MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1336, 13 January 1912, Page 3

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

1 — VIEWS OF DE. FORSYTH AND DE. INGE. A very delicate subject was dealt with by Dr. Forsyth in his lecture at the Holborn Hall 011 November 27 delivered for the National Council of Public Morals— on "Marriage: Its Ethic and Eeligion." Ho denounced tho doctrine of "leasehold marriage," too frequently practised in the United States under easy divorce laws, and advocated by some who consider themselves progressive on this side, especially in novels. The Dean of St. Paul's had already condemned such novelists. Dr. Forsyth referred particularly to ths idea of marriages terminable at'lho. end of a stipulated period, with provision for tho children, lie wanted to know what moral provision could bo made for children, but tho joint'and loving care of tho parents, and pointed out how the woman would be tho inevitable) victim of such a system. The Dean of St. Paul's, who presided, said that we must 1m prepared, when the Eoport of the Royal Commission on Divorce came out, to find increased facilities for divorce recommended by that Commission. "But," added Dr. Inge. "I was struck by what seemed to be the wish on tho part of tho Commissioners to consider as far as possiblo and respect the convictions of the clergy on the subject. So that even if the law of the laud is altered so as to make divorce somewhat moro frequent and somewhat easier than it is, yet the' clergy, I hope, will bo allowed to make rules for their own members, and will not bo compelled to take part in coremonics of which they cannot but disapprove." The Dean added that with regard to our Lord's teaching he had como to the conclusion that Ho did mean to make marriage indissoluble, but it was not quite as certain whether Ho would have intended that this absolute rule should be the basis of legislation either for tho State or even for the Church. Dr. Inge also spoko on tho progressive demoralisation of our literature, and (specially fiction. •