The Divorce Evil.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 46, 14 November 1901, Page 20

The Divorce Evil.

A fkw Sundays ago his Grace the Archbishpp of Adelaide, preaching at the Cathedral, dealt with the question of divorce. The subject was, he said, one occupying public thought at the present moment, on account of the attempt being made to intro uce the sad facilities for divorce, which existed in Victoria and New South Wales, into the State ot South Australia. It was but right, therefore, that he should say a few words explanatory of Catholic teaching in reference to marriage. He did not intend preaching a controversial sermon ; he did not purpose even an argumentative rermon, hix aim simply w»s to put before them the teaching of their Church, to remind them of the principles which the Catholic Church taueht. Marriage was in its essence a contract It was brought about by the free act of two parties — their mutual consent to their becoming man and wife. Under the New Law marriage had been raised to the dignity of a sacrament. But this raising left the essence of the ceremony still untouched. Marriage a» a sacrament was yet still a contract. The ministers of the sacrament were — not the priest assisting — but the two contracting partita. Christian marriage dad two characteristic! of which it could never be deprived. These were Unity and Indismolubility. The first implied that marriage was a union of one man with one woman, of oue woman with one man. The second, that the bond once existing could under no circumstances be broken so long as the two parties were still living. Not even in the extreme case of conjugal infidelity did the Catholic Church hold that divorce was lawful. He was using, of course, the word divorce in its amplest sense. For grave reasons separation was sometimes, though rarely, allowed to the married pair. This separation, however, never carried with it the right to remarriage, and it was at implying such right that the Catholic Church condemned divorce. ht. Augustine summed up the position, and his words would bear repeating. Commenting on the teaching of St. Paul, St. Augustine said ■ ''lhese words ot the Apostle, so often repeated, so often insisted upon, are true, are living, are sound, are clear. The faithless wife is lawfully dismissed ; she is still bound even though she never rejoins her husband. She wili be free, however, when her husband is dead.' In concluding the Archbishop remarked that our marriage laws were on the whole Christian in spirit. There was a teidency abroad, however, to take away their Christian character. To any extension of the divorce laws the Catholic body of South Australia was opposed. In trying to prevent such extension, Catholics would work hand in hand with any or all Christian denominations in the State.

Miss Ruth Charlotte Dana, a daughter of Richard H. Dana, poet and essayist, and a sister of Richard H Dana, author of 'Two Years Before the Mast,' died on September 23 (says the Boston Pilot). Miss Dana was born in Cambridge, February 23, 1814. She was carefully educated, and had the further mental development