Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-11
IT WAS A SUCCESS
Meeting Of Brotherhood of st. Paul
Of First Methodist Church.
AFFAIR WAS HELD At PARSONAGE

Principal Event of Evening Was An
Address by John Roberts upon "Di.
vorces"--Is Followed by Harlan
Smith-oId Officers Reelected.
[From Tuesdays Daily.l
One of the most interesting and sue
cessful meetings of the Brotherhood
of st. Paul of the First Methodist
church, ever given in the history of
the society was held last evening at
the home of DR.. and Mrs. A. e. Craig,
on East Fourth street. About fifty
members of the brotherhood were in
attendance and very appropriate
program was given which included a
piano solo, by Miss Albertina Schiewe.
This was followed by the regular rou-
tine of business at which time the Of
ficers for the ensuing year were elect
ed, the old officers being reelected.
The officers are: President, w. A.
Work; first vice president, e. c.
PIERCE; second vice president, T. P.
Spilman; secretary, George Haw, Jr. /;
treasurer, John B. Maxon. Miss Els
telle Randell rendered vocal solo in
very pleasing manner. The feature
of the evenings program was talk
on divorces by Judge M. A. Roberts.
This talk was full of interest and was
very instructive. Harlan Smith fol-
lowed with a short talk, and Jean Duff
field also made a few remarks rela.
tive to the subject chosen by Judge
Roberts. After the conclusion of the
program ice cream and cake were
served by the Misses Louise Hinsey,
Clara Allen. Helen Lambert, Jessie
Tucker, Frances Craig, and Master
Clarence Craig.
Judge Roberts Address.
Judge Roberts said:
The divorce question is of great pub.
lie Importance. 1t matters not from
what standpoint of view we consider
| it, the Importance is everywhere ap-
parent. 1t greatly affects the life and
happiness of the individual 1t is di-
rectly and inseparably connected with
home life and but few, if any, other
one question more vitality affects the
future welfare and happiness of our
whole people than does this question
of d&orce.
Ours is a Christian nation and ours
liberal liberty loving people as well.
think it may be truly said that it is
the thought of majority of our peo-
pie that the laws governing divorce
should be in keeping with Christian
doctrine and at the same time conform
as near as may be to the rules of law
and equity heretofore established in
view of the imperfections of human
nature. HI
Divorce Laws.o
| When We come to consider the di-
vorce question we are confronted with
a condition and not theory Divorce
laws. like criminal laws. are only ne
cessary because some people will do
wrong. In the once case they will
break their marriage VOWS and do
a wrong directly against the offended
spouse. In the other they break the
law of the land and offend the public.
In either case both individuals and the
public are more or less affected.
Marriage, it is said, has existed from
the beginning, and laws governing di-
vorce have existed at least from the
time Of Moses, for we find it written
in Deuteronomy "a 1-3, when man
hath taken a wife and named her, and
it come to pass that she find no favor
in his eyes because he hath found
some uncleanliness in her, then let him
write her bill of enforcement and
give it in her hand and send her out of
his house.
and, when she is departed out
of his house, she may go and be an
other mans wife
And if the latter husband hate her
and write her bill of enforcement
and give it in her hand and sendeth
ier out of his house; or if her latter
husband die, which took her to be his
wife her former husband which sent
her away, may not take her again to
be his wife"
This IS what is said in the laws of
Moses on the subject of divorce.
1t is, as must be conceded, very
crude and imperfect code of law on
the subject. Just to what extent it
was a success in olden times we can
not fully know. That it would be
wholly impracticable if enacted ver-
batim into our code as the sole law on
the subject. perhaps no one will deny.
am inclined to the belief that the
best law on any subject is that law
which cnnduces to the best results out
OF conditions just as they exist.
law is rule of conduct and should
be adapted to the people as whole
and as rule much latitude must be
given in view of the imperfections of
human nature.
Not Sound Proposition.
1t is a common remark among Chris
tan people that the Scriptures recog-
nize but one ground for divorce-that
OF adultery.
| an: not a theologian, hence | do
not deny that statement, but here and
now frankly admit that I do not be-
iieve it is a sound proposition
do not believe that Christ ever in
tended to establish a code of laws on
the subject any more than on any 9TH
er subjecr upon which the people need
definite laws for their every day guild.
ance. 1t strikes me that Christ de-
clared Himself clearly on general prin-
ciples, but not on codified laws. Many