Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-19
crgE ron A SOCIAL EVIL.

! court reports all over tue VVuhNS 0"N"
,bat fine rretexts on which separation
ls asked for. often are Of the most
aimsy nature. Divorces are granted In
one state for causes not recognized as
valid in another, and thereby the ma
trimonlal status Of a great many is
quite complicated,
A remedy against this eyil Is sought
in uniform legislation respecting what
shall constitute marriage, and how
the marriage relation may be dissolved
How such uniformity best can be at
tolned is quite a question. Federal
interference is objected to by a great
number Of people in every state and
how uniformity can be secured without
Il. IS not clear
Another method Of solving the prob
lem is suggested by clergyman, Rev.
william /. Meese Of Waterloo, Ind 1t
Is claimed that during his long minis
try he has united in matrimony about
5000 people. and that not one couple
OF all these have applied for divorce.
It Is further explained that this Won
derful result has been obtained by the
minister keeping always in close touch
with the people for whom he has Of
aciated. Whenever there was any
trouble brewing he was ready TO give
advise, or admonition. lie has acted
as a mediator in the strlfes Of his
clients who are scattered all over the
United States and Canada, with tbs
result that none Of the parties have
found Il necessary to appeal from him
to the courts OF law. He has acted on
the old maxim that an ounce OF pre-
vention Is worth more than q pound OF
cure. In other words, he has done his
duty to the people who have availed
themselves Of his services, and with
signal success,
In the good old days" every minis
ter used to consider himself the pas
tor Of the flock The personal affairs
Of the Pensioners were known to him,
and he took an interest In them. II
he was a good man, his opportunities
for doing good, by acting as an angel
Of peace, we're almost unlimited. Now,
however things are different. "Flocks"
are more or less independent OF pas
tors Their ideas of personal liberty
are changed. The Rev. Meese has SIM
ply returned to old methods, and 1t
appears that men and women are not,
as rule, as bad as divorce statistics
seem to indicate. They are yet open
TO reason, They can be labored with.
Many little cloud on the matrimonial
horizon can be dissolved by the bright
sunshine of loving heart, If let in
before the dark mlsts have gathered
and the storm broken out
But the Rev, gentleman has seen his
efforts bearing fruit In more than one
direction. 1t is said that some years
ago, people married by him formed an
association for the purpose Of promot-
Ing happy marriages, and happiness
among those that married. Its constl-
tuition provides
1T shall be unlawful for members OF
this association 10 in any way dis
courage or prohibit the marriage Of
worthy persons. Should q member OF
this association be found guilty of such
action through pure spite or personal
feeling, such a member will be prompt
ly expelled. The society holds that the
true condition Of happiness Is TO be
found in the welded state, and declares
THIS TO be Its one sole object OF or
ganlzation,"
III treatment Of either wife or hus-
band by the other party, is cause for
prompt expulsion from the association.
All Of this is very interesting, and
the success achieved by the minister,
as reported ought TO be taken as an
indication of what is 20 much needed
In our age. People need kind, wise and
impartial friends, who can sympathize
with them, understand them, and in
fuence them by sound advice. Many
reject such advice, even II It We're Of
fered by a being from heaven; because
they are so self sufficient that they do
not even feel their dependence upon
the Creator OF all things. But all are
not in that state Of mind. To many
the guiding hand OF a friend is Just
what IS needed at times, TO keep them
from stumbling and falling and there
can be no doubt, that We're there more
conscientious spiritual advisers, there
would be less failures in life. Those
who are interested in social reforms
should not fail to note the suggestions
contained in the formation ofthe Meese
association. New societies are not
needed. II the churches win do their
duty Laws are good enough as far as
they go, but without private EFFORTS
for individual purity, the laws VIII re-
main dead letters.