The Washington herald., 1906-11-19
ASSAIL MRS. PARSONS
Preachers Condemn Her Trial
Marriage Theory.
WOULD UNDERMINE SOCIETY
AufhOreSS Keeps Secluded in Her
Washington Home and Declines TO
BoOk-Dr. Morgan Dix Discusses
the Idea-Dr. Peters Explains.

/ New York Nov 1S-The Rev. DR.. Nor
gan Dix, rector Of Trinity Church. made
strong appeal from the pulpit this morn
1 ing for the preservation of the American
home against radical ideas such as are
set forth in Mrs Herbert Parsons new
book. which advocates. among other
things, Trial marriage" Dr. Dix dis
claimed any intention to make his sermon
reply to the things which the Congress
mans wife has written. Said he:
The sermon about to be preached was
prepared and completed some time ago,
before I heard Of a book which has been
the talk Of the town for the last two
days. II is not intended as a reply to
that book, for how could one venture to
comment on book which he had not
seen, and no one else has yet seen.
meant 10 speak 10 you. in the order Of my
course. on the subject OF childhood and
the home. from the Christian point of
view. BY a strange coincidence I happen
TO preach this sermon just as we have
been startled by reports about the book
referred to-"
DR.. Dix said In beginning that few per-
sons know. and very few reflect 70 what
an extent the radicals or the day are
pushing their schemes Of social revolution
Where so much IS bad, said he 1t is
hard TO say what is the worst. but per
haps the worst is the plan 70 abolish mar
riage ard break up the home. Il is In the |
mind Of these fanatics that marriage /
should cease; that men and women should /
mate and part at pleasure. and that the /
children resulting from these temporary |
unions should belong, not 20 the animals |
which produce them but 10 the state /
which must have citizens. and own them /
like other kinds Of property. and use them /
for its purposes.
Refers 10 Childhood.
This scheme is seriously presented in 1
books In wide circulation. and its advo- |
Gates. in trying TO make converts in places |
frequented by the seditious communists /
and the murder0us anarchist, are not in /
terfered with by the police. While such 1
mischief is in the afr IL may not be /
deemed out Of place TO speak about child /
hood from the Christian point Of view"
Childhood as Dr. Dix regards It. is the /
Introduction of an Individual into Gods 1
family, the first stage Of the ascent to-
ward everlasting life
There IS" said the venerable preacher.
"a place for the training Of such a person. !
newborn to such a prospect and hope.
and that place is the home It is sacred.
above all others. next to the church:
rather it is a part. an outer portal Of the
church. It's heads. the parents, are bound
TO each other by a sacramcntal obligation.
and a tie which should never be broken.
There is the child TO be guarded. taught.
and trained. To live for The children is
the instinct of humanity; TO sacrifice for
them one Of the first of duties. Monstrous
is the uuwilliHgness 20 bring them into
interfere with the selfish enjoyment Of
life.
should Save Homes for Them.
THE home said Dr. Dix. should be a
sanctuary. a school Of righteousness. q
fortress Of safety from outside foes. The
home is the predestinaJi0n Of the chill
dren."
DT. Dix continued:
Perhaps we may come % realize the
better what the home should be by not
ing things which work TO ruin and de-
Ist nor his inevitable follower nor his
the anarchist, who. with their
wild dreams and revolutionary tactics
are at the bottom fatal work but
in the home itself and among those
very heads OF the home. who should have
been It's protectors and defenders, are
found full Of its destruction"
First, there IS" DIT. Dix said, that
vast and growing scandal that national II
divorce. All Of Europe with
its 500o,o00 Of people. has In the last
twenty years had 2l400O divorces. while
the United States, in the same period.
with its S0,000 000 Of people. there have
been granted 10000 divorces.
Look at the horrible work Of easy di-
vorcer followed at once by new mar
Tiage."
Neglect Next to Divorce.
After divorce the next among the de- s
structive agencies for the home. in DR.. {
Dix's opinion. is the neglect Of children,
either because the parents must be away
all day at work 10 gain the means Of life. ,
or because they are bent on pleasure and 1
amusement and CAD and fit about, leav- {
ing the children to hired caretakers and I
only studious TO keep them out of the /
way"
Or. Dix went on:
Once more consider the result when
there is 10 such thing as home religion.
where the children never hear a family
prayer and never hear a blessing asked ,
at meals, and receive no instruction in
anything beyond the ways Of life in the
passing world
Were We to pursue this subject we
might land in disgust and despair. But
that would never do. We must face the
storm with courage and hope. II Chris
tan marriage goes. the home goes. and
with it the safety Of the children. If
the home goes, the state goes, for the .
wells of life are there. If the State
goes, social order goes and individual
freedom and the right TO acquire and ,
enjoy property and 10 make of ones self
the most honest toll and lawful effort.
And if the social order goes. with its en-
enlargement Of the peaceabIe and indus
trious citizen and security from class I
domination Of any kind. barbarism comes
back, and there must be lapse into the
savage state again
DIR. Peters Explains.
DR.. Madison c. Peters said tonight:
In a published interview over the
telephone, 1 was made to say in the
what I neither said nor believe.
lamely. that / believe in so-called trial
marriages That impression 1 wish to
ieny with all the emphasis of my brain
did say off-hand, and now repeat as
ny deliberate conviction. that divorced
persons who remarry should not be
placed under the redhot anathema Of the
church. I know hundreds Of people who