The herald., 1897-09-25
Marriage and Divorce

To the Editor of The Los Angeles Her
aid: The purity conference has undoubt-
edly opened new channels for healthful
thought in the minds of the people. Or
ganized and cooperative effort is the
! present, and will be the future, unfail-
! ing motive power to carry forward the
many needed reforms that our civiliza-
ton so loudly calls for. All prudishness
and false modesty was evidently elm
mated by the most earnest and well-in-
formed speakers There was one gentle
man, however, who thought that with
some exceptions the conference had
grappled more with the effects than with
the causes of the problem, and that ap-
peared more conspicuously on the treat
ment of the subject Divorce" There IS
little doubt that the marriage relation
with its heavy responsibilities, is en-
tered into with too little consideration.
but that the greatest blame should be
laid at the door of the laws seems hardly
fair. Laws are more or less brought into
existence by the conditions which call
for them. and in order to reach the root
of the evil the conditions must be
scanned with very critical and i'm
partial eye, and they must be changed
or improved, as the case may be.
1t is generally admitted that poverty
is an ugly factor in causing a great deal
of domestic infelicity. Among the more
favorably situated there exists what
may be called an abnormal desire for
excitement, which, unfortunately, is en-
couraged by some churches. The minds
Of the young are in turmoil, which
causes the waste, instead Of the husband
ing, of their mental energies, weaken
ing their power for correct judgment
Girls and young women, who, under
normal conditions, would be more care
full in selecting mate for life, rush into
the marriage relations to escape an ex-
istence that is little better than slavery
We need not go far from our homes
to find one of the prolific causes that in
crease the long list of divorces. Young
women who are thrown on their own re-
sources, no one taking a thought for
their comfort, are compelled to stand
on their feet ten-and sometimes even
longer-hours a. day for wages made
quate for their needs; not allowed to seat
themselves or even lean forward when
their bodily condition impera lively de-
mands little rest; young, growing girls
are kept closely at work ten hours day,
with quarter of an hour to swallow
their lunch and hardly any time to
stretch their cramped muscles; some of
these young girls work during these hot
days on uppermost floors, with tin
roof and no convenience for ven tila tion,
some of them struggling all day against
an overpowering sense of faintness.
Young women and older women are com
pa1Ied tO work in win tori In ronrpc c,o onl5
that their bodies never experience the
normal heat necessary to good health
and as soon as they reach home, in order
to bring warmth back, they must soak
hands and feet in hot water.
Many of our American girls who are
to make an honest living in performing
housework are compelled to endure
humiliation and indignities from Celes-
tial heathen who, as rule, enjoy
greater privileges than the native
daughters of America These are only
few of the unhealthy growths Of a
system that cannot absolutely be called
Christian, and this is only one phase of
the evil. What can we say of large
portion of the male population, whose
daily life unfits them to become founders
of homes. though no cfre'.t fault
Of theirs? Let thSOrue Christ spirit and
the vivifying Christ principle lead and
mould our lives, that we shall not wish
for rock pile or jute works for our
brothers any more than for ourselves,
and the Christ love and tenderness foiidly
nOurished in our own hearts may
eventually reach deep into the hearts
of those needing the vivifying rays,
and initiate to our utmost the lowlv
one who said: II, il be lifted up, shall
draw all men unto me"
MATILDE Y. BERRA.
Los Angeles, Sept. 22 1897.