New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-08
ATTACKS DIVORCE EVIL.
APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE.
First General address of Inter
church Conference Committee.

Conference on Marriage and Divorce was
directed, g. Tie meeting OF The conference IN
this city March %. ito prepare and issue
declaration and appeal to the public as TO the
sRnctity OF marriage and the grave dangers OF
existing laxity through the frequency OF
divorce" The committee has Just held a
meeting and has decided TO issue the appeal
t,at follows The churches represented by the
conference ard the committee are the Episco-
pal Presbyterian Methodist, Methodist South,
Dutch Reformed German Reformed. United
Presbyterian. Lutheran, Baptist, Congrega-
sioEal. Univ ersasisy, Unitarian, Reformed Pres
byterian. Cumberland Presbyterian and the
Alliance Of Reformed Churches. The appeal
follows:
on behalf 90 The representatives OF the four
teen churches composing the lntecchurch Con-
cerence, watch, during the last two years, has
held frequent meetings FOR the consideration
OF The important subject Of marriage and
divorce, have been instructed TO issue this
sirbt general address and appeal.
i IS proposed 10 issue other appeals as occa-
sion may require, in the hope that the influence
Of this representative conference may be
Brought 10 effectively upon ecclesiastical
and civil courts and Legislative bodies, for the
securing of better conditions and for the deliV-
~rance OF the church and tbs state from m
pending evils.
Before any civil legislation can be enacted
which viii be operative, and quite apart from
The accord which We are seeking to secure in
the marriage regulations OF the Christian
churches must come the IeaVsning OF The minds
OF men and women which shall lift them toward
a. recognition Of the noblest dignities of life.
First of all, plead for the cultivation Of
the graoe OF purity, for the careful guarding or
children within the atmosphere OF home by
parents, and for the realization OF the dignity
of our physical nature. lifted to s2ch high honor
6y the 1ncarns ton.
We plead for a recognition Of the sancuty OF
marriage We are facing condition IN our
country to-day which threatens danger TO the
snost sacred things. The very sanctuary OF
human life ana OF human love is assaulted and
profaned. Manhood womanhood and childhood,
the home and the family. involved. and
neither civil legislation nor ecclesiastical dis
cipline can save them until and unless the con-
science OF Christian humanity Is reached. Be
hind the monster OF polysany, behind the
sions, its corTuptions 6nd its cohtagion, stands
The sad fact OF the low ideal Of marriage. IL is
true that the element OF mutual consent and the
element Of legal contract enter lnto H. but IN
derneath ana behind these. as the sure founda-
1icn. stands the revelation OF Gods Holy Word
God at first brought" a woman 10 = man. one
woman 10 one man, TO whom he shall cleaTe, 50
that IN GODS purpose and Gods sight they are
flesh. The primal marriage was followed by
centuries OF hardened hearts and laws lowered
or lost, until at last Christianity was connected
BIZ The voice OF the Divine Law Giver with the
old law which He laid down at the creation:
Have We not read that he which made them az
the beginning made them male and female and
said, For this cause shall man leave his
father and mother and eleaye unto his wife. and
they tirain shall be one feSh''"
Marriage is holy thing. Marriage is the
institution OF God Himself. and is sanctined IN
Ger the solenniues Of the old sanction by our
blessed Lord. This is the root OF the matter.
Reformation must begin here. Children must
be taught it. Young men and young women
must be made 10 feel Il. Protected in purity,
hoy and girl man and woman alike, must be
trained 10 look with reverent eyes upon the
holiness of this estate; upon tts mysteriOusness
rs something higher and deeper and larger than
can be measured or reached by the low ideas OF
convenience, OF worldly advantage. Of The graf
iication of passion or by the light and easy
estimate OF the consent OF the passing personal
fancy ana the mutual recognition Of the civil
contract
tendencies 10 faciIe and frequent divorce rests
we believe, upon impressins and incUlcatinS
such an intense conviction OF what marriage
IS, anG CT what marriage means, that Il VIII
10 be entered into ''unadvisedly or light
w.; that the festivity which accompanies il
shall he sobered and consecratcd by the con-
scious presence OF Him "TYho adorned and
beautfed the marriage at Cana IN Galilee by
T4ie presence and FIRST miracle thar He
wrought; that neither man nor woman shall
dare enter the precincts OF betrothaI without
the tested certainty OF love; without the full
recognition OF the mutual duty OF service, for
bearance and faiJhfuness which It involves
What words can We find 20 express the alb
hcrTenoe which ought 10 rise in righteous ind!g-
nation AGAINST the present possibilities and the
existing facts Of The divorce habit in America!
just now polygsmous Ctah looms large ard
ugly II our fNlncs. Bat we must look nearer
home TO realize the true condition OF things.
The proportion % divorces TO marriages ia 1892
I'm eight States reporting statistics is fol-
lows: In Maine ! 10 c; 81 New Hampshire,
70 So; in Vermont. / 20 20; IN Massa chusetts,
to lG in Rhode Island I TO \: IN Onto ! %
SIS; in Indiana / 10 80; in Michigan, 1 10 IL
an these States there has been a steady and
rapid increase II divorces during the decade
and this increase is believed to be true of the
country al large.
We setting ourselves earnestly 20 study
what best methods the churches can adopt and
what wise measures should De asked in civil
legislation 20 Rbste :his disgrace The results
OF study We hope 20 present in subsequent
statements and appeals. But this appeal is TO
the conscience az Christian people TO cleanse
and purify the atmosphere OF public opinion
and social recognition The fear OF legalized
polygaIny in one State IS enhanced by the fact
of unholy divorce IN many States. The faces
~ Christian people must be set against this.
The voices Of Christian people must he lifted
against this, not only TO secure civil legislation.
not only 20 enforce church discipline. but 10
correct the tendency, 70 control the inclination
and 20 condemn the fact. We are pleading for
the home. for the family, for the children born
ana 90 De bora, for the protection cf society,
and for the preservation OF the State We ask
you TO unite with IN earnest effort so that
more and more the manhood the womanhood
and the childhood OF America may make itself
heard and felt. IN The determined purpose TO
stem the currents which are sappng the foun-
dations OF all that is best and hottest md dear
est in human life. Let US strive unitedy for
the things which are pure and true, for the
Eaactity OF marriage, Cor the permanence Of the
family, for the preservation Of the home. and
Tor the perpetuity OF the State.
Bishop Doane. Of Albany; Coadjuto- Bishop
Greer. OF New-York: Bishop Andrews Of the
Methodist Church; John Z. Parsons. OF New
York; the Rev. Or. L. p Johnson, os the Re
formed Church: the Rev. Dr.. z. J. Wolf presi-
dent OF the Lutheran General Synod; the Rev.
DR.. J. +. Elder OF the Baptist Chuhch: Judge
George G. Reynolds. OF Brooklyn: the Rev.
Francis g. Peabody, OF Cambridge. and the
Rev. DIR. Roberts. stated clerk OF the l'resby-
terian General Assembly, were among the mem
eers Of the executive committee OF the inter
church conference which signed the appeal