
national scandal. Not following the
teachings of our Master, who lays down
one sole cause for divorce, We have SIX
distinct grounds for separation.
'.It is not so much the securing OF a
divorce which is so shocking, it is the
consecutive polygamy which is practlced
in marrying again 50 soon TO man or
woman who has been c0urtcd while the
suit for divorce was pending. 1t is the
perjury committed by the applicants,
who swear that they intend TO make
their home here. and no sooner get their
decree than they leave town, OFTEN
times married to another man who has
been waiting"
The only things left. the bishop
thinks, are a few dollars and huge
scandal. The florists, jewelers. and
hotel keepers have reaped the harvest,
and they encourage the industry. The
rest OF the citizens should rise against
such an outrage, and Sioux Falls
should, instead of fostering this evil,
develop its institutions which are de-
signed to be OF benefit to all.
'MaIriage," he continues, sis pc
culiar contract. 1t is sacred; it creates
one unit of two; it affects the legitimacy
of children: it affects the whole system
of society. The word of God is:
The twain shall be one 1esh,' and
what God hath Joined together let no
man put asnnder.'
What, then. are we to do with the
divorce industry? Dread it! Dread it
1t is the disruption and destruction of
the family, yet our laws make light of
all this by diSSolYing unions fraught
with tremendous consequences to the
family and to society. If we dread it
we will bend our efforts to suppress it.
eIa AZ y are Ad4'
"Our laws are not so loose as those of
OF her states, there being but six causes
for w hich divorce may be granted.
while in some states there are twenty
four causes. However, the residence
clause is defective. But three months
is required to secure decree, while a
residence of six months Is necessary
for a man to become a voter in
the state. There is no adequate
requirement made in the law for notify
ing the respondent to the suit. LII ere
is no provision made for limited divorce
or temporary separation. An absolute
divorce, if any, must be granted, leav-
ing no room for repentance. These are
glaring defects in the law, and to
remedy these we must ventllate, agItate
and educate. What better object can
the church of Christ have in view, the
beginning Of this new year, than
work for a new law?" O.
Clearly Rt Rev. w. Ii. Hare does not
believe that South Dakota great ''ad-
yertisement' is among the things that
make for righteousness" Nor does he
limit his opposition to pulpit utterances.
Realizing that the most effective means
of combating a law is counter-legiSla-
ton, he has begun a forcible and prac-
tical campaign. His first step was the
drawing up of petition, to which
he obtained the signatures of all
the Sioux Falls clergymen, praying for
changes in the existing law. He expects
to add to these names those OF all other
ministers in the state. Armed with this
document. Bishop Hare betook himself
to Pierre few days ago, where he will
make a determined fight for his cause.
Thus it happens that tae legislature of
South Dakota presents the unique spec
taele of an Episcopal clergyman, and a
bishop at that, as lobbyist.
An active life and residence of con-
siderable length iu the state have made
Bishop Hare's personality familiar
one to South Dakotans. By his work
among the Indians he has become
widely known, too, in the East, where
ne has many. friends. Through his in
fluence large subscriptions for mission
ary work in Dakota have been secured,