Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-25
THE DIVORCE EVIL.

Some time ago attention was called in
these columns to an article In Medical
Record, in which the divorce evil was
considered and we suggested that 1t
was useless for the critics Of the Church
to try to remove mote as long as they
themselves are afflicted with a beam
In their own eyes. The Worcester Ga
zette, a paper that manifests commend
able mpartallty and fairness In it's
treatment of all public questions, en-
dorses our comments IN the following
paragraphs
"The reflections Of our Mormon con-
temporary and u the Medical Record
are not far of the straight road to
truth. The divorce evil, with its inevi-
table adjuncts Is the curse OF Christian
civilization, II N perhaps but another
Of those signs OF rawness which attend
any period OF transition, and which are
bound to disappear with the coming Of
more settled conditions IL Is extremely
important however, that during this
delicate stage In the growth Of clyllza-
ton, the purity OF the home be con-
served as far as possible. for with the
home destroyed, society could no longer
be held together There would be no
soil In which the plant could take root
and from which II could draw nOurish-
ment It Is. therefore, Of the utmost
Importance that every possible prccau-
ton be taken to prevent the further
spread Of this disease, or weakness,
which is sapping the social strength at
It's source. Easy divorce and the total
disregard OF the marriage tie proved the
death warrant Of Greece and Rome. We
are In imminent danger of following in
the footsteps OF those nations, through
the same influences and with less ex-
cuse, since we know the causes Of their
downfall.
During the Middle Ages, when the
church WAS all-powerful, the divorce
evl was comparatively harmless The
Teutonic elements In every nation were
In the ascendant. also, adding a power.
ful influence TO the preservation OF the
home IDEAL But with the return Of lux
urlous conditions, beyond anything
which Rome or Greece ever knew, ex-
GOVT among the very select families In
country, there II a corresponding
lastly In morals The grip Of the
church. too, is relaxed, partly through
discussion, but more through good Nv
ing The membership Is careless and
Indifferent, or else impractical There
Is much talking and some earnest work,
but the intelligent workers are hope
lessly IN the minority. The putterings
Of the legal fraternity, or rather Of
few constituencies members of that
profession, have brought ridlcule on the
courts and the law The masses OF the
people possessed Of a little knowledge
imagine themselves omniscient and are
impatient at what they regard as stu
pldity IN everything yenora BILE A yellow
press aggravates the evi by encourage
ing all forms Of half-cocked, impulslve
theories
I'VE are sailing in the midst OF a
swift current, There are plenty OF rocks
aud eddles, possibly cataracts, ahead.
II hehooves us ia stand fast and get
fresh grin on the situation, II we are not
TO go 60 pieces
This Is certainly a correct estimate
OF the dangers that confront modern
society But the suggestion that the
conditions surrounding us are owing to
the fact that we are passing through
a period Of transition Is hardly sus-
tained by facts, Il Is rather optlm.
Istic than true. II is the peril OF de-
cay that Is brought before us, II Is the
danger Of a slowly spreading cancer,
rather than a youthful blemsh that can
be outgrown, The divorce evil has as
sumed large proportions. A great many
think It OF as little consequence to
break up home as to disturb a MOLE
hin In the field. 1t Is a good sign that
the matter Is being generally talked
about. But so lar, the remedy has
not been found in the world.