The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-07-31

~ REV MINoT ], SAVAGE. u u.
Pastor OF the Church Of the Mes
slah. New York city
Against divorces for any reason
whatever. the claim may be made
that God has absolutely forbidden
it. another claim may be that IL ia
always injurious "a the parties
chiefly concerned. aud IN the third
place. q may be held that society
Is SO much injured by divorce that
husband and wife ought To endure
their unhappy condition
However. Do there a definite. dcci-
aiYe statement In the bible on the
snhjeet2 And. n We da not find O.
there. are We not Justified In saying
that God has not icgislated In re-
gard 20 This matter except 80 far a.
Ne are able TO discover Hts laws in
the unfolding evolution Of human
society. and those conditions on
which. as the result OF experience.
We find that human welfare dc.
peuds7
Is it ALWAYS an injury 20 the
husband end wife2 There are eases
where it % apparently perfectly
plain that d Oh. FOR the advantage
OF the husband or the wife or both
that they separate
II lt always an Injury 10 society,"
Il seems 90 the that. e Na look over
human society. thia matter. so far
as human confederation 60. Is very
clear There "a no place Ia the
world. no other countrY. where d.
yarcea are 80 easily obtained. where
aa many have been obtained. as In
the United States o. America. and
there la no place where women
stand 80 high. where theY are 10
generally respected granted So
many liberties and rights. no place
where they are surrounded by SO
much care. by such courtesy. such
sympathy. such respect
! believe that. II a careful lnVesti-
cation were made. We should find
that large proportion Of the d.
VorceH granted in this country mean
f kludilusHs and consideration toward
women. readiness en- the part Of
manhood Of America Ia deliver her
from crushing burdens - SET her
f free 90 give her an opportunity 20
retrieve a so-far wasted life
believe with my whole soul that
what God hath Joined together man
has no riKht tu put aaunder.
| believe more than that I be-
lieve that In the eases whore God
has Joined them together M man
can put them asuuaer No man
ever does. or ever can. or ever wlil.
! have too much respect for God TO
feel willing 20 hold HIm rsaponHl-
be for all the marriages that have
taken place since the beginning Of
the world.
believe that We have a right 70
turn that saying right around
Where God has pnt people asuuder
no man has a right to force them 20
STAY together.
There exists cases that are utterly
infuiernble that make No noise be-
yuud she noiseless walls uf the
houses that shut them in There
are erueltlea unbcarahie that DO not
vent themselves in blows There
are CULTS Of separation between
hearts and minds aud bodies that
the husband and the Nife have
found they can never cruHa. though
they may be invisible 10 the out
side world
Nov. where Tor any cause real
marriage does not exist and there e.
no hope Of ita coming into exist
enee. I. for one. fail 70 see any rea-
son for maintaining that which IL
unreal and sham.
II the husband and wife have both
ceased 10 love each other. and there
are no children. then Il ought 10 be
simple aud easy.
However. let us take another step
and find how the matter becomes
complicated. n man finds out
that he has ceased 10 love bis vito.
and che rtili loves him. he must re-
member this that years ago. when
she vas % him a little Girl. he en-
tered into n solemn contract 20
guard and keep her happiness and
her love. and 50 long as her happl
ness depends upon him. he Il bound
by that before his Own honor and