The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-08
DIVORCE FOE Of
AMERICAN HOME
Eloquent and Convincing Sermon On
Insidious Foes OF Happiness In
the Family Circle.

WIZ AssS SA@S~s
Picturing the home as the most sa
cred OF civilizations institution and
its influences as the mos. potential in
church and society, Rev. J. 7. Green,
of st. James Methodist Church. on
Sunday evening discussed the insidious
dangers that beset the purity of the
domestic realm and designating the
chief of these as being divorce. He
pointed out the rapid growth of this
evil and some Of the causes that con-
tribute thereto.
Basng his sermon on the farewell
blessing of Naomi to her two daugh-
ters-in- law. as recorded in the first
chapter of the Book Of Ruth and the
ninth verse. The Lord grant that We
may find rest. each of you. In the
house of her husband" The minister
declared that nothing Is so attractive
to good man as sweet home.
wherein good woman, in the sanctity
OF holy wedlock is the loving queen.
and wherein mutual affection, conf
dence and comradeship abides. Home
Is more than a house and home COM
forts more than furniture and luxu-
rious appointments. Poverty of purse
is no barrier to home life and home
love. and the most elegant mansion Is
unworthy the name of home II love
abideth not there. The wife is the
home maker. and even though she
may not find time for any activities
| outside of her home, yet the faithful
rearing of her sons and daughters Is
n great and potential worldwide and
time-lasting influence. A woman may
make a home radiant with the genial
sunbeams of happiness or cherries
with the North Pole winds or discon-
tent. The home-infiuence is all per-
vading. Stand on any street corner
tomorrow morning and notice the
/ multitude emerging from home, go
ing into every avenue of business life,
and consider what n great influence
the home exerts upon society. How
necessary to keep pure and safe this
basic institution of our society.
THE chief insidious foe Of the
American home is divorce, which is
growing in extent with alarming rap
idity. America wants no Turkish
hatems or polygamic practices to get
a foothold here. And yet there are
10000 devices every year. and they
range in different localities from one
to every eleven families, up to one in
every seven. and in California, the
ratio is one to Ave. And who's to
| blame?"
Among the contributing causes he
mentioned law iaXity. which makes 1t
easy 20 secure a legal separation, and
incidentally mentioned the fact that
the Catholic church was stricter than
| the Protestant church In the church
law regarding legitimate cause of di-
vorces, in that it admits of one just
cause for it: but he was glad to say
that the Protestant churches were
becoming more insistent upon the
same principle. The civil law Is too
weak In so important a matter. and
should be amended with the view OF
emphasizing the sanctity OF the mar
riage relation.
Clandestine. hasty and indiscreet
marriages are prolific of discomfort
and unhappiness and cause many di-
vorces. Love Is no plaything. The
domain OF the heart is sacred and
marriages should not be entered into
without great elaboration. and SEN
sible, compatible mating. Nor has
any man the right to lord 1t over his
wife and dole out to her a pftiful pit
lance as her allowance" while he
spends many times the allowance"
in his own dress or for his own
pleasures.
Feeding the mind on dime-novel
|
literature does much harm.
The speaker closed his strong dts
course with an earnest plea for a full
realization of the Importance Of home
sanctity. the wisdom Of calmness and
discretion in choosing a partner for
life. and the mutual obligation upon
husband and wife 70 keep loves BAN
ner ever floating over their united
hearts, that the twain may face life's
conflicts. as we'll as share its joys with
feeling Of royal comradeship. and
thus will our most sacred and impor-
tant institution--the home-be better
protected from its most insidious foe.
and be the emblem OF that Eternal
Home where all Will be supreme hap
piness in the smiles OF the King
On next Sunday night Rev Green
will preach on Parental Blunders."