The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-11-19
HAVE NO PATIENCE
WITH THE PARSONS
MARRIAGE PLAN

Washington, Nov. 19-The cergymen
OF this city. without exception, condemn
the proposition 10 permit. by law. trial
marriages. I'm the manner set forth by
Mrs. Herbert Parsons. wife OF the con-
gressman They are bitter and emphatic
In their arraiRnment OF Mrs. Parsons. and
characterize her suggestion as absolutely
destructive OF the home and OF So
ciety.
Rt. Rev. Henry Y Satterlee Episcopal
Bishop OF Washington, declared that
ouch an arrangement would mean the
absolute unmaking OF marriage relations
and would result in the degradation OF
woman"
Bishop Earl Cranston. the Methodist
Episcopal Bishop OF Washington. said:
This teaching OF Mrs. Parsons is not
to be tolerated by Christians and moral
people for an instant. IL is destructive
OF the home. of society. marriage and
kindred relations.
This trial or temporary marriage, with
view to permanancy upon condition
that both parties are satisfied, is not
only unscriptursl but will never be toll
Grated by civilized people"
The Rev. FIR. ID. J. Stafford OF ST. Pat
rick's church held that no sensible per-
son would take Mrs. Parsons views
seriously. He said:
They are out OF the question 1t
would not only endanger the home but
utterly destroy II. Think OF II, n man
and a woman 10 live together for three
months. year, three years. and then.
because one or the other was tired. be-,
cause some difficulty arose. 20 abandon
their VOWS and then go and live with
another.
THE Christian marriage must he main
tained, and az a sacrament. There would
he no sacredness whatsoever In trial mar
riages. Divorce in the first place IL the
de az Of ha
suggestion Is the ultimate development Of
divorce"
Rev. Or. John Shaick. pastor OF Grace
Dutch Reformed church, which President
Roosevelt attends, said:
Il don't believe anyone will take the
lady seriously. The newspapers are CIV
ing her too much attention and notoriety.
Does she not see that her attitude is disas-
tous 10 society?'
DR.. DIX APPEALS FOR THE HOME.
New York, Nov. 1e.-The Rev. Or. Nor
gan Dix, rector OF Trinity church made
a strong appeal from the pulpit yesterday
morning for the preservation OF the
American home against radical ideas,
such as are set forth i'm Mrs. Herbert
Parsons new book which advocates,
among other things, trial marriage"
DR.. Dix disclaimed any intention 10
make his sermon "A reply at the things
which the congressman's wife has writ
ten. Said he:
The sermon about TO be preached was
prepared and completed some time ago.
before | heard OF q book which has been
the talk Of the town for the last two
days IL Is not intended as a reply TO
that book. for how could one venture
10 comment on a book which he had not
seen and no one else has vet seen. 4
meant TO speak TO you. i'm the order OF
my course. on the subject OF childhood
and the home from the Christian point oil
view BY a strange coincidence / happen
70 preach this sermon just as we have
been startled by reports about the book
referred to-"
DIR. Dix said I'm beginning that few per-
sons know and very few reflect TO what
an extent the radicals OF the day are
pushing their schemes of social revolu-
ton
Where so much is bad" said he. "it is
hard to say what is the worst but per-
haps the worst is the plan 10 abolish
marriage and break up the home IL is
I'm the mind of these fanatics that mar
riGge should cease; that men and women
should mate and part at pleasuNe and
that the children resulting from these
temporary unions should belong. not &c
the animals which produce them. but to
the state. which must have citizens and
own them like other kinds of property
and use them for its purposes
This odious scheme is seriously pre-
stnted in books in wide circulation. and
It's advocates. I'm trying 10 make con-
Verts In places frequented by the sedi,
tious communists and the murderous an
archists. arc not interfered with by the
police