The Detroit times., 1912-01-08
POLYGAMY IN UTAH IS
WORSE THAN DIVORCE EVIL
Continued FROM PaEs one.

Confinusd from Page one.
quest, are usually seeking a marriage
10 suit their own convenience-moved,
quite likely, by a romantic fever The
honeymoon lasts but a little while:
then comes the trouble; the good time
IL over, the home Is wrecked and the
children damned. The excuse that
one hears I'm the divorce court Is that
L was unhappy The thought OF
standing for a principle at the cost OF
sacrifice OF comfort is never enter
tanned. And we ministers, In the In
depreciation OF the Scriptures, are too
likely TO place emphasis on happiness
In regard 10 matrimony than on
righteousness. We should teach
righteousness, character, principle and
sacrifice In regard 10 the institution OF
marriage. That policy, | know, is un-
popular, but II should obtain. We
are losing sight OF the strong, write
principles OF Calvinism. In the new
theology there Is lack OF discipline.
We must teach self-saerifice; it's got
70 come more into our preaching II We
are TO tone up the American life.
1T has been proposed TO have
national divorce law. but don't think
that is possible. The divorce evil is
not an interstate matter. But | want
TO say that think there Is great
gain In the fight against the divorce
evil in the refusal OF New York TO rec
ognize a Reno divorce TO any one OF
New York's 400, on the ground OF
incompatibility or some other trihing
excuse The American Bar is making
an effort TO get a uniform divorce law
and we ought TO indorse II. While
II would not be national law, 1t
would establish a standard OF divorce
law for every state. Each state would
make its own laws, but they would be
pretty much the same throughout the
country
After all. how much are we indiyid-
ually responsible for the divorce evil?
A clergyman was recently complaining
to Judge about the divorces he was
granting. whereupon the judge told
him he was just grinding the grist
which the minister furnished. There
is much truth in what the Judge said.
The question Is, do We try TO help
matters at the psychological moment
the time when the candidates are
before US, with minds in a plastic con-
dition? We ought TO impress on the
candidates the saeredness OF the mar
riage vow. There should be no encour-
agement OF marriages at state fairs
and the like Such unions are a trav-
esty on marriage. We even hear OF
clergymen who marry couples on short
notice, while you wait We have
them across the river, but don't
know that there are any OF that kind
here. That kind of landoffice business
should be discouraged.
1T is the Gretna Green method Of
performing marriages that is respon-
sible for the divorce evil The fee Is
all that some clergymen look at In
marriages. Such practices should be
frowned on by all ministerial associa-
tons For my part. ! should like to
see the old system OF publishing the
banns in vogue, and | think every
minister should refuse to marry a
divorced person unless he be person
ally acquainted with the facts In the
case, or know at least one of the con-
tracing parties. | wish that the min
Sisters OF Detroit would get together
and agree on grounds which they
would recognize In the remarrying OF
divorced persons.
The poor and lowly in the Roman
Catholic church are comparatively
free from divorce. but the ones in a
more fortunate station in life seem to
be able TO get around the regulations
of the church. So we cannot look TO
the Roman law for relief. There are
many grounds on which a marriage
can be declared null and void In the
Roman church. They have various
Kinds of grounds Tor sale ON -tfTefr
marriage counter. In my own church
we recognize but one ground, in
fidelity, for divorce.
Now, gentlemen, as a means TO
remedy the divorce evil, ] would sug-
gest that you appoint committee 10
look into the matter and arrive at
some agreement whereby the causes
for which you will remarry divorced
persons shall be limited. II you do
that. you will be doing real service
TO the community. The law doesn't
compel you 10 marry anybody; there
Is 10 state church here, as in Eng
land. We can say TO divorces, The
law has unmarried you. let IL remarry
you IL il chooses | know that such
policy would mean big loss TO you
financially. but what does the ministry
mean 10 us II We don't make some
sacrifice for Christi
Anthony Pratt. secretary OF the
Municipal league. gave the union the
second section Of his December AID.
dress on reforms in municipal gov
eminent.
The Rev. j. Percival Huget. pastor
OF the First Congregational church,
announced that the Rev c. II. Patton.
prominent missionary worker. would
be IN Detroit. Monday, Jan. 10. There
is 10 be a luncheon for him at the
Y. NJ C. A., at noon. and he Will de-
liver an illustrated lecture in the.
First Congregational church in the
evening.
WOMAN TELLS GIRLS HOW
TO GRAB HUSBANDS