The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-04-24
JUDGE GOODWIN ON DIVORCE.

If there be any one thing more than another
which we admire in the character of the robust ed-
tor of the Evening Telegram it is his practical com
mon sense. His rapier is always clean and bright,
and his thrusts delivered in defense of decency and
clean living. Here Is what he has to say on "One
Cause of Divorce" in Mondays Telegram:
Several scores of divorces are granted in our
city courts every month In almost every case the
divorce is sought by wives. and the usual charge is
desertion and failure to provide. Most of these
applicants are women without means. Then we
read the evils of divorce Is not the real evil with
most cases away back Of the divorce How many
of these women were fitted to be wives. How
many Of Them prior to marriage though knowing
they were going to marry men of moderate means
most of them working for a small salary knew the
first thing about housekeeping how to prepare the
simplest kind of 4 meal When they married what
did they propose to add to the order stability and
comfort of the family. 1t is almost impossible to
obtain help in the homes Of the city, and when
young women engage their services. in three cases
out of five they know almost absolutely nothing of
the duties that supposed attach to their sta
tons as simple cooks and housekeepers
Still there is not one of them who would not
with half chance get married What can such
woman offer in exchange for home? Is it any
wonder that in few months they charge desertion
and failure to support!
We are very proud of our public and private
schools. is not a school where the simpler domestic
accomplishments taught more essential than
all our boosted schools"
Judge, outside of the Catholic church there IS
no marriage, for, in legal and Protestant sense,
marriage is but civil or dual contract Tom
Jones, Bill Sykes. Dick Wells and sixty-one others
constituting what is familiarly known as our state
government lay down the law dealing with marriage
and ats dissolution These be thy Gods O Israel"
and these gods tell the young man and woman who
wish to mate, or pair that after they have expert
mented with "mateng" and want variety that is a
change, there are eight statutory reasons by which
they may obtain the change. You see Judge. this
sort of a marriage is pagan, not Christian. II IS
leading up to promscuity; you understand us
Judge! In the expressive phraseology of the pro-
fessional oarsman, I'VE are getting there"
A Christian marriage is contract raised by the
Son OF God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. to
the dignity Of sacrament: that is, something
holy and what st. Paul calls Great MYSTERY
and which he compares to the union of Jesus Christ
with his church As a contract marriage is a law
tul marital union between man and woman. as
a sacrament. marriage confers grace. sanctifvipo
the legitimate union of man and woman and
obhglng them to lifelong participation in each
others society-"until death do us part.n The in
dlssoubility that is the lifelong binding nature Of
tins sacramental contract was foreshown in Gene
sis H. 1924, and ratified by Jesus Christ our Lord
when the "Pharisees came to him. tempting him.
and saying, Is it lawful for man to put a,xav his
wife for any cause?' And he answered and said |
to them, Have We not read that God who made |
man IN the beginning, made them male and female2
+ or this cause shall man leave father and mother
and shall ceave unto his wife and they two shall he
IN one flesh. Wherefore, what God hath Joined TO-
gether let no man put asunder And 7 saw 70 Won
whosoever shall put away his wife except il he for
;ornicaton, and shall marry another committetb
adultery; and he who shall marry her that is nu+
away committeth adultery. Chap. Xix. 3.
You ask me if this law of Christ is bindinc an
the consciences of the ministers who marry divorced
people, on the members of our state government
on the divorced people themselTesi, Certainly not