The Washington times., 1916-03-27
DIVORCE DEPLORED
BY MGR. RUSSELL
Worse Than Intemperance or
Race Suicide, Says Pastor
OF st. Patrick's.

lntemperance pollutes the stream of
ire race suicide DAMS up its channels.
out nlVorce poiSons the very spring IT,
seI said Mgr. Russell, in a sermon
,ast nlgnt NJ 81. Patrick's Church. The
Dig church was literally packed. many
Tsms cnalrs' while still others stood
we are now" said Mgr. Russell.
confronted with three alarming social
evhs-intemperance race suicide. and
divorce. But while intemperance makes
the nome unhappy and too often beEets
a tainted progeny: while race snjcids
encourages the animal appetItea of na m.
while sintuliy limiting the home circle.
divorce strikes al the very existence
and integrity OF the home,
I'VE read in 81. Mark (x:e,I0. what.
therefore. God hath Joined together, let
no man put asunder.' And in the
house again His disciples asked Him
concerning the same thing, and He said
TO mem, whosoever shall put away his
vile and marry another committeth
adultery against her. and II the wife
shall put away her husband and be
married to another she commItteth
Quotes From st. Paul.
I'VE read likewise in ST. Luke
(Sxvl:l0: Every one that putteth away
his wife and marrieth another commit
teth adultery In both these texts we
see that Christ calls Il n crime for n
man to put away his wife and marry
another.
st. Paul puts this very foreibly in
] Corinthians tvil:iO-lp. But TO them
that are married. not I. but the Lord,
commandeth that the wife depart not
from her husband. and II she depart
that she remain unmarried or be recon-
ciled to her husband. And let not the
husband put away his wife And
again. in Romans Vli:2,3. For a wom-
an TINT hath a husband whilst her hus-
band liveth is bound to the law. But
II her husband be dead she is loosed
from the law of her husband. There
fore. while her husband liveth she shall
De called an adulteress II she be with
another man
Among the fathers and doctors OF
the church II will be interesting to re-
call the strong language OF st. Jerome:
AS long as the husband lives, be he
guilty OF adultery. be he guilty of sod
omy. be he reeking with filth OF every
description and abandoned bv his wife
on account OF his crimes. he Is still
considered as her husband. and she Is
not permitted TO marry another
Deplores Divorce Evil.
You may have heard II said that the
church has sometimes granted divorce.
Let us define our terms. Divorce Is the
ah"ui"tut OF the sacrament OF marriage
ratified and contaminated, with the
right to marry again. Such a divorce
the church has never granted. The lin
It's OF her power extend to asscertaininx
this fact: Was there a true sacrament or
marriage from the beginning? 1t is her
duty 10 decide on the question OF fact.
She declares when there has been a
marriage in fact. but. TO give the right
TO second marriage Is beyond her
jurisdiction. Christ has decided that.
When there II a true marriage in
the beginning, neither bishop nor nope
can invalidate II. God has spoken, ieay-
Ing no discretion to any earthly power,
All laws OF discipline made by the
church can be dispensed with by the
church. But the church did not make
this law or marriage. hence she cannot
dispense with II. for What God hath
Joined together, let no man put assun-
DER"
Referring to the growth In the per-
centage OF divorces in recent years,
Mgr. Russell said that in 1901 there
were twice as many divorces granted
among the 5000. 900 Americans in the
United states as among the 400, 900. 900 in
habitants OF Europe.
American as am" said he in clos
ing. in ever fiber OF my being, I
cannot but view with alarm and shame
the divorce evil in our Country"