The Irish standard., 1912-09-07
are outside of members of the religious

are outside of members Of the religious
denominations. This being SO it is the
duty Of us all to investigate the ques-
tion closely with a view as to the best
course to adopt TO- minimize, If not en-
tirely prohibit, the evils Of divorce.
Right here let me draw picture Of
domestic life which usually finds its
way into the divorce court.
A young man without moral re-
straint, or Christian environment sees
some young woman of the same stripe.
He takes fancy to her, and in haste
and without investigation as to
whether she has good domestic habits
and will make good wife and mother
for family, he proposes; she accepts.
and then a marriage. Now comes the
aftermath. She Is perhaps no house,
keeper knows nothing about cooking;
would rather read dime novels and at
tend matinees, or card playing parties,
than stay at home and do her house,
work, and he is unable to hire help
He comes home, his meals are poorly
| cooked, if she cooks them at all, then
a fuss-this continues more fuses.
| He goes to the saloon. becomes dis
| couraged, quits work: no money is
coming i'll. Things are now ripe for
divorce, so one is obtained.
In many cases before the final rup-
ture which leads. to divorce there are
children of the marriage, and they are
brought up in the environments ] have
described What can he expected
from such children with the examples
of home life they have had? No Sab
bath school, nor moral instruction, and
in the case of divorce Of the parents
and their marriage, these children are
waits in society; like the Kentucky
mule-"they have no pride of ances-
try" How can yon expect good citi-
zenshtp that way? d
The blame in this class of marriages
Is not always on the wife. She would
in many cases be good If she got a
good man, but she marries fellow OF
loose character, Of lazy habits. with
aloon attachments included, without
beforehand taking time TO investigate
as to what sort -.of mani he.as. The
consequences. of suell marriage is as /
have already described, and if there
are children. the result is the same as
have portrayed. My observations
through life, my years on the bench
and at the bar, satisfies ME that I have
not overdrawn the sketches of married
life, either in it's good, or bad aspects.
What, then, is to be done?
| If you agree with me SO far, next
comes the remedy. AS to the solern-
| nizing of marriages would have all
such performed by ministers of the
gospel. A marriage is a civil contract
but In my judgment it is more. 1t is
a. means provided by the Almighty to
perpetuate the human race, and in do.
ing go to develop all that is noble,
moral and useful in their lives in the
family relation, and as members OF the
state and nation, and therefore the
marriage rite should be more than the
lip service Of a civil magistrate.
l would also refuse drunkards, de-
generates and parties of known vicious
habits the right to marry while these
conditions exist.
l have already described the class
of people who seek the divorce court,
Did they know beforehand that they
could not obtain divorce, would they
not be more careful in investigating
each others character and their adapt
ability to each other before they en-
tered the marriage relation? l believe
they would, and as this is what is done
by Catholics, Professionals and Jews at
the present time, why should not the
classes from whom divorces come no
it likewise?
There has never been a divorce
granted in the state of South Caro-.
lima, and in that grand old common.
wealth, l believe the citizenship and
morality of it's people rank as high as
In any other state in the Union.
In giving my reasons against grant
ing divorces, speak as a layman, but
with my Church teaching. my obser-
walton, and my judgment as my guide.
Cruelty to Animals.
/ 'Wait Mr. Knox" said Mrs Starr.