The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-11-13
THE DIVORCE EVIL
A SERMoNETTE ON THE CAUSE
OF THIS EVIL, WHICH is
THoUGHTLESS YOUTH.

| court To-Day ana tOmOfrO" VIII De
taken up in the trial OF divorce suits.
When We stated. early in the week,
that no less than forty.five divorce
cases were on the docket. did any.
one pause 10 think what that meant?
In the great majority OF cases It
means "oman's broken heart, the
bllghted lives OF her children. In
few cases II means man ap-
| plying to be freed from influences
that have cursed where they should
have blessed. But what is the caus,
OF It? Out OF what disorderod state
Of society has this evil thing come
upon us?
We say. and we believe every
I Judge upon the bench, every lawyer
IN the bar. can sustain the truth we
speak, II comes because so many
men recklessly take upon themselves
tho duty OF cherlshing and SUP
/ porting wife. when they have
never seriously thought over he
thing they do. II Is very true that
young girls are often rash IN enter
/ ing matrimony with very little
knowledegs OF the importance OF the
step they take. Dut W. d1 assert
that II Is a very unusual woman. and
one Of n very rare type, among at
least the middle strata OF American
society, who does not seriously, ear.
nestly, In the depths Of her own
heart. purpose to do her full duty
towards the man into whose hands
she commits her life.
Is his purpose towards her equal.
ly serious honorable, tender? We
see the answer 10 this question
every day Of our lives It Is brought
10 our notice every time we see
one Of the many women. deserted by
the man who should be her protect.
or. quietly. unobtrusively earning, in
bitterness OF soul and WEAKNESS of
body, an honest living for herself
and oft-times her children. bearing
the white flower OF a blameless
life In the most painful position
human being can occupy-wife. yet
no wife. How many of these do our
ranks OF labor not show us? The
most powerful sermon to which the
writer ever listened. from a min
lister foremost in his state for rigid
uprightness, brilliant pulpit talents,
wisdom In council, was founded upon
the seventh commandment, and these
words. "Moses, because OF the hard
ness of your hearts. suffered you
to put away your wives" He delib-
erately stated, in the beginning of
his sermon, that, while of purpose he
preached It TO mixed congregation,
Il was not addressed TO the women
before him He wished them TO he
present that they might hear his ad.
dress In the most scathing words
In his power to those men whom
ne considered the worst betrayers
3 of innoccnce-the wifc-deserters so
. common today. No sin. he stated,
that is, no outbreaking sin, is so com
worlds judgment, nay that OF deli.
cately nurtured. seemingly devout
women fall so lightly. Whereas, in
the sight of God, ne beneved that
many murderer deserved bet.
ter fate than the wretch. who. often
Of set purpose, marries an limo
cent happy girl, only to desert n.
and his offspring 20 ~" cold NOV.
cies of world that will. nine times
out of ten, condemn woman though
II knows her to be the hapless
victim of a creature so base as 10
grudge her the support he vowed
when he married her. That fiery
denunciation is the only public utter
ance We have ever heard that placed
the crime Of wife-desertion where
II should be and that gave the true
reason for the increase OF the dI-
yorce evil. Only two causes said
the pastor, are sufficient to Justify
characterization OF the marriage
I vow, and deliberate, causeless deser-
tion, which pre-supposes such viola
tion. II has been said that iuries
md judges are always on the We
mans side II SO, there is a reason.
ana that reason is found In their
knowledge of the wnspeakable wrongs
a woman viii suffer before she will
bring those wrongs 10 the knowledge
OF the world
The Quick Comfort natural gas
heating stove makes the room com.