Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-11-09
To-day in that country It is allowable


to obtain separation for five years,
for the conversion of the separation
into absolute divorce if the parties
have not been reconciled. s1*ai
The practical results of the imperial
divorce law in Germany have been
divorce-namely, adultery, attempt Of
either husband or wife on the life Of
the other: malicious, willful desertion
and continued violation of the marriage
vows. Both in France and Germany
attempts are being made to escape
threatening dangers by. the enforce
ment of stricter laws On marriage and
divorce.
In New England and Wales there
were 176 divorces in 1870; 1886 in 1880:
1854 in 1900, and 727 in -ss9; and the
growing evil is a: l1sr attracting the at
tention of the lawmakers. We do not
recognize the family at all in our ma.
tional constitution. It appears in, our
State laws only as an object Of some
care, but not as an clement of political
power. Mr.. Gladstone declared that
his fear for our future centered very
largely upon our ability to protect the
ter everywhere. @
Realizing the perilous position in
which we are placed by the increasing
social evils resulting from divorces, a
number Of public spirited men initiated
a corrective movement In 1878, and
waet is now know. as the Natioial
League for the Protection Of the Fam
lily, founded upon broau basis, was
organized in 1881. The results from
this and kindred organizations have
been marked and encouraging. Radi-
cal Improvement are noticed In the
laws Of New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania and Wisconsin,; divorces after
residence Of only three or six months
are no longer permitted, as they for
merly were, in North Dakota, Georgia,
California and several Territories. All
causes for divorce but one have been
stricken from the laws of the District
Of Columbia, and commissions on uni.
formity by cooperation OF the States
now exist in no less than thirty
States and Territories.
The question of constitutional
amendment and admission Of a nation
al law on the matter under discussion
have been agitated; but as long as
twelve States can be rallied in defense
Of the maintenance Of State rights, it
is "a waste of time to attempt the
amendments on marriage or divorce.
But the agitation against this evil goes
on as never before. The pulpit, the
press, the platform, the schools, col
leges and universities are awakening
to sense of the moral and social dam
ger that threatens us, and the out
spoken discussion Of the marriage re-
1ation and the divorce laws must result
in great good.
Thirty years ago none Of our high
| er educational institutions gave any
, attention to the study of the family,
| but now the theological seminaries, the
| law schools and the universities are
| giving special care to this most i'm
| portant subject. We may be assured
! that our boasted civiliza ton, our proud
| commercial greatness, our high edu-
| cational attainments and our brilliant
/ material developm will only hasten
| the day Of our disaster unless we pro-
tect the family and honor the God OF
:! the home, who is the Father Of us all.
! An Infdeps sermon 70 a Preacher.
Never shall forget the remark Of a
| learned legal friend who was at one
time somewhat skeptical in his views.
! Said he to me: fa .sl s4<s
Ibid I believe, as you Go, that the
| masses Of our race are parishing in sin,
could have no rest. would fly to
/ tell them Of salvation. I would labor
day and night. would speak with all
| the pathos I could summon. I would
warn and expestulate and enHeat my
fellowmen to turn to Christ, and re-
ceive salvation at His hands. am as.
| tonished at the manner in which the
majority of you ministers tell your
message. Why, you do not act as il
you believed your own words. You
have not the earnestness in preaching
that we lawyers have in pleading. Ii
we were as tame as you are, we would
never carry single suit"
A decade Of years has passed away
/ since that remark was smaGe.I bless
God 1t was addressed to ofme. It put fire
into my bones which hope will burr
as long as live. God preached q
stirring sermon to me that day by the
mouth Of that infidel lawyer.-Petel
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