The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-08-20
TO CHECK DIVORCE.
Union of clereymen to Stem

Union Of Clergymen to Stem Our
Rapidly Growing National Evil.
More than 100000 divorces have been
granted in the United States during the
past twenty years, according to Rev.
William O'Brien Pardow, formerly Jesuit
provincial of New York and president Of
st. Francis Xavier College. He e1ti-
mates that 100000 American children
have seen their home ties broken up.
The number Of persons divorced would
populate the State of Nebraska, or the
city of Philadelphia. 1t is greater than
the population of each Of twenty-five
States and territories of the Union.
To remedy, or to try to remedy, this
awful state Of things, there il to be q
union Of the clergy Of all denominations
Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Presby-
terian, Methodist and many others. Al
ready a subcommittee has been formed.
II Is to be syndicate of churches of diff
ferent beliefs, working side by side.
1t is to be union Of courtesy, not Of
law. civil or ecclesiastical. Briefly, when
i clergyman Of any church, whatever the
denomination, refuses to marry a divorc-
ed person, clergymen in all other
churches in the syndicate will by eourte-
~ respect his action and likewise refuse
to perform the ceremony.
Father Pardow makes a statement to
the world, in the course of which he says:
"In these days Of modern civilization,
We glory in the horseless carriage, smoke
less powder and wireless telegraphy; soon
We will be coming to the motherless child
and the childless mother. More than
100000 divorces have been granted In
the United States during the last twenty
years. Think ct the homes broken mp.
the children whose parents are separat-
ed, the untold misery that such a state
Of affairs brings about.
There are to day in this land proba-
bly, as many as 100000 children who
have not what We call a real home
not the home in which father and mother
unite to bring up their children As God
willed them to do.
'In 1880, by authority Of Congress.
the United States commissioner Of labor
was ordered to report upon marriage and
divorce in the United States for the twen-
ty years from 1867 to 1886 inclusive. He
found that in that time there had been
granted 32S,716 divorces-657 ,432 peo-
pie had severed the marriage tie.
"All we can say in estimating figures
for the last twenty years is that the
ratio is increasing every year, and that
since those figures were compiled more
than a round half million of divorces
hare been added to the number. This
Is no mere speculation. The figures,
32S,1lG. were upon an estimated popu-
iation Of 5O,000.0O0. With our present
population of 10000, 900, the estimate of
100000 divorces is little enough.
During the same period in Europe,
with i.s population of 3S0,OO0.OOO, the
number of divorces has been only 214,-
SAL With population FIVE times great
er than the United States there have
been less than one-half the number of
divorces.
"The religious penalty seems not to
have the power of restraining from di-
vorcc. There remains now the question
Of social ostracism. If people in high
life frown upon divorce and make it a
social rcproach, those who fear such cen
sure would be less liable to kick over the
traces. Let society men and women sub
ject the remarked divorced people to
social ostracisn,. and sn almost universal
alleviation of this curse would be Sc
cured"