The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-10
DR. M'KIM ON DIVORCE
UTIATIoN IN AMERICA A SCAM
 DAL AND A SHAME.
Believes All Christian People Will Join with Episcopal Church in Its Efforts to Ennoble and Glorify
 the Marriage Bond.

Marriage and Divorce and the Action or fsot the s,.a General Convention" was the sub Kim, pastor of the Church of the Epiph- any, at the services last evening, says The Washington Post. He took his text from the nineteenth chapter of St. Mat thew. beginning at the ninth verse and in opening said the words of Jesus Christ had been the law of the Episcopal Church since its beginning as an independent or day. That law, he said, is expressly stat ed in the last verse. which prohibits di- vorce except for one cause-where the sanctitv of the home Is violated.
 For years" he continued, there has been advocated a change in this law, and at the recent general convention in San Francisco the question came up for dis G%ssion r,sst p1cS on canon propSsed1or & enact. this as matter of the greatest moment, the significance of which should not be misunderstood. It may be by the public at large. You should clearly understand that this church has not lowered her stand on the sanctity of marriage. It is matter of importance that the public should clearly understand that the defeat any alteration of the position of the church in her demands for purity and holiness to which she has been faithful from the beginning.
 Divorce a Scandal and Shame. 'To explain we must go back to the law. The reason for this agitation lies in the fact that during the past fifty years there has been. most deplorable and dam gerous progress downward. and not up- ward. in regard to marriage and divorces in the United States. The laws of the ISseveral States have grown more and more Tax. and frivolous enactments have been placed on the statute books, sufficient to | blot the sacred bond. until the matter of shame in this free land of right. In some l States marriage and divorce stand in the | proportion of one to ten. One divorce to every ten marriages. It is this state of l ing in regard to this question. Prophets | and theologians, churchmen and Chris tians. have lifted up their voices against l the dragging of the sacred bond from | It's lofty position into the mire. need not dwell upon the abominable license | and carelessness which have prevailed. Some remember when divorced men and women were loked upon with feel come, and the worst of it is that the nose grievous offenders have been among those who stood high in society The rich and influential have been the greatest | transgressors in this regard. Six years ago the agitation began. A committee was appointed to consider the problem. It came up here in Washington three years ago for consideration, and special committee of thirteen was named to again take the matter up. This committee | reported at San Francisco" ,. ... Dr. McKim explained at length the va- rious amendments to the church law of and the conflict of opinion which resulted in the convention falling to take any ac- tion changing the present position of the church.
 An attempt was made, he said. to unite two extreme factions, and the compro- | mise he declared. was unworthy of the dignity of the church and the position it should take before the world.
 An Experiment in England. He referred to conditions existing in England before the Reformation. and said that while no divorces were granted at that time. there were over a. hundred causes for which marriages could be de clared null and void The theory was a moral failure, he said, and the state of things in England were then ten times as bad as those existing now, although theoretically there were then no divorces. Dr. McKim declared that domestic life ss 1t exists in the Unitd States is much purer and more exalted than in Rome. where the Catholic Church forbids mar riage absolutely to divorced persons
 ''The Episcopal Church has taken the clearest stand in this matter" he declar- ed, and the brethren of other churches will work with us in this great campaign of the twentieth century against divorces. It Is only by a union of the Christian forces for one great moral purpose-the prohibiting of divorces, except for the one cause named by Jesus Christ-that we can ever nope 10 aCcOinpllbn' anytnlnE. There is a great evil abroad in the land. so stupendous and so far-reaching that we can see it's shadow fall across every street, and it might be said into every home in the land. It must be eradicated by the united action of Christian people.
 How to Fight the Evil.
 Civil law treats marriage only as 6 civil contract The church must proclaim it by holy writings. The church must de clare that the law of society must not permit anything contrary to the law of God. It is by the power of the gospel, by the influence of the Holy Spirit by the ministry and help of God. that we must overcome the evil which is going up every road of civilization, threatening the home and family and everything that makes life dear. Marriage is a holy relation which God creates and it is for you and for me to do all in our power to ennoble and glo- rifv it.
 Uniformity in the laws of the States and Territories on the subject is also an important matter. Probably some of you do not know that some time ago the Protestant ministers of this city met at the house of the Bishop of Washington and took action which led to a remedial measure being passed by Congress. Here in the city of Washington a law goes into