MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 442, 26 February 1909, Page 8

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

'"MISCHIEVOUS" LEGISLATION ;. ; .',:-.- ; DEPLORED. ••;;'. ,-.,;. ;..:;.:..;; PASTORAL W AECHBISHOP •■■' A New.,Y«ar -pastoral;has just been/issued .-:■ by His Grace' Lwhich,, V deals: with/the, subject family, and :- •-. divorce;: After/ referring-'to-the- Divine - - authorship ■of..the.''marriage."- relation, Jne.:^ : Srchbishop contrasts -tho- status of woman ..;. under-pagani and : Christian ; ,;conditions.-, In : ;. . ancient Greece;/ "the wife wasflookeoV.npon, not as-thehumanvcreature,: man's like: and -~..■; companion, but as a means to a^ end, as w.. evil ..which ; could not .be : - escaped, in .order; . - that there might ' be ■'house .and;, children. . Her'intellectual education : was .-■; and. hence her influence over husband and-.- ■■- : children was slight; even,the not;, taught the. accqmplisbments,;,which, form.toe.;,. : charm of home." the'; vices 0f,.a11, .;.. ■ nations invaded; Rome, , ' AthV'-'characteristlo.;;"•■' Grecian "vice reigned supreme. '"In. short,.; - - when the Roman-Empire";Kad:;'reached'Vits.; . height, as the virtues-or. women were never,: - v so rare, so the respect for .women had sunk,;. • to. its; lowest i point.". .Among .the Persians, v.. marriage-was debased,(by.poly_gamy.;; - E7en: : among the Jews, where' the social position .of,_-.;; ; woman was higher than in. nation except 'the Germans,, there were-great \draw.':.; backs.- :.When the law.i was given;,polygamy , and divorce'were already.:,, customs,.--.and,. ;-, while.vthe former wasi'tacitly,fallowed,:, the. :. latter was' expressly , regvdated,;:by., the:law.r, , Thus; on account :of : the 1 hardheartedness,or), y the people,, the .pure:idea of. marriage ;;was. .' defaced. -In all other nations.of■ theSEast;and , ; ;. South the degradation of: woman -was uni- "■■;.;; versa! except among.the noble Germanrace, which supplied later .on the ra,w jpajjeriaT,«ilv ■ Christendom. /The restoration.of the society;, of.man and woman'rested on the , Incafnation;■ ■;.;. being inall'its parts .'a' copy of ■■'thar- great ..' fact. ■'Marrisige wasithe transition point.frojn;: ; ; : man as'-an '-individual to man as'a raoe/s The yr Incarnation ' put. the seal on ;the \ individual >::; and on society. ;The Church' had : rolled:,bark: • • the tide -of .pollution' in'the' w.orld; and/estab-ft.•, ilished the' basis of all Social --life; 'the-.unitj % .;' .and; indissolubilitiy of; marriagei";■ r '•■!!;^rj^ ■ ■','- Tendencies of ■'■■■- "And now," Hia Grace cflntinue^; : "w^liye , -. 'in -a period of/entirely, different' tendencies.;. ;: Not Kings only, not the rich and'the-noble,:;;'. but society as such, is striving to emancipate- ~, itself from .any/law,;but one■,.self;imposed---;-.; a law,■■■,not: of .Christ,'-but 'of. its parts-gathered from pa'ganism,V;and-;partsr_ ; rei-:/;; .tained from Christianity, .the,end;,of, - as it conceives,- would be, comfort/material wealth, 'ana worldly':pros-.'-;r, perity.-; Humanity,-: with"'the i.resourceS .bet!:-stowed-upon, it by-centuries ; -or,. faith 'and-practice,'ri?es."up against. ahythiD": ., above, itself.-'lt/calls';.Taw/the' 'expression,ofi. l -;V the-general-wiH,v : not r .theVc6mmand/6fi;Oue>;;./. reverenced Vas:'superior','.'not;.-. ..of •■;,-.•■ One-loved -good.' : - Before.; this, of v-self-wjll assuming the -guise-of...liberty^:and ;?- : sweeping: over: modern" nations as/the' : :tlawe : ; ■/; over the prairies, : the Church/maintainsstill-;-,: the self-same law ::of; marriagej -as: v the:,last:. : defence of: the/ weak; against; the strong^che.^■--. ,;ajid:ot society^jv 'against'. their^inyadersi"- ?. y-.. '^^..-^Jji^ii:-^^ outside of-the : Eoman Cathou'c\Churcjii'-::;;: 'the"Archbishop claims,.is; found:,no nvilised;, ,- ; nations' n6:-uncivilised.- tribe. ;of:.man, v in.:pos-. ..7 ■sMsi6n:--of--.'.they^mpleto'--C!hn^nvmßiTia_go,- : v;/.:; in its /uriityK-sanctityj' ..and.'vifldissplubjlity.;..;.., ' 'Tate ; nations l which' boast• of ,the;., >; 'of progress-in > > ii "self-government,.liberty; but. whichi;iare : : vr ■■fejected'.the-.'gentle-;,role:;of L the-,Ch]qrch-. ii jr r W^:V. : --;- : ■peVfect Christian marriage, -its, 'unity,: sane-,..;-.. tity, : a : frightful?,degree, : ;and:;with;iappa!ling ; v : ■6^easβ■^in..Pfojtesi■anV•;^na^aons; / ,;μMe;n} ( pt^β l -;..■.-■ Greek'and.Ens?ian : cbmmpnions-..a110y.it,:..;.,.-.-,wy.it,:..;.,.-.-, - : -\; bi /humad ■ spciM;, ( .tnbe, are"butresparisions:;6f, it,in .one: lme;,■ the.-•-,. village, the-, towu;: .the i.oity, the -league,:• the ,^ . ■Empire^are:butAggregations of.it, ; - It;w-the.:,;7, ; spring>'f,inan , sVsocial.^gr;owth ) .-;the. . which 'individuals: combine, to^^.make. ; the:race,.,., ■ Accordingly,'a: f alk' idea." of; it .-'corrupte ; ;t.ho.^;;.-: -whole "social'.'structure\,.. : Never :was.. there a;-...; 'people/great flr!gopd;;}n'-whiclv.the ? m^rriagef : DOnd was/defectiye.;:' ] : ' ■' :/:,•;".'.;;"■'._;.' c :v;','. %i /? £,i>,' :

