The Alaska daily empire., 1917-01-12

the beginning of the creation; and He resealed it with It's two essen t!al characteristics of unity and lu- dlssolubfity, and prohibited as sub. versiye of 1t, divorce and polygamy. He did more. Ec sanctficd it by a sacrament. Sanctlfying matrlmony. He sanctlfled the family; and sane flying the family. He sanctirled Society. Society rested on the family, the family rested on mat rimony, and hence when the matri- monial contract was raised to the dignity of a sacrament, Society was sanctilied in It's foundation and at it's center. The result was Christ. endom, and in Chrstendom the dig nity of woman
 Matrimony Requirements
 Tf there be state on life that requires nay. demands the helps of sacrament, 1t is matrimOny This life has of necessity iJs sorrows as well as its joys, its offerings as well as its pleasures, its burden as well as it's solacc. The state of mntri- mony has its duties as well as its rights. and in order to obtain the due mrillmcnt of all these, the nob- lest natures must be supplemented with the strength of divine grace. Therefore 1t Is not merely on account .or a theoretical truth but because of the practical consequences inyoly- eI that the Cathode Church insists SO strongly on the sQcramcntal char. actcr Of matr!mOny As long as this contract is held to be saCramentah SO long will marriage be hclj as something sacred which cannot be abused with impunity, but the mo- ment 1t is looked upon as a mere natural contract, then like every other contract it lies open tO all kinds of abuses. Considered in the light of sacrament, matrimOny will be entered into only after ser ious reflection and judicious prcpar- ation, for then the contracting par ties will realize that it is an awful thing 10 trirle with an institution that owes it's sacred character to the Blood of the GOd-Man,
 Sacramental Contract
 "The words of the contract in sac ramental marriage imply all the obli- cations of a solemn VOW, and the obligations continue until death; wherefore the bond of Christian marriage is unbreakablc. Hence the Church in every age of her history has ever stood the defender of the lndissolubility of the marriage con- tract. In the sixteenth Century, she upheld the sanCtity of marriage against the lust of kings, and permit ted an entire nation tO apOstatisC from her fold rather than be unfaith- lul to the sacred trust committed to her. And today woman owes tO the Catholic Church her place of dig. uity as mans companion and equal in the Christian world, for the Cath ollie Church steels her soul against the greatest degradation Of woman divorce. Woman Is more than man the victim of this appalling degrada. tion. Man can withdraw from con. iugal society with all the advantages of his strength and authority in or der Co enter upon new ties; woman cannot withdraw from 1t withall her dignity. She leaves behind her best her maiden beauty and the charms of her youth. and only regalns with difficulty the fortune she has brought. Who shall seek this withcrcd plant whose freshness is gone and who is cast out from the family she has borne when she can no longer hope to find another?
 Stability of Home
 The stability of the home is the foradation of nations patriotism, the safeguard Of a nations honor and the uait ar a nations strength. Who is guarding it today? What voice is it that rings clear anu strong through the land in defense of homc.iifc, The voice o, the Cath ollie Church. While others fear Go face the scandals of divorce that are blackeuing the pages of history, she stands like a rock Of adamcnt where she has ever stood for the defense of Christian marriage, the Christian home and the Christian family.
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