The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-08-07

which is of very great Importance.
Before stating the question, we beg
to observe that the State of Georgia
has nearly three million people. and
there are not quite twenty thousand
Catholics in the entire state; hence
we may admit that Georgia is thor
oughly Protestant. The laws of the
state are the expression of the popu-
lar will. and it is correct to say that
a law, which for long period has
been on the Statute Book of the state,
with no effort made to repeal it, rep
resents the will of the people. The
Georgia Statutes provide that for the
following reasons men and women
may secure a separation from bonds
of wedloCk, and, in the discretion of
jury, contract other alliances.
Desertion for Three Years.
Conviction of Felony.
Cruelty.
Habitual Drunkenness.
Duress, Force or Fraud in Securing
Marriage.
Mental and Physical InCapacity.
Certain Relationships.
Adultery
A Certain Delinquency on the Part
of the Woman.
Bible and Divorce.
It is we'll known by all that our
Protestant friends affirm that their re-
ligion is founded on the Bible. 1t
used to be said that "the Bible and
the Bible alone is the religion of
PrOtestants."
lowing on the subject of divorce: Our
Divine Saviour. as quoted in Saint
Marks Gospel, Chapter X, says:
6. But from the beginning of Gre
alton male and female He made them
I. On account Of this a man shall
leave his father and mother and shall
Cleave to his wife.
S. And the two shall become one
flesh, so that they are no longer two,
but one flesh.
.. What God hath Joined together
let not man put asunder
II. And He said to them: Whose
ever shall put away his wife and mar
'
her.
II. But if she having put away her
husband marries another she commits
adultery.
In the Gospel of Saint Luke Chap
ter XVI:1S) we read these words of
the Eternal Son of God:
Every one who puts away his wife
and marries another commits adult
cry, and he who marries one put away
from her husband commits adultery.
In the Gospel according to ST. Mat
thew, the following words of our Bless
ed Redeemer are given: (Chapter V,
Verse 32D:
But | say to YOU everyone putting
away his wife except for fOrniCat ton
makes her commit adultery; and who
soever marries her put away COM
mits adultery"
It seems, therefore. very clear that
God says it is sinful for a divorced
person to marry again.
According to the law of Georgia,
however, the Courts have the right
to tell a divorced person that if Ger
tain things are established to the sat
isfaCtion of a Jury, it is lawful to
marry again. But we do not find that
Christ made a distinction of any kind.
He did not say: Whosover puts away
his wife and marries another is guilty
of adultery, unless divorced by law.
Now our question is this: Will our
Protestant friends, who rely On the
Bible alone, tell us how they recon
Gle their attitude on divorce with
the Gospel teaching? If they affirm
that they do not recognize the right
of Christ to interfere in this matter,
then we must admit that this is an
answer. But they will be slow to make
this defence. If, however, they recog-
nize the right of God to forbid di-
vorced persons to marry again, as we
feel they do, what is their attitude
toward the Law of Georgia that is in
conflict with Gods Law?
The fact that we all know very we'll
a number of persons who stand high
in business, in society, and in some
Protestant churches, who though di-
wer The fact that some may consid-
er divorce and re-marriage the lesser
of two evils, is not an answer.
We have given Christ's words. We
have given Georgia's words. Christ
said in effect YOU shall not grant d.
vorces. Georgia says, will.
The Lord said: What God has
Joined together let no man put asun-
der In marriages before minister
these words are usually said. The
Courts, in spite of this, proceed to
grant divorce. The same or another
minister performs another ceremony,
and perhaps says once more: What
God has joined together let no man
put asunder."
Will our Protestant friends explain