Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-17
Continued from First Page.>

! husband wife Indeed many students
of the problem feel that tension in the
sex relationship is the most general
/ cause of divorce
Controlled by Emotions.
This extreme point of view. however
| is questioned by leading psychologists
and physicians. who maintain that the
sex instincts are in turn controlled by
the emotions. This is made clear by
the fact that on the one hand the sex
instincts are so frequently perverted
and that on the other their sublima-
ton is the recognized cause Of much
that is highest and noblest in human
life
Another fundamental cause OF divorce
is found in the great changes that have
recently taken place in the ideal Of
family life. The family used to be the
economic unit of life. Outside of rural
districts it remains so no longer. Since
the reformation, the gospel of lndlvidu-
alism has been given increased en-
phasis. putting women on an equal
status with men. Moreover i'll the last
few generations there has been steady
growth of the so-called romantic view
of life. which. in the minds OF many
men and women, would make marriage
enc long honeymoon This makes
pleasure the test of life rather than
duty Oh suffering. Therefore, when
marriage ceases to furnish the expected
happiness. many people feel they are
justified in seeking that happiness else
where.
I'm trying to determine the standards
of successful marriage. your committee
soon recognized the necessity OF Secur-
ing a control group. /. e., considerable
number of people who have been hap
pilv married. who would describe in de-
tail the conditions of their childhood,
their early training, their outlook toward
marriage. their relations during court
ship and the various conditions OF their
married life 1t is obvious that we must
have clear idea Of what constitutes
a happy marriage. if we are going to
study this subject to advantage.
The figures of a recent questlonnalre
make it reasonably clear that divorces
are mainly confined to men and women
who are not regular church attendants
and that divorce is relatively rare among
those who are regular members OF the
community. 1t seems clear that the
problem Is chiefly confined to those who
are outside the pale and direct influence
of the church.
Few Consult ClefIcS.
"The next question was in regard to
the extent to which clergymen were con-
suited in regard to marital difficulties.
The reports are disturbing because they
indicate that a small percentage of
church people 60 to their clergynen
with their troubles.
The next question had to do with
the amount of training given for mar
&c
done along this line by the clergymen
of any of the communions mentioned.
MANY of them preach on the subject
and on other subjects that deal with
character building Sermons cannot
be cassed as moral training. Such
training TO be effective must be given
individually.
Character training is generally
recognized as a primary responsibility
of the church While it would appear
that those who remain in vital relation
with the Christian church are rarely
divorced. nevertheless. many persons
connected with our churches have been
divorced and multitudes at some time
or other have doubtless been connected
with the church, and especially with
our church schools. Therefore. the
church has heavy responsibility in
this matter.
I'm character training, next to the
emotions, nothing is more important
than right ideals of life. Hence one of
the first responsibilities of the church
is to hold up the ideal of marriage pre-
sented by Christ himself, viz: The life
long union of one man with one Won-
an. This ideal is based on the physical
and spiritual laws of human society. In
deed many of our thinkers feel that the
homogeneous family is the final term
in a long evolutionary series. Clearly
the family is the most fundamental of
our institutions Not only socially but
educationally it is far more important
than any Of our schools and in the
years of infancy molds for better or
for worse the character Of our future
men and women.
I'm any event, the greatest need to-
day is for more homes that are really
animated by the ideals of Jesus Christ.
In the first few centuries of the church's
life its teaching in regard to marriage
won its way in the face of the most ad-
verse conditions and bitter persecution,
showing the power of right ideals to
prevail because of their inherent worth.
For the development of such homes we
require the right sort of training for
marriage and the right sort of educa-
ton in religion which shall build up the
sort of character in men and women
that will produce real Christian homes
william Green to Speak.
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor will
address a mass meeting on the sub
ject of the Episcopal Church and its
relations to industry in Memorial Con-
iCN OF 81
At this mass meeting there will be a
general discussion of industry and its
relations to the church, in connection
with the report presented to the con-
vention at the joint session on Monday
on this subject.
Spencer Miller. ir, secretary of the
division on industrial relations OF the
social service department of the church,
who prepared the report on industrial
relations and suggested the industrial
program of the church, will be another
speaker at the mass meeting.
Rev. Charles N. Lathrop, executive
secretary of the social service depart
ment, arranged this meeting in order
that there may be brought together for
discussion of these problems, repre-
sentatives of both capital and labor.
Employers to Talk.
Accordingly with Mr.. Green pre-
senting the side of labor, there will be
brought to speak on the other side
Harper Sibley of Rochester, N. Y. a
director of banks, mines and lumber
companies and we'll known leader
in that State. who will discuss the
industrial problem from the viewpoint
of the law. r. P. Hutchinson. president
of the Bethlehem Fabricator Co., will
discuss the problem from the point of
view of the employer and an address
will also be delivered by II. A. Hatch.
an employer who has developed an
interesting system of labor relations
in the Duchess Bleacheries at Wap-
pinger Falls, N. Y.
Three of these speakers named have
had large experience as employers of
labor. Mr.. Miller will further outline
his suggested industrial program for
the church