Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-28
DECLINE OF MARRIAGE
IS MINISTER'S TOPIC
Growth of SeIflshness Ascribed as One
of the Causes by Or. Henry
at the First Baptist
Church

At the First Baptist church last night
the pastor, DR.. Henry, began a series OF
sermons on the home, choosing as his
topic 1.-THE Decline of Marriage" and
basing his remarks on 1 Timothy, 4:3,
'.Forbldding to marry" He said in part;
1.-THE decline of marriage Is one of the
omnous signs of the times. 1t touches
and furnishes the prime institution of the
civilized world. Some people ought never
to marry. Such as fools, idiots and seri-
ously diseased and brutal. This explana-
ton of this alarming fact is found first
Of all In the false and unscriptural no
tions of marriage. 1t is viewed as civil
contract instead Of religious privilege.
The stability of the state depends upon
the right relation of the sexes. Instead
Of genuine love all sorts of unworthy
motives furnish the basis of matrfmony;
money, convenience, romance lead many
into hasty and fatal alliances.
This holy state of matrimony is viewed
as a kind of lottery where the quality and
value of the prize are uncertain and IN
determinable. The extravagances OF
modern life are responsible in part for
the decline of matrimony. The simplicity
of the first marriage has passed away
Elaborate display and vulgar ostentatlon
at the wedding celemony are the almost
certain precursors of scandalous proceed
almost as expensive as to die. The silly
notion exists that newly married young
people must begin life where their parents
left off The cost of dress, pleasure and
living are such as to deter many young
men from becoming benedicts.
1.-The growth Of selhshness and the ex-
aggerated forms of individualism make
heavy contributions to prevent marriage.
AS a historic fact increased culture rem
.7o,-e .iofro
bid hypercriticism, critical fastidiousness
and ideals which few can fill. The age OF
luxury is both selfish and sinful. 1t means
growing independence and haughtiness
between the sexes. The social and Indus
trial life of the twentieth century woman
makes her less susceptible to the appeal
for marriage.
.Undoubtedly the growth of clubs, So
cieties and lodges has much to do with
the decline of marriage. They are ex-
pensive, they furnish comradeship, provide
for social life, and so in real ana OH
times perilous way become substitute
for the home. Neither club nor lodge llre
ministers to the sanctity or the security
of domestic ties False notions of mar
riage deter many people from entering
upon this holy state. For years certain
brand of socialism has disseminated con-
ceptions of marriage and married life tnat
are utterly false and destructive of do
nestle peace. This philosophy has been
atheistic. 1t regards all social tnstitu-
tions as purely voluntary.
Home Robbed
at ignores God and puts the marriage
tie wholly under the sanction of the
state 1t robs the home of its moral ba-
sis and its religious significance. In
sneering at England's domestic life John
Stuart Mill said: The whole of one sex
is devoted to dollar hunting and the other
to breeding the dollar hunters He de-
clares marriage to be the only actual
bondage. Won Humboldt said: I regard
marriage as a sin and the propagation of
children as a crime. Such philosophy
underlies the practice of infanticide
"'Nihilism demands the equalization of
the sexes and the dissolution of the fam
ily' The whole tendency of such teach
ing is to degrade and destroy the home
and to deter young people from entering
upon the sacred privilege and duty of
marriage. No one will question that the
prevalence of immortality and the fearful
scourge of the social evil are largely re-
sponsible for the decadence of marriage.
Impurity has become an epidemic Brut-
ality and cruelty in family life discourage
many from taking upon themselves this
holy vow.
"On an average about 5000 women in
this country are murdered by brutal and
altogether too mild for these domestic
fiends. The most terrible fact in the
explanation of the decline Of marriage is
found in the easy unscriptural divorce
that has become the curse and the scan
dal of American civilization.
-.One half million marriage ties have
been dissolved by the courts Of this
country within the past twenty years,
while the number of those who have
eought release from the marriage tie
has doubled within the past fifteen years.
Pretexts wichout number are given as
basis Tor temporary or permanent sep
aration. The smart set. whose filthy
lucre gives .hem a sort Of rotten respect
ability, for the qualification of their lusts
for fresh affinities. keeps the divorce
courts perpetually grinding.
"The cure for this portentous and pes
elmistic state of things is to be found
first of all in the revival Of the scrip
tural idea OF the dignity. duty and bless