The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-13
BIBLE LAW OF DIVORCE
SERMON AGAINST LAX LAWS AND
COURT DECISIONS.
Tho Family the Basis Of the Social strue-
ture-The Divine Law the Wise
Law--Huu1sn Race Unchanged.

The following sermon was preached YES
tcrday by Or h. Il. Riley, pastor Of the
First Baptist church.
] Matt. q, ~. 81. "gt hath been said who
soever shall put away his wife let hm
| give her "a writing ~ enforcement but ]
[ say unto you that whos5ever shall put away
/ bis wife. saving for the cause Of fornica-
ton causcth Der to commit adultery, aud
Nhosoever shnll marry her that Is divorced
/ con Titteth adultery.
/ Ihla declaration on the part Of Christ
/ was made substantially ON two occasions.
ono Of these occasions was when deliver.
/ log the Sermon ON the Mount. as Il Is popu-
! larly called. ia which he set forth Il
declaration Of The principles which undcrlie
tho great spiritual kingdom which lie cs.
| tgblished on the earth. The other orca-
sion o. this uttcrance, iu substantially the
! same FORM was when His enemies at one
a,Iue songht 10 entanglc him in Il discussion
ana upon questions TO which they expected
| Him.
lncse Jewish enemies 6nowing how
Scruluiously exact The Jews were TO OBJ
serve the law of Moses, hoped To have tho
Maslef give expression &c some sentiment
&n.mt Woulu evoke storm OF Indignation.
but mere, US always elsewhere these crafty
enemies We're foiled and the argument was
sent reboundiug with overwhelming force
| AGAINST themselves. They uuotc the urisi
mai law OF Moses N divorce which law
| They we're complying WIKI al Inc Time FOR
Nneq christ appeared Upon the scene The
l'Euintph OF divorce was as lax as II Is
LIN. ~ some OF the states. and tnat Is
ling qulte enough u was not nm UNI
common thing at that time For n man 10
by away his wife, because he aid NOT like
het. or because OF some within or s9nric,.
Dhtist met the matter thus urged by toll
,ng tbese Jews that this law quoted from
Lor,,, tVie was enacted because ~ the
t.uJ ih-oH period Of time: TINT u.s. because
"l thelr semi harbarous condition and hi
IGt@eule, as a protection OF the woman
I against arbitrary power and social ostlil..
csm While II was good MS far Ms il Vent
ana served the purpose 81 people 70
reuLN Hehyered from serfdom. II did not
meet the demands Of an advanced tins
when mon should no lifted mon "A bigber
plane Of being, which was Ills nurp0se I'm
pronS igatlne these exalted principles he
that Moses IN dealing with a difficult siti,
alton IN seeking to train people ns the
representative people ~ God before the
WnrI1 nad TO grant divorce ms Temporary
permission, since they had been so lar In
lneif morals previously and had 10 he
framed to higher condition Of moral prIn
MAKES THE LAW MORE STRINGENT
Christ does not set aside the Mosaic
law but for the wclbeng Of society mokca
It more stringent, giving to marriage TINT
sacredness which attached 10 II when cod
instituted 1t In Eden; He would have the
marriage bond indssoluble. and made II so
until II should he dissolved either nv the
only criminal dssolvcnt that could aunu It.
or by death itself Tho only possible
ground Of divorce then. under the Divine
Jaw is q violation Of conjugal duty, or the
crime of adultery
The system Of Christianity IA itz last
psr tL Is exactly adjusted ia the needs
~ me human family There is not an iota
~ the system that Is the least arbitrary or
chprlcious, but 70 It's last iot or little IL IS
70 meet the demands of men and women
Tor all ages to come and Is given for that
IL Is my purpose today IN response 10
numerous expressions Of desire To have tho
subject discussed 10 present in n brieI
way, tho Bible doctrine Of divorce That
THIS should be a burning subject" as il
was called the other day in my presence
and that Its discussion should no occasionci
ny me lax observance OF the sacred law Of
tnry. WI
The prevalence Of divorce, and the trivial
causes which frequently lead to the separn-
tlon OF man and Wife seem TO he traceable
mainly to two either to n lack 81
inowledge Of the Divine law Of divorce or,
III known, then TO n needless disregard OF
that law. BE the cause what Ii may. the
wanton disregard Of the sacred law affords
abundant occasion for its discussion from
tha pulpit. Seeing the readiness with
Whlch Applications arc made for the sever |
ance Of the ties Of weilock which "a
equnlled only by the recklessness with
which these applications are granted h., the !
courts, the subject is n vital one and calls !
FOR serious discussion.