Evening journal., 1903-12-03

rho Rev william j. Hamilton. Of Del
aware City, had prepared thoughtful
paper On CHRISTIAN Marriage. which in
part waw as follows:
The question Of marriage stands at
the very beginning of human history.
/ IL lies at the very root of society. It
/ is, therefore. an al importan, 'iues.
ton This question has been promi-
ncntly before our American churcn for
many years. II has been debated from
many platforms and pulpits Strnn !,
uncertain sounds have been heard 40
times regarding Christian marriage
and what 1t is. Nobody doubts that
the State may and ;nrst in all cXer-
else her Office. enforce for a time. on
forever. If necessary, separation from
a dangerous or outraseously lnfalth-
/ full partner The church is ici re-
sponsible for the decisions of the
State, but she IS responsible as to
what sort Of inspiration she gives the
state and what sort Of ideal she sets
before her.
An essential characteristic of this di-
vine institution which we call Christ
ain marriage or holy matrimony Us
that IL is indissoluble. According to
the Christian teaching there Is but
one cause that can break the marriage
bond-that is death.
God fixes the terrf OF our life. God
joins together" the man and the wo-
man and he al0ae can put asunder that
relation by the death of either. In
other words, there Is no such thing as
divorce.
During the first three centuries no
writer can be found who approves OF
re e-marriage after divorce. The church
] for the first 300 years knew absolutely
nothing Of the term divorce" and "re-
marriage" This question came up be-
fore Christ and His apostles. Surely
the church. which joined hands with
these men knew the mind of the Mas
ter on that subject.
"To have and TO hold" BY these
words the man and woman put them
selves into the power and possession OF
each other and as the apostle says:
the wife hath no power OF her OWL
body but the husband likewise, the
husband hath no power OF his own
body but the wife. Broadly speaking
this church has always held the in
dissolubility of Christian marriage. The
council OF Hereford the first council
OF the Church OF England. stood firm OF
the subject OF marriage. In an evil
hour, foreign reformers passed n code
OF laws which tried to relax the teach
ing OF the church. one Of the leading
promoters OF the act OF 1857. which
created a divorce court. has since ex-
pressed his horror at the results oi
that court.
When the question has been asked
What is the best divorce law?" The
only answer that can be given Is
There is no good divorce law" II
we cannot have a good divorce law we
may still hope for a uniform law foi
all the states Of the Union.
I look for the day when marriage
shall be regarded as dissoluble only
by death. when Il shall be regarded as
La divine institution and better I'M.
struetor than Il ever, has been before
Other Papers Heard.
The Rev. William Francis Dickinson
M. D.. of Clayton. opened the Afternoon
session with a scholarly essay on "Wh.
SHOULD / be a Chris1an?" In the absenc
of Charles NJ. Curts. the Rev. Charle
II. Kidder read a paper on "Why shoul,
l be a Churohman?"
The c.osing session was held hast nigh
an the church. There were services an,
addresses by the Rev. Kensey J. Ham
mond and the Rev. G. NJ. wilkins.