The San Francisco call., 1905-01-09
DIVORCE ISSUE
is DISCUSSED
David Starr Jordan. Rev. d.
G. Gardner and Attorney
Wright Give Their Views
TRINITY CHURCH FILLED
Bio Congregation Listens
to Opinions of Lawyer,
Educator and Clergyman

In a noteworthy discussion Of the
divorce question, DR.. David Starr Jor-
dan, president of Stanford University;
the Rev. d. Charles Gardner, chap
lain of Memorial Chapel, Stanford
University, and John A. Wright, the
attorney, occupied DIR. Clampetts pull
pit at Trinity Church last night. In
spite of the inclemency of the weather,
the stately church was filled.
DIR. Clampett expressed his appre-
citation of the large attendance under
such conditions and spoke OF the SUD-
ject which was to be treated by the
speakers, declaring that 1t affected the
sanctity and the purity of the homes
of the nation He said the laxity IN
the matter of divorce became serious
menace to the life of the American
republic and the community, Whlcn
should welcome anything that would
draw serious attention to the existing
conditions.
The Rev. Mr.. Gardner, speaking
ION the Christian Obligation of Mar
riage," said that in the United States,
and especially in California, the peo-
pie were face to face with a serious
looseness of public sentiment on the
subject of marriage and divorce. The
record showed $4,000 divorces in one
year, 1OOV UelItS III OetLl It dHSloCOs q
record which he thought boded i'll for
the welfare of society. In it he saw
the lack of reverence for the marriage
state and a woeful lack of stability in
public sentiment
The purity and sanctity of the mar
riage relation, he held, was so bound
up with human happiness and social
order that it needed to be safeguarded
by refined and intelligent social sem
principles. He had long felt that the
mending and making of canons on di-
vorce and remarriage to control the
members of particular churches was
not enough and that the time was ripe
for a campaign of education as to the
right idea of marriage itself.
AN IDLE MAN OR WOMAN.
President Jordan treated the so
cial Side" of the subject and pointed
out in his Enthusiastically clear
manner that "It takes leisure to be
unhappy, and that in every divorce
case there was at least one idle man
or idle woman"
Marriage" said DR.. Jordan, rep
resents the most important incident in
the life Of a man or woman, and di-
vorce is the confession of failure.
There are two classes of divorces
the inevitable and the trivial. 1t is
clear that a general divorce law should
exist and that remarriage should be
delayed.
There are three classes OF poor-the
Lords poor, the DEVILS poor and pau
pers. So with divorces there are the
Lords divorces, the devils divorces and
the divorces of those who cannot have
partners.
The speaker pointed out the pitiable
situation of young women sold by their
parents. caught by glitter of one
good trait among bad ones. and mated
to disease and moral death.
Men," said DR.. Jordan, place their
wives In squalid boarding houses, fine
or shabby, with only make believe du-
ties, with nothing to hear but gossip,
nothing to think but personalities,
nothing to read but sentimental trash
and no amusement save folly and vul-
garity. 1t is no wonder then that there
is deterioration
DANGER IN STAGNATION.
He disclaimed being an advocate Of
the social whirl, but that, he said. was
better than stagnation. Neither did he
advocate a life of money making, but
he considered that money-grabbing
gave strength of kind.
Anything" he was sure, 'is better
than clammy life warmed with red
pepper and whisky"
John A. Wright spoke on the present
aspect of marriage and divorce from
civil lawyers point of view, and in
lucid manner explained the law of mar
riage and the contract created by the
parties to the marriage. He showed
where States refused to recognize di-
vorces granted in other States. In
America there were, he said, fifty diff
ferent jurisdictions. In an expression
of high regard for President Roosevelt
he suggested that there should be an
amendment to the United States con-
stitution and that all churches unite
on one day in petition for constitu-
tional amendment giving Congress
power to establish a uniform law of
marriage and divorce.