The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-09-24
Dr. Everhart Talks About he Modern Problems of Christianity

With our divorce courts we have se- riouslv affected this foundation. "There are those who enter the holy estate of matrimony in a trial l trip with the assurance that if their experiment Is not altogether satis- factory they can, by the aid of the divorce court. back out. Untold mis-
 cry and suffering follow In the wake
 of this procedure.
 Jesus is very definite in His teachings concerning the subject of
 marriage. He said from the begin hing, God never Intended that the holy bonds of matrimony should be broken.
 "For this cause shall a man leave
 his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they twain
 shall be one; wherefore. they are no more twain but one flesh. What God { hath joined together let no man put asunder."
 "An examination of the records re-
 veals this startling fact. There were l issued in Jefferson county from January 1 to August 31 of this year,
 2,62O marriage licenses. During the l same period of time there were 469
 divorces granted. At this rate. il per cent of the marriages are only trial ] trips that have ended in the divorce court A further examination re- vealed this other fact that 85 per cent of these were from the city of l Birmingham.
 Contributing Cnuses Now what are the contributing Lcauses to this dep1orable situation? There are many, chief among which is the lack of the proper appreciation
 of the marriage altar, due to want of home training. What contribution
 does bobbed hair, the lip stick and the vanity box make toward fitting girl for wifehood and motherhood?
 Do not the cigarette. pool room, un-
 wholesome indulgence and associa-
 tlons destroy the very qualities that make a loving and dutiful husband and father? There are many who, in
 a thoughtless and frivolous manner, cross the threshold of wedlock wholly unprepared and unmindful of it's sacred duties and obligations.
 Now 1t is a mere schoolhoy and
 schoolgirl, barely in his teens, who
 elopes or often with the consent of
 his parents gets married-yes, that is
 all-just gets married. There Is in
 this city woman who married her
 little girl 12 years old to an ex-sol-
 dier who had recently been divorced
 from a wartime bride. and there is
 not law In the state that would prevent, because that mother had given her consent. Again it is so- ciety belle who suddenly broke her engagement and elopes with another,
 gets her name in f-point headline in the newspaper only to end the
 froli@in less than fortnight in the
 divorce courts.
 Legal Aspect
 "Ministers judges and magistrates have indulged in practices that have contributed to cheapen and rob this holy right of it's sacredness. In a town in Indiana the merchants asso- citation offered to furnish complete in every way fiye-room cottage for any couple who would climb to very high platform at the fair ground and take the vows of husband and wife in the midst of a curious crowd of onlookers. It was not hard to find those who were willing to be used as instruments in an advertising scheme and desecrate this solemn and sacred rite. We read not long since of a preacher who stopped to offlcate at a wedding ceremony in bathing pool. only to have the couple to de- clare the marriage null and void. Another makes a sensational flight
 in an airplane to marry a couple in gaily bedecked banqueting hall, while still another bridal party ascend, amid the yells and cheers of how'll
 ing mob, far above the earth In an airplane to take the vows of holy
 matrimony. Can such as these im- | press the contracting parties with the sacredness of the relation into which they are entering.
 The Remedy
 Now as to the remedy. This Is | indeed a difficult problem, yet 1t must be solved for the sake of the home
 and all It's sacred ohligations. Eona