The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-06-10

One of the best signs that the Ma
tons heart is right, lies in the fact
that legislators, Christian ministers
and newspaper editors are calling for
reform in the divorce laws of the sew
eral States and that there is a strong
movement for a National law govern
ing Divorces. And yet the great mass
of the people do not recognize the
great evil of easy methods of divorce
and re-marriage, not that the inter-
ests of the family are above the inter
ests of the individual, and that any
thing which weakens the stability of
the family weakens the State.
In order that the matter may be
fully understood, people must be
brought to understand that marriage
as understood by Christian ethics has
been abolished from the statutes Of
many of the States in the Union There
has been substituted for it what may
be, and often is, a legalized temporary
Capitalization, severed, as the laws
operate, at the will and desire of the
two individuals Immediately concerned
In the discussion of the matter in
relation to the rules and regulations
of various churches, the controversy
has been made to range around the
of marriage and divorce. Anyone who
has followed the controversy must see
that there is no hope that further
study will bring to one mind the learn
ed and devout men who hold entirely
opposite opinions as to what the words
of Jesus Christ mean. The ordinary
man is perp1exed by the differences of
opinion and falls back for his own
position upon his feelings or his early
education; or in many instances his
position is determined by some pitiful
circumstances which have arisen in his
own family or among his most init
mate friends.
But we can always gain light on
matters relating to the divine purpose
concerning man, from what has been
proved by human experience to make
for good or evil in social life. If any
practice brings evil upon society, if
any practice weakens social order, then
to Christian men nothing in the words
of Jesus we may be sure can be in
terpreted to authorize it. Whatever
the disputed words of our Lord mean.
He certainly could not be interpreted
under the easy divorce laws of the
several States, because these practices
can be shown as tending to the desin-
tegration of that divine institution the
family. If this is recognized a great
advance will be made. Until recently
and to some extent now, most people
in the United States, ministers and
laymen have endorsed and defended |
the present methods of divorce
What is needed is that men and |
women should be brought to study |
marriage and divorce on the lines of |
ethics and sociology. 1t is only in this |
way that people generally will learn |
what is best for the family, and so for .
society and the State in regard to mar
riage and divorce for there are many |
to whom scripture is not final author
ity, and there are many who twist /!
scripture to meet their own desires or
1.-The spirit of the age" I shall treat !
the subject therefore from an ethical |
and sociological standpoint.
To clear the way it is well to under
stand that which was stated at the
of this paper, that the laws
of many States have abolished from
these statutes marriage as understood
by Christian ethics.
In countries whose laws and customs
and habits of thought are the out
growth of Christianity, marriage has
been we'll defined to be "a mutual and
voluntary compact based upon mutual
regard and affection, suitably ratified,
o live together as husband and wife I'M
il separated by death. It's main design
is to constitute the family, for the pre-
of moral and social purity,
the continuance of the race and the
training OF the young for the duties of
life" This is the definition given in
the Standard Dictionary.
For this ethical idea of marriage, the
laws of many States have substituted |
the legal view, that marriage is simply
a contract between a man and woman
to assume the relationship of husband
and wife. And further, these States
have provided means and processes by
which such contract may be annulled
and the relationships severed, and this
Gas the laws operate) at the will and
desire of the man and woman imme-
diately concerned. That is to say,
these States by their statutes have
abolished marriage as ethically con-
and recognize as a substitute
for it what may be, and very often is,
/ temporary legalized Capitalization.
To understand the subject, one must
recognize the motive which lies be-
hind the varied legislation of the
States, ranging as it does from per-
hitting divorce for one cause or two
causes to the omnibus laws permit
fnr nv Ns-hi thu