;■ piagua "that CSairs.;for Curei'iv:^ "The : social ■■'pjagne;pf/divbrcelvcalls.6foif.-iy i ;r radical curej 'and;the -remedy: ,can .be "ji oiindv.V : : only' in-they abolition ; o£ : -our'. -mischlOTOUS:,, - legislation regafduig ;; divi>rce;^and--ihbnest- Application of; teachingsV of .the',. :' Gospel/-If-persons icoritemplatiriginarriage-;:;:-we're persuaded' that, once unitedjithey'.were ..;•■■ •legally- debarred r-fronv; entering .into/second r -; 'wedlock, : they :would■•be:.niore.. circumspect": before - marriage- in • the .jot;, a /^Jife,.;: ■■ ;'partn4r,: and. wpiild;be- more; patient garter-" ;■-.. .wards in : "be'aring'fh4 yoke ;and'in:tpleTating;;;;. each other's' infirmities/.;.Besides Reading; 'to;. ;•■; 'ill-assqrfed/aid;',ha'sty,vniarHages;; ju^oTce . /}.:y stim'ula'tea a ;; discontented 7 and; unprincipled;, ;;, husband , 'or' wife' : :t« •/lawlessness,.• quarrelsi : ':; : a'nd'even -adnltery, well aware'that the:very, .., crime wiU afford'a p¥e;textand legal/grounda;,;.; fdr.a separation.-'lt-raises fieree.;litigatiqna- ..;. between the 'parties-;a%ut,\ ; 'thf : custody,jot':.;; their ofFspring.s' -It";deprives;,tfre-.children..of ;.,-- the protecting arm of a.father or/the/gentle.,:-;:, care of a mother, and'.too; frequently consigns', them to thecold.xharity'pf'the; world; ; ipr : .- : ■lack of coiijugal affection .usually accompanies .; lack of parental- love. 1 v.lh-'-shPrt,.lt-'fills .the;;;; with blight and desolatlon^wnicJl;;. v:no\wealth or;luxury. can;repair. ;;;';

•';Kv'a.'. Spurious \ "■ '.'Nor 'is';the" Catholic :Churcb/;iri?prsUink ine the absolute ■in&ssolubility ;of-marriage,; open to the chargevofwuelty.'.She. merely,: enforces the , observance, of,,the lay.-of. herDivine Founder, and, His/law, however, ngbrons, is mercy-: compared; to the cruel conseqaences' of-'easy;divorced l It.n is/- spurioM- , phJJantHropy-arid' false philosophy': for': legislators.'in;their insane;endeavour .to' improve on Divine teaching, to. lose sight,. of v the : .in-' teres' of the-rsice'and of'•'society while' they deviso means tovalleviate the hardships of:in T '; dividual -.cases.'. . Cases ;.of .'married 'infelicity.: :.are.-inde«i,-^ehtUul;.;bui'it':.is,..Vetter;-to;.legis-late>for the.good of ; ; the ; .community ,than- to degrade.the ■commtinity^itq.i.tie.-JeyeLof .the individual. -. ' .' ■',",■:■■ '■■'■'■'■>'-'i. i ' "Our yduty/. Hhen y m/common;.■Christian' believers*- and ■ true'' friends,; of I civV ligation,' is 'to diplore'.the 'havoc .wrought' by r : divorce, laws, of ".this'and [ other. .laws whiehYare. fast .loosening'; the 'fpunclation, of'society.; 1 Our duty; is toinculcate,',that' such divorces are powerless in;- conscience.'Our :duty as''■ to: teach; 'Catholics'; to- enter. ; into marriage 'through iworthy; and'holy 'motives," and ..with ;' "the. .blessings ;. : of■'.;..religion, especially^ ; with:. the;!: blessing : ! ■of ■■■■ .the Nuptial Mass.: Tben,.; ; far'.frbm wishing for means of 'escape from.'their'union, .they.-.will ;regret; that it..can:be:;dissolved';eveh. vby; death;' , .;',: V;;.;■-■' ( -.■;■■.;'•": T:V \:-s--i : /:"i'~' :'<>^i

i" Mr; Ransori, -secretary , '.?. of ;'■'tKe; ■ Mastet .■γ-i: Builders'- Association;<>f ■Queensland,:,has , ; ■■ j cabled asfollows : to Mr.:Prybr^secretary, ot^y : ■the' New Zealand Employers^Federation:-.-/: ;- "Good demand: for - bricklayers , .: :,Builtling. - ; trade good generally'; ./How; is.-tfade' in J)o-. ; . : v: i'minion? Any chance of men; coming if .work -.: "guaranteed?, , * , '■As- Mr.' Pryor ,is'away .from : .-,-..■ ■Wellington; Mr. AV; A: Grcnfell,-secretary ;ofi!.f; !'.the Master Builders' FedcratipK'of'New Zea- -".Vy land, will take the: nanies,of opy;bricklayera;~i';s who .would bo willingto go, to Queensland/if,;,Q I on.further, inquiry,'the. wages r and..' the., gu'ar-;.: , ;-;'.": anteed- duration ■■■;.s': ; the , .:. emplpymeiit;iiive\v ; deemed' satisfactory.; hasi:alsoVv;i; of'the.-Brick-:, ~; layers , Unipn-oinjthe^matter^-., :.V <?$ ■•;';:.

■: Tasatioii of land.values' l as'(tliie; remedy ffor, ':; unemployment is urged.ih'.'a letter which tlio: r. 'Hutt --Ysilley;^ L Single...Tax^Lcat>\ie'.lias;.seivt3_o 'i;. the Eremierr urban land values : of land either to ■use' i tKe i lancl' : themseli-es <ir :.:;' ■let consider that ; . the .'building;, trade every,-;'! other ■trade: would 'immediately j become brisk. v ;! They suggest'(l):that:indirect' taxation■'beS: • immediately;".reduced one-half ;:.(2)'thait.-.the",:"':; deficit thus createdVbe'Wot/by 'ah increased, 1 '. 1 ;"; tax on:the'people.:yalU6:Ofland: (3). that : e'x-.i. ; '. emptions from payment' of tax -be abop. V isheil; v and ■ (4) that -'the '■ provisions';.of. tlie -H: Rating".on Unimproved 'Values Act be.made ; -: ?>. mandatory throughoutLthe^Domim'on.;:'::'';;'.:;^;.;