The Cairo bulletin., 1904-05-09
Made BY Fourteen DenOmina
tion Upon Divorce Question.
LAWS TO Be ENACTED
THAT WILL PREVENT THE GRANT
ING OF DlVoRCeS-THE BE-
GINNING or A NATIONAL
CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION
By Associated Press.


church conference on marriage and
divorce, the body representing of
icially fourteen leading denomina
tions, has issued through its secre-
tary, Rev William r. Roberts. an ap
peal 70 the public. calling attention TO
several aspects of the divorce ques-
ton
The paper is the beginning of ma
,ional campaign of education on the
subject, to be followed by efforts to Sc
cure the enactment Of laws in state
legislatures, and ultimately, II is
thought. Of an amendment to the con
tituti0n of the United States.
Already action has been taken by
The conference looking toward the
prevention of remarriage by minis
crs of other denominations. of d.
forcecs whom clergymen OF their
)wn faith have refused to marry.
1T is proposed to issue other ap
)eals, as occasion may require. in the
1Ope that the influence of this repro
sentative conference may be brought
o bear effectively upon ecclesiagtis
al and civil courts and legislative
bodies, for the securing OF better con
liticug and for the deliyerance of the
hurch and the state from impending
ayils.
Before any civil legislation can be
enacted which will be operative, and
luite apart from the accord which we
ire seeking to secure In the marriage
equations Of the Christian churches.
must come the leavening of the
minds Of men and women which shall
ift them toward recognition of the
nobest dignities of life.
First of all we plead for the cult.
vation OF the grace of purity, for the
,areful guarding Of children within
| the atmosphere Of home by parents.
and for the realization Of the dignity
Of our physical nature lifted TO such
hiEh honor by the incarnation.
we plead for recognition of the
sanctity of marriage. We are facing
! condition in our country today
which threatens danger 10 the most
iacred things The very sanctuary
If human life and OF human love ia
assaulted and profaned Manhood,
womanhood and childhood. the nome
and the family are involved, and
neither civil legislation nor ecclesi-
astical discipline can save them. until
md unless the conscience Of Chris.
ian humanity Is reached Behind
he monster of polygamy, behind the
peclre OF the lax divorce court, with
,tG collisions, its cOrruptions and it's
ontagiOn, stands the sad fact Of the
ow ideal of marriage, II Is trus that
he element Of mutual consent ana
he element OF legal contract enter
nto II but underneath aud behind
hesc. as the sure foundation. stands
he revelation of Gods holy word.
Tod at first brought woman to a
nan. one woman % one man, TO
Rhom he shall cleaye, SO that In Gods
purpose and Gods sight they are one
lesh The primal marriage was fol
owed by centuries Of hardened
hearts and laws lowered or lost. un.
I'll at last Christianity was connected
by the voice of the Divine Law Giyer
with the old law which He laii down
n the creation Have Sc not read
hat He which made them at the be-
ginning made them male and female.
and said. For this cause shall a man
leave his father and mother and
slelvc unto his wife, and they twain
stall be one flesh
Marriage Is holy thing. Mar.
riage IS the institution Of God HIM.
self and Is sanctiiicd under the sol
mnities II 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 aud young women must be maize
10 feel IT, Protected in purity, boy
and girl man and woman alike. must
bc trained to look with reverent eyes
upon the holiness OF this estate. upon
its mysteriUusnCss as something high.
cr aud deeper and larger than can he
measured or reached by the low ideas
~ convenience. Of worldly advantages.
of the rratideatiou Of passion. or by
the light and easy estimate If the
consent 81 the passing personal fancy
and the Mutual recognition of the
civil contract
The hope Of curing and crushing
the horrible tendencies % facile and
frequent divorce rests. We believe.
upon impressing and intoxicating such
ar intense conviction of what mar
riaee is. and of what marriage means.
that IL will cease 20 he entered into
'uBadvisediy OF lightly that the les
tivity which accompanies il shall &c
sobered and consecrated by the cen
scious presence Of Him who adorned
and beautifed the marriage at Cana
In Galilee. by His presence aud first