The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-23
The Church and the State.

Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
sir,-1n your editorial Of to-day October
2cth) OH '"rhc Marriage Law" you only
state tho civil law aspect OF marriage,
and entirely ignore its divine nature,
which Is by far tho larger and more Inn
portant element OF It. incidentally. you
also ignore tho vast history Of marriage
rs connected with the church throughout
the civilized world, and only deal with
the small part that civil law has played In
It's history. Marriage belongs to the
church OF God-divorce Is q fungus growth
through civil law. Marriage Is construc-
tive and beneficial; divorce Is destructive
and baneful. Marriage is divine. Cod
given relationships; divorce Ia human
riage Is not u civil contract but n natural
relationship. 1t Is founded In tho nature
OF mankind, and not in his convenience.
Tho great primal Relationship In life Is
man, n woman md child. This Us no
civil contract. but a divine (crcatire)
foundation. upon which is built the family
rs the unit OF society. Upon this unit
ali social relations are bull, In over
widening circ;es OF relationship, but they
nil depend upon %the fnmily for their
existence or continuance. !. Remove the
family MS the uni. and community, state,
national, racial and interracial relations
are all dlsrtcgrated as a building
from which the cornerstone is re-
moved. The State does not and cannot
create that relationship. It can only
recognize an existing fact, upon which
It Is itself dependent Tor Its own life.
Since tho State cannot originate mar
riages. Its only point Of contact IS the
maintenance Of their fidelity and con-
tnuancc. It's part is to guard that rela-
tionship from every foe which threatens
It's life. liberty or happiness. Tho State
does not marry people. They marry
themselves, In fulfllment of an irnpcrious
decree OF the God Of nature. The State
can only watch Gods law being executed
hero. as 1t watches Gods law being full
filled IN the growth Of cotton and corn.
At most, 1t can but stand BY as a witness
while man and a woman become bone
OF bone and flesh OF flesh In fnlnllnent
OF the primal law OF nature. which Is
the will OF God. Tho union by which two
people become one, and from which the
family Is evolved, Is q racial change in
nature. a new product results, which Is
net the same, but different. It cannot
be restored to It's original nature-that
lis gone forever: lost II, the formation OF
the new The State can only witness this
divine process. The church can Go more
than that The church cannot create the
relation any more than the State can.
The creation Is Gods alone But the
church can witness that divine stablsh-
ment Of relationship. and can also bless
1t. II can acknowledge marriage as the
Crea tor work; can see that 1t is good :"
can sanct!fy It. by authoritative
pronouncement OF blessing; can say
TO the world: Behold. what God
hath Joined together. As Gods own
agent It can "solemnlze holy ,nntrimony."
tust as It can hallow the dear departed
dead and Banctify the faithful living in
every God-eiven relationship. do not
accept your deduction that "the church
! can do little to prevent divorce EXCEPT
through religious Instruction, BY far
the larger part OF Civilized humanity de-
mands the benediction of the church OF
God over their young men and maidcns.
Men and women OF force and value IN all
communities want Gods sanction to the
marriage OF their sons and daughters.
Tho runawa" match Is an irresponsible
exception. The civil law marriage Is q
miserable mnkeshIft. The church mar
riage Ia recognized as the real marriage.
Let the church alone ''solemnize mar
riaRe" Let the civil courts refuse to
NEEDLE with this divine ordinance. save
| to y ckno wlcIse It's indissolu blencss and to
preserve It's relationship. Let the church
abide by her divine orders in the cxer-
oisn OF this function, and where. then. Is
divorce? Where is It's CONSEQUENT evil.
remarriagc? Marriage is divine orta-
nance. founded upon a natural relation