The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-27
To Prevent Divorce by Making It I'm
fashionable.


The Rev. Mr.. HAMILTON, preaching in an
Episcopal church at Newport on Sunday,
urged the society OF fashion, which has its
foremost seat at that place during the
summer. to exercise its undoubtedly great
social influence to discourage and discoun-
tenance divorce. 1.-The people OF New
port he said. "are endowed with the
power to suppress this evil, and he added
inferentally that without such social in
fluence the Church is impotent in the
premises, saying that Newport has more
power to check 1t than the combined efforts
OF the Christian Churches from Maine to
the Pacific coast" Mr.. HAMILTON accord
ingly appealed to Newport society Ito re-
fuse to recognize divorce" "as a favor
toward the Church.
This is q very remarkable acknowledge
ment that tho authority Of the Episcopal
Church Is unable OF itself to resist SUCCESS
fully the present tendency Of that society
to tolerate and justify divorce for any cause
allowed by the civil law in any State, no
matter how violently 1t conflicts with the
law OF the Church. Everybody who heard
the appeal, however, knows that such is the
fact. for 1t has been demonstrated in many
conspicuous instances. The canon OF the
Episcopal Church allows divorce for the
sole cause OF adultery, and remarriage
to the innocent party only. Actually
the society addressed by the clergyman
has paid no heed to this canon, though it is
composed chiefly Of members Of the Episco-
pal Church. SO long as the divorces were
legally obtained-for desertion, real or
nominal. or for any other cause allowed in
the freest divorce laws OF the Unlon-it
has given its countenance to the proceed
ings and received back to its embrace the
parties whose marriages were thus dissolved
when either or both Of them have brought
to 1t new husbands or wives. That Is, this
society has treated the Episcopal Church
with open contempt, and by giving its sane
tion to free divorce" has set an example
for all the social circles Of the Union which
look to 1t for fashionable leadership.
The Rev. MIR, HAMILToNs extraordinary
course In asking that society, "as favor
toward the Church. to change It's conduct
In the matter, is, therefore, confession
that fashion Is more powerful than re-
ligion that while the ecclesiastical canon
is powerless to prevent divorce In defiance
OF 1t. even among Eplsoopalians, the prao-
tice can be prevented simply by making it
Questionable. That this Is true, however,
Is proved by past experience. The change
in the attitude toward divorce and the
divorced which has become so manifest Of
late years has been wholly in social senti-
ment; there has been no relaxation Of the
nominal Church law. Formerly tho d.
VnrCaI nj
cety looked at them askance. The
consequence was that even the married.
more especially wives, who had just
cause for divorce under the Church canon
were restrained from getting a civil dis
solution OF their marriages through dread
OF social opinion. both for themselves and
for their children. A "grass widow" was a
term Of reproach and derison, and only of
recent years, since people prominent in the
circle Of fashion have resorted freely to
divorces whenever their marriages became
unsatisfactory to them, without social dis
advantage. has the old social prejudice
been overcome. II, then, as the Rev. Mr..
HAMILTON said, this society now turns
about again and makes divorce socially dis
reputable, 1t can accomplish vastly more in
eAo Woy VI AOlOI Ludu Is pOsSlDle IOE
the Episcopal Church.
This abdication OF its authority by the
Church in favor Of society is very signih-
can't. Practically 1t seems to be an admis-
sion that marriage Is a social rather than
religious institution and cannot be pre-
served from degradation or destruction
except by the force Of secular social sentl-
ment 1t Is view radically distinct from
the doctrine OF the sacramental character
OF marriage. under which the safeguard of
the institution is made wholly religious
obligation. The appeal OF the Rev. Mr..
HAMILTON to the Newport congregation to
mako divorce questionable is likely, how
ever. to start social movement which will
have powerful influence in bringing about
the end he seeks.