The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-12-16

with the most severe punishment in the life to come.
The Persians regarded the strength of the ma
uon as depending rather upon the number of chill
dren than upon the integrity of morals,
Among the Huns and Goths mans dignity
estimated by the number of his wives.
Among the Gauls the cultivation of land. and
lives OF drudgery, were imposed upon wives, while
the husbands devoted their lives 10 warlke pur-
suits.
In Greece woman was not actually degraded
to the level of slave, but she was treated q
minor, and under perpetual tutelage First. To her
father, then to her husband. and in the widowhood
even to her sons. Being without sons, her husband
had it IN his power to appoint q guardian to sue
ceed his after death
A Greek wife lived. too in almost entire seclu-
SION, not even occupying the same apartments with
husband. She never went ab:oad alone she
received no male visitors in the absence of her
husband, and was not permitted to eat at her own
table when male guests were present.
Her instruction confined to the mos neccs-
sary household duties. except for limited knowl-
cd@e OF music and dancing to cradle her 20 take
part in religious festivals.
Ii is true that Greek law restri tied y man to
one wife. but it tolerated. even sauctioned the he
tairi who bore to him the relation that inferior
wives bear Frequently these hetairi enjoyed more
OF the society and homage Of men than did their
lawful wives.
Besides, the greatest care was lavished upon the
become
witty and entertaining companions.
And this demoraizing system was actually de-
Tended and patronized by philosophers and leaders
OF public opinion.
This is the dark but truthful picture which is
LETT as record of the past OF the most polished
ton of pagan antiquity.
In Rome monogamy upheld at least nomin-
ally, during the earlier DAYS OF the republic. But
the wife only was punished for the violation of
marriage VOWS. 4 husbands transgressions we're
committed with impunity.
During the empire the disorders OF nuptial life
increased to alarming extent. Each party could
dissolve the marriage bond at will. and under the
most trihing preext, and both were free to enter
at once into second wedlock. SO VIGOROUSLY dis
gusing were the morals during the reign OF Au-
gustus that men preferred The unfettered life Of
cellbacv to alliance with partners bereft of fe
male virtue.
In Turkey today woman fares no better under
modern Mohammedanism chat she did in ancient
Greece. The Mohammedan husband has merely 10
say to his wife, Chou art divorced" and the bond
is dissolved.
The world is always governed more by ideals
than by ideas; it is influenced far more by living
concrete models than by abstract principles of vr-
tue. The Christian woman is everywhere confront
ed by her great model, the Peerless Mother of our
Blessed Redeemer, who was the pattern alike for
maiden, wife and mother.
The Church. following the maxims of the Gospel
anu VI Cl. dul pfOclalllS woman the peer oil
IN origin and destiny; in redemption by the blood
OF Christ and in participation of his spiritual gifts
As woman's origin and destiny are the same as
mans so Is her dignity equal tohis. As they are
partakers of the same spiritual gifts so should
they share alike the blessings and prerogatives of
domestic life.
In the mind of the Church. however equal rights
do not imply that both sexes should engage promis-
cuousy in the pursuits, but rather that each
sex should discharge those duties which are adapted
TO its physical constitution and sanctioned BY the
canons of society.
To restrict woman's field of action to the gentler
avocaons of life is not to fetter her aspirations
after higher and better life. 1t is on the contrary
to secure her those super eminent rights that can
not fail to endow her with sacred influence in her
own proper sphere.
As soon woman intrenches upon the domain
OF man, she is apt to find that the reverence once
accorded her is wholly in part withdrawn To
debar her from such pursuits not to degrade her
Of all the boons conferred by the Church upon
woman, the greatest is its vindicaton OF the unity
the sanctity, the indissolubility of marriage
The holiness of the marriage bond is the pala-
dunn of woman's dignit- while divorce and polyg-
amy involve her in bondage and degradation
The Church has ever maintained that no man
can lawfully have more than one wife and no wo-
man more than one husband; for the rights and
OBLIGATIONS of both consorts are correlative.
The Church has invariably taught that the mar
riage compact, validly formed can be dis
solved only by death.
While admitting there may be legitimate cause
for separation. she never consents to the absolute
dissolution of the marriage bond
For so strong and violent is the passion of love-