UNWISE MARRIAGES.
THE CHUROIIES BLAMED. PROFESSOR SPEAKS OUT. Christchurch, Thursday. Dealing with adverse criticisms of Ibsen's "Ghosts" before the Workers' Educational Association, Professor J. Shelley, professor of education at Canterbury College, vigorously attacked marriages between persons who are unprepared for marriage. He also attacked tlici churches for bringing about these marriages. '■Two young persons," he said, "s<yj each other ( for the first time in a drawing room or in the exciting and artificial conditions of a ballroom. They do not see each other in the kitchen. In a short time they are married. Marriages of that character have the natural result. If you do not have preparation for marriage you cannot have a really lasting marriage. The churches which say 'You shall not widen the divorce laws' are responsible for tying people together. The person who marries them in a church is the person who is responsible if the marriage turns out a failure. You would not engage persons for several months' ordinary labour without credentials, personally at least, for their churches make contracts that have to last for life, and all they want to know is that the parties have lived in a certain area and, if so, for how long. It is nonsense, sheer and utter nonsense," lie continued. "The churches cannot have it both ways. They must saj that persons who are so easily knit together shall be just as easily broken apart, or that they shall he properly prepared for marriage. They must see that people who wish to marry know each other and know the nature of the person they will marry. If they do that the divorce laws- will largely disappear. It must be acknowledged that the churches sfem to be trying to show that they don't care a hang how loosely the real knot is tied. They must see that proper preparations are made for marriage, or stop their opposition to the divorce laws. The present position is altogether illogical. I am a churchman, and I feel stroualv about it.",
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Bibliographic details
Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1920, Page 6
Word Count
337UNWISE MARRIAGES. Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1920, Page 6
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