The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-26
THERE are three lines Of discussion

II HERE are three lines Of discussion
possible in the debates on the
laws of marriage and divorce.
First-there is the theological point
of view. Is marriage absolutely and
under all circumstances indissolubleE
Is this distinctly and clearly revealed
TO US in Holy Scripture? The best
scholars of the world hold and have
held that whatever genuity may be
exercised to weaken the force of the
exception. as thrice stated by our Lord
il ST. Matthews gospel, there is no in
disputable evidence OF Gods viii in
favor Of the dissOlubilIty Of marriage.
Moreover, no branch of the church
OF Christ in any land can be quoted as
continuously or consistently teaching
any such dogma as the absolute indis-
sOlubIity of marriage.
The Roman church provides a special
method Of evading the operation of the
st-ict rule as in the case of Napoleon
and Josephine, and the Greek church
frankly admits the dissOlubility OF
mar rage for certain causes.
In England the union OF church and
state practically commits the church 20
the recognition of the dissOlubility Of
the marriage bond, and all the Prot
estant world admits it without ques-
ton.
The Episcopal church has never
taught or held TIE doctrine of the alb
sOlute indissOlubnity of marriage, and
her marriage service, while rightly fix
ing the idea of the marriage relation
contract, cannot fairly be held as bind
ing unless both parties are faithful
TO it.
It is a mild way of stating it, there
lore, to say that theOlOgically speaking
the doctrine of the inCissOlubility of
marriage is not part of the Christian
faith.
1t is a matter relating to mans NOR
tai life, and upon which we should be
slow to dOgmatize. In heaven there is
neither marrying nor giving in mar
riage
Second-The moral question. Does
the stricter rule or absolute prohibition
Of divorce conduce to higher morality?
As a matter OF fact, do the countries
where this r'Ile is in force show a
higher standard of marital fidelity or
feicity than the countries W here the
exception is recognized?
Is the home made pureT by the law
which says that the sin of the wife, for
example, is to be tolerated by the hus-
band, who, though innocent, is tied to
her for life?
women here and nOw-and this is the
object of religiOn-helped or hindered
by such a rule? No law for morals is
wise law that is not applicable 10 all
people?
Suppose 1t were universal in the
United States that absol lutte divorce for
the cause of infidelity, no matter how
fragrant, would be allowed. How would
such a Law, if rigidIy enforced, operate
upon the marriage relations Of cur PEG
pie?
There are two methods of ethical dis
cipAne. One way is to live by a cast
iron rule fOrbidding certain forms OF
action as necessary sin; and the other
way is to i've by conscience and Ia
consider the differences of individual
temperament and circumstances.
The latter way IS the harder way
though it is the law of liberty; while
the former way is the easier way, be
cause it substitutes a mechanical OBJ
servance of special law for the wiser
rule Of conscience.
Is the Christian church a mere hui
man society, tied up by it's own rules