Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-11-04
DUTY TO GOD
OUR REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON
An Appeal TO Put Forth the Best That
is Within Us.

aud said unto them: Have y not read
that lie which made them az the De-
ginning made them male and female.
aud said FOR this cause shall man
leave father and mother and shall
cleave 10 his wife. and they twain SHAH
b. one fesh2 What therefore Cod
hath Joined together. let not man put
aSunder- DIT. Topper said
Marriage was the first institutional
Gift OF God 20 man. and the family was
the first organization formed ny Neo
for the blessing 81 humanity. brr'n-
all the centuries. amid the changes 81
governments. ceremonies and dlspensa-
tons the Impress OK divine favor rest
oil upon these heaven born establish
+ ments. and when their integrity mas +
/ been maintained they have been the /
/ sources and centres Of light and love; /
/ but when their integrity has been as f
/ sailed untold sOrrOws and sun crln- /
f have come upon mankind.
Christ wrought the beginning OF HiS
miracles nc marriage Feast, IN a gain
ering ~ families. and the pen or IN
I spiration pictures Him as the hriue-
I groom and His Church as the briue-
. The holy ordinance OF marriage was
. given % support social order, 90 IN
/ crease human happiness. and 90 pro
. vide that through well regulated taml-
lies truth and r ghtcousness might oe
transmitted from age 90 age. The Nlo-
lation OF It's vows lis the canker 81 the
heart OF human progress and clvillza-
ti0n In the West Indies. we are told,
there is timber that has an the APP
ncarance OF strength and soitify. but
when The test IFS applied it snaps asund-
o. and q fine white powder fills the air.
The cause is now apparent. worm mas
eaten its way into the heart OF inc
wood and slowly but surely devoure1
its hbcV until hollow shell only re-
mains.
The divorce evl. n not arrested, VII.
gradually undermine our proud ciNlliza-
ton. and when the testing time coElc-
what appeared to be So attractive will
prove 60 be- only hollow sham.
In the discussion OF marriage and Cd
vorce I VIII cali your attention To .
, divine law. a social disease and fata
- danger.
, First-A divine law. Centuries ar,
, the cunning phariseeS attempted Oh cn
, trap the divine Teacher hy asking HIN
the question. els De- lawful for mar
% put away bis wife for every cause
$ In that day there existed two opposin.
schools AZ the head 90 one was sham
mai who insisted that divorce shouN
DO allowed only iu the case cf adultery
nr tln head ~ tle other was HNae
who maintained THAT a man might pu
D away his wife for amy cause ar alL ll
81 / temnters of Christ thou-hr that ~
e trap was wen ser. for f Tie failed
hoii strict views ON the marriage cue.
~ ton they would report II m Co tne 90
lowers of Shammai. and ~ Ike held OF
I opposite opinion they would turn upn
l Him the enmitv OF the followers
.d / HueL one 0f whose strong adheren
le was HeroI. who had just heheldf
.v John The Baptist In the words of "a
~ othe-. brushing aside their Qu.boln
Jesus goes back 20 foundation primo
pies and gives His message % %
ir church OF au ages concerning maria.
so and divorce
ir X is nvefold message: The ma
h. rage 81 One man and ONE woman is
d.. divine Institution, lt is % divine acr,
Joins husband and wife in a Relate
closer ana more binding than the re.
tion Of parent and child. it So uulh
husband ald wife that they cease 90
two ana become one hesh; and 30 Cd
his / Doe dissolved only hy death. When O.
r-. . point was made by the Pharisees Oh
.f Moses maintained THAT q writing OF
vOrcement shall be- given under certa
conditions. Jesus declared that this vs.
a concession 10 the hardness OF heart
~ the people.
To- The position Of Jesus Christ on t
.nt subject under discussion IS clearly
ss forth i'm His Sermon on the Mount.
has been said, 'Whosoever shall p
away his wife let him give her ST
NM ing Of enforcement but 1 say unto y
,u- that whatsoever shall put away
iVc wife saving Tor the cause OF f0rnu
arb ton. causeth her Co commit adultcr.
.st And Mark records these words
Jesus. 'Whosoever putteth away
,, wife and marricth another commit,
adultery against her. And IL a won.
. shall put away her husband and
married 90 another. she commiu'
adultery" And I'm Luke we have
emit forth the same law OF Christ. FIR
Law His recorded words we are forced
re- the following conclusions: That Jc
os allowed divorce On one and only
ground namely. adultery, and that
seems 10 allow the re-marr.age OF
l"' innocent party.
ass- I'm Epl esiaus v.22-2S Paul gives
site nobiest picture of the sanctity and ,
and . nity OF the marria ge relation. for
compares 10 10 the mystic union
tween Christ and the glorious church
the redeemed for whom Christ q
This is no temporary bond 10
a. snapped at VIII. Jesus IS today
-, Head OF His Church, and ft ~ be
'i'" purified by Him and made with
est spot or wrinkle. Moreover in Rom
vii.1-6 Paul argues that the Christ
IS ser free from the bondage OF
ruI- law. as the woman can have
~ husband only on the death or
former husband. But in l Corinthi
atu- vM.12-16 Paul speaks OF the problem
his family life presented where the ,
band IS 4 Christian and the VIII
s'-' heather and vice versa. He has
nent things 10 say about this new prob
A. that had not arisen when Jesus 50