The record-union., 1895-06-10
PROPER MARRIAGE TEE TRUE BASIS.
Such is a Blessing, But Any Other is
a Curse.
Interesting Discourse on "Marriagt
and DIvorceo by Rev. Martin,
the Evangelist.


yesterday afternoon at the Tabernacle. at
Fifteenth and M streets, his subject
being Marriage and Divorce" He took
his text from Mark k, 2 to II. but more
especially the words, "What God hath
joined together, let no man put asunder."
"What do our courts care for that COM
mand?" said he. "Their laws were not
made by God, but by men who very often
do not care for the interests of the coun-
try, but who are demagogues and politi-
clans. The word of God is called con-
unworthiess. If we will not let it do that,
it will consume us. We have overlooked
the laws of God and followed those of
men. There is nothing more serious
than marriage, except divorce. The
legal definition of.marriage is that it is
union OF husband and wife in the legal
relation OF marriage. Once married.
they are always married. Judge Story
says it is more than contract. 1t IS
founded on mutual consent and condi-
tions higher than ordinary contracts.
The parties are under obligations to soci-
ETY. anu TO the State. 1t is not necessarily
a public ceremony. Persons may be
married in the sight OF God, who have
not been publicly married. BY the law,
contract OF marriage must be published
TO the world. These little private con-
tracts are not marriage, and the parties
live in a state OF sin. y private mar
rage n church and OF record is all
right"
tie would say to the women: Don't
marry any man who will not submit to a
cerenlony, for all the evil results fall on
the woman. Insist Oh public ceremony.
When the man twists and turns to avoid
IT, the devil is at the bottom OF It," There
can be no valid marriage without consent,
and he would have the age OF consent for
both sexes made q years, and legislators
who will not vote Tor that are low down
in the scale of morals.
Some marriages are void and some are
voidable. Where proper conditions do
not exist there can be no valid marriage.
Marriages within prohibited degrees and
polygamy are void. Marriage OF idiots,
insane persons and children, by fraud
and of those suffering from lmpOtency
are voidable, but are valid until O COM
petent court declares them void. Proper
marriages form the basis Of all society
aud of purity of home. God pity the
man or woman who forces child to wear
the brand Of illegitimacy. They are UNI
worthy to be received into decent and
respectable society.
Some persons want to marry so badly
that they would die if they could not.
Marriage is not at all necessary. They
could live and die and go to Heaven
without it. Many women are on the road
to perdition through marriage. Persons
can marry ii OF legal age, sound of mind
and competent physically, or il they have
been married and the husband or wife is
dead, but in that case, If Christians,
should only marry in the Lord. That was
n l,& NlnlF,
on account of their children and environ
ments-as elderly persons are not 80
easily influenced for good as younger
ones, not being so pliable.
The innocent party, where the divorce
is for adultery, can marry again under
Gods law, but if both are guilty, God never
permits them to take upon themselves
new obligations. II they do so. both they
and the ones they marry are scripturally
guilty of adultery. Some men force.their
wives into divorce, but women who
marry such men commit adultery.
Pure love and affection are not the only
things necessary. Avoid haste in mar
rying. Sometimes the real cause Of
divorce is intidelity, but some other rea.
son is given in order not to disgrace the
children. Here the innocent party can
marry again, under Gods law.
A fruitful cause of divorce is that most
young men are hunting for heiresses in
stead of pure girls to make home happy
and work upward. Nine out of ten, both
men and women. marry IN order to enjoy
the money of the parents of the other
party. Milionaires' sons should be will
ing to marry pure girls, be they rich or
poor, and so with millionaires' daughters.
While he was opposed to fortune hunt
ing, he thought the fortunes should stay
at home instead OF going to some foreign
dude with q title.
People are not obliged to be divorced,
even when they have good scriptural
cause, and there are many instances
where they 90 not and in some instances
| a reform is brought about.
The only scriptural ground for divorce
is adultery, but he strongly favored jul
dicial separation, which leaves neither
party free to marry again, unless they
choose to be- reconciled and remarry. it
il often better for children that they be
removed from an atmosphere Of conten-
| ton.
! Far better than divorce is it that hus-
bands and wives bear with each other
and each others failings, for no one gets
as perfect a partner us he or she hopes
and wishes. We look for perfection, but
never find it. Love will cover multi
tude of sins, and will cover all these
shortcomings far better than divorce will.
| Then, too, there are the childreu's rights
to be considered. Who has the right to
take them from either of their parents?
| The programme announced for next
week is: Monday, lis Christianity Rea-
sonable''? Tuesday, "Who Should be
Baptized"? Wednesday, 1.-The Deceitful-
ness OF SIM; Thursday. Lazarus
! Raised"; Friday, "The Second (?) Bless
ing''; Saturday, -Four Things Of Ex-
ceeding Wisdom"; Sunday, IL A. NJ,
Refugee; p. NJ. mass meeting-sub-
| ject, "Ainericansm, or Politics and Re-
| ligon"; 7:45 p. NJ, Science and the Bible"