St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-02-17
PROTECT FAMILY LIFE
Bishop A. c. A. Hall Writes of Mar
riage, Divorce and Family
PRAYERS

Prayers.
Following are excerpts from the
pastoral letter for Lent, issued by
| Bishop of A C. A. Hall of the Epis-
copal diocese of Vermont:
Brethren: This year in my Len
ten Letter | am going to press upon
YOU some considerations concerning
the dignity and the obligations of
family life, which may well be taken
for the subject of prayer and self
examination and humiliation during
the penitential season.
First, let us clearly understand
that the family is the real unit in
human life. We are not intended
to live as isolated individuals. Every
one is born into a family; most of
us form families of our own. Fam
lily life is the normal condition for
men, women and children. The mu-
tual affection and dependence, the
give and take of a family not only
conduces to comfort, but helps to
build up and develope character.
Where family duties and RESPONSE
bilities are neglected, we cannot ex-
pect that men and women will be
prepared faithfully to fulfil larger
duties and service in church and
state. Gods first institution in the
world is the family, the cradle alike
of church and of state.
2. And marriage is the founda-
ton of the family The Christian
law of marriage, which is the reali-
zation of Gods original purpose, how
ever this may have been at times OBJ
scured, is clear; the lifelong union
of one man with one woman, to the
exclusion of all others on either side.
| (Pray remember that definition and
commit it to hearth. This, of course,
like every noble position in life, in
wolves discipline as well as pleasure.
1t is ''for the mutual society, help,
and comfort that the one ought to
and adversely" Marriage is not a
mere contract between two parties
during their mutual convenience; it
is state of life on which persons
enter with lasting consequences and
obligations. The appalling fire.
quency of divorces amounting in
our state in 1912 and 1913 to one
divorce for less than every eleven
marriages) may be traced to many
causes; not least, assuredly, to the
lack of serious consideration with
which it's responsibilities are too Of
ten entered. Hasty marriage is one
of the chief causes of frequent di-
vorce. To check divorce we must
teach true marriage. And this must
be the duty not only of pastors but
of parents (is this practically recog-
nized by fathers and mothers?) and
of all Christian men and women, in
their reverent regard for marriage
and their steadfast witness to its
sacredness.
4
the English Prayer Book is cor
dained for the procreation of chill
dren, to be brought up in the fear
and nurture of the Lord, and to
the praise of His holy Name" The
chief end of marriage cannot be ig-
nored or defeated without most Sc
rious risks physical and social. To
play tricks with so delicate an or
ganism as the human body is full
of peril. Selfishly, through love of
ease and money, to defeat the nat
ural consequences of marriage
| (apart from the restriction of bless
ing in the immediate family is to
imperil the continuance of a nation
or people. The more highly civil
lied may sink before those of less
education and culture. This result
| is being brought about in New Eng
IdnQ before our eyes.
4. But children being given, the
responsibility rests with parents to
care for and train (and that in the
| best ways) those whom they have
| brought into the world. Without
disputing the wisdom of free secu-
lar education provided for all chill
| dren by the state, one may have a
fear that the lifting from parents of
that responsibility tends uncon-
sciously to tighten their sense of
responsibility for training of other
kinds moral and religious-which
the public schools cannot attempt
to give, or only to a very slight ex-
tent.
Good example and influence at
home, regular attendance at church,
systematic religious instruction, all
these are duties that belong to pa
rents, which they are bound to pro
vide and see to, if they would be
prepared to answer the questions
which the Heavenly Father will
one day most certainly ask concern
ing their care of those to whom He
has given life-with all it's tremen-
dous dignity and possibilities for
good or for evil-through them.
5. Great stress is laid by some
Oh the importance OF reV1Ving more
general observance of family pray
ers. Reverently conducted, the
gathering of the whole family togeth-
er (if possible, of the whole house
hold) for simple common devotions,
is a valuable recognition of God in
the family life. 1t must bring His
blessing, and tend to hallow ordi-
airy duties and relationships. Only
| should very earnestly warn against
family prayers being allow to be-
come a substitute for private per-
Sonal prayer. 1t is the fear of this
(not, l am sure, a groundless fear)
which has hitherto kept me from
laying stress on the observance.
Nothing must be allowed to take the
place of individual prayer, each per-
son with his or her own needs and
sins and aspirations bringing them
before God in petition, confession,
Thanksgiving and resolve.