The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-17


the sermon on the Mount. They are GER
tainly not in favor of increasing the
causes for such divorce. They do not be-
lieve abandonment alone to be a sufficient
cause, nor do they believe it to be a
scriptural cause. However Senators may
astutely argue, the ordinary Christian,
whether minister or layman, does not be-
lieve abandonment to be valid cause ac-
cording to Christian law. In England,
since the divorce act of 1857, a wife may
obtain a divorce a vincula, if the husband
has been guilty of adultery, coupled with
desertion without reasonable excuse for
two years and upwards.
Whatever may be the fate of this bill,
Senators need not delude themselves with
the belief that any enlargement of the
causes of absolute divorce by either wife
or husband will be made by this General
Assembly. Those who favor abandonment
as a good cause will be in worse plight
if this bill is defeated in the Senate than
if it becomes a law-as 1t came from the
House-for quite number OF husoands,
whose wives have obtained absolute dl-
vorces from them, and quite numDer
of wives. whose husbands have obtained
divorces from them, will be permitted TO
marry again who are now denied that
privilege. The friends Of the bill in the
Senate may be charged with being incon-
sistent in being forced to support such
measure but the bill is not of our MAX
ing. it is not such a bill as some OF us
wish. but it is better to pass it as an
earnest of what may follow hereafter
than to let it be defeated because we can
NOT approVe all it's provisions.
| realize and so do those who enter
tain my views, that there are many hard
ships and troubles which are continually
being endured by those who are insult
ably and unhapply married. Except for
our lax divorce laws, some of these hard
ships and sufferings might have been
avoided by precautions before marriage,
and by patience afterwards. ! know of
cases of peculiar hardship-but the ex-
perience of centuries prove, l think, that
it is better for husband and wife to live
apart from each other until the death
of one shall dissolve the marriage bond
rather than for each to marry again and
to occasion scandal in so many Christian
communities. / recognize the fact that in
very many cases those who make such
marriages. which are entirely legal by the
laws of the land, are conscientious CHRIST
ians and do not believe they are break
ing the law of Christ. They think as
many Senators on this oor do. that
lawful marriage by the law of the lana
is a valid marriage, according to the
Holy Scripture. | do not Judge ana 90
not condemn those who hold such views,
but | wish to remind Senators that sucn
views are opposed to the sentiments OF
the Christian people OF this State, ana
that laws permitting laxity OF divorce
have a tendency to stir up division and
strife in every community and congre-
cation of Christians in the State. Men
and women will do what the law permits
and says is lawful and proper. The law
ought not to put stumbling blocks in the
vay of the citizens. | have heard of a
minister of The gospel whose wife, while
supposed to be temporarily residing IN an
other State, obtained divorce without
personal notice from her husband for the
cause of abandonment. l believe the
husband to have been good man and MS
wife q good woman, but their marriage
was an unsuitable one and they were OF
incompatible temperaments. The husband
was shocked at what his wife had done
The wife. however after obtaining dl-
yorce married again. The divorced nus
band. as | understand, then obtained
divorce in this State from his wife for the
cause of abandonment. The minister him
self then married again. His marriage
was valid by the laws OF the State and he
claimed that it was valid by Gods law
because his divorced wife having married
again and being married contrary to
Gods law her marriage was void and she
had committed and was living in adul-
terry. If he could have secured divorce
from his wife by the laws of the State
on this ground he would have been safe
but the christian community of which he
was "a member could not tolerate this
view and so he was deposed from the
ministry. | believe him to be a good
man and that he acted conscientiousIy in
thinking that he could marry again-but
his church thinks differently and his life
is probably ruined. If there had been no
divorce in North Carolina for the cause
Of abandonment, he would probably never
have thought of rosorting to the courts
of law to enable him to obtain a divorce
which the law of his church did not recog
niza as valid Loose divorce laws make
conflict between the State and the church
inevitable. Christians believe they must
obey God rather than men, and while they
arc glad to render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars" they are not
willing to render unto Caesar the things
that are Gods The result is that divorces
allowed by the State and disallowed by
Gcd because in violation of Gods word
arc calculated to occasion strife and divs
ion in every congregation of Christians
in the State, and there will be a constant
denial of communion by the church to
these who are violating Gods law as in
terpreted by the church | do not say
that such denial of communion is always
right or proper But the statutes are 20
blame for this confusion and strife
Let the law of the State and the.
Divine law be one and the same in this
state on tha spAiect of di 'orce and tEcre
will be no conflict between the church
and State on this question. and instead
of division and strife among Christian
brethren there will be unity, peace and
concord.
If both State and ChGrch would act IN
unison and make their laws harmonize
with Gods law then might be brought 10
pass the saying that Isl written Mercy
and truth have met tnpether; righteous