Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-23

That divorce is wrong in principle,
since it implies freedom to marry
again. is the view of Prof. Felix Adler.
for half a lifetime beloved and re-
vered leader of New York's most
eclectic religious organization. the
Ethical Culture Society.
DR.. Adler, in his seventy-sixth year,
is still active in his daily work-writ-
ing. Iecturng, travelling about to
spread ideals Of peace, the ethical per
sonal life, liberty, social and employ
ment relations.
His conceptions of marriage and
divorce may seem odd to those who
know the Ethical Culture Society as
so broad in its teachings that it has
not even a uniform marriage formula
with "till death us do part" clause,
but permits it's leaders to perform
marriages under a wide choice of
vows. Remember. however, that DR..
Adler's conceptions are personal con-
victions formed in a long span of life,
thought, observation and experience.
This is my position" says DR.. Ad-
Ter emphatically: Separation. but
never divorce. And never remarriage
So far as release from intolerable con-
ditions is concerned, it seems to me
separation entirely answers the pur-
pose.
at is true that marriage should
cease when love ceases. But it is in
the nature of that love which de-
serves the name not to cease. We
love that which is lovable That
which is most lovable is the secret
beauty in another's nature. In pur-
suit of this beauty love constantly re-
creates itself and is intensified even
while thWarted'
The doctor does not close his eyes
to the fact that divorce is on the gal
Looping increase and a change is COM
ing over society's attitude toward
marriage and the old-fashioned. ira
ditional home.
That this presages things never be-
fore known he readily admits, and
that LAX" views on the marriage re-
lation are not alone held by depraved
persons, but by intelligent. conscien-
tious. thoughtful and experienced
men and women, many Of whom prac-
tice nothing lax in their own lives.
Experimental marriages, trial mar
riages, the "companionate" marriage
for young people not yet ready for a
family-all modern and more or less
radical uggestions-Prof. Adler puts
aside as futile.
Our young people," continues he,
''cry out that they want individual
| happiness, not merely the welfare of
| the family, not merely the serving of
| society. They want to live, want their
rights considered, want hearts salts
| faction, love and mutual attraction.
And I sympathize with this.
But there Is no installing the fact
that there is an element of impiety
in it all. In the reaction against the
I'D .
of society there is the pretension that
nothing is TO be considered except
the happiness of madame and mon
sieur! The idea that marriage has a
purpose outside the happiness of the
man and woman concerned, that there
is a tremendous social need which de-
ponds on the right contamination of
marriages, is falling away.
1.-THE highest end of marriage is
to perpetuate, promote and enhance
the spiritual life of the world, to
keep the flame Of mentality burning
in the universe, and to confer per-
petual benefits one upon the other,
especially the benefits of moral
growth. This is blessed task when
the union is blessed. When it is I'M
blessed the performance of it may be
attended with unspeakable pain. Yet
it must be persevered in to the end.
II venture to say that in nine cases
out of ten, even fine and lovely people
enter marriage with never a thought
beyond their own happiness. They
forget they are servants of great So
cial ends, in bowling to which they
affirm their highest selves. The fact
that these ends are lost sight of is
the chief reason for the evil of the
increase of divorce.
Happiness and harmony" says he,
are secured by a process of accommo-
dation. In fact, it is the object of
marriage that a man should become
other than he is through the influence
of the woman. and that the woman
should become other than she is
through the influence of the man.
This process of mutual modifica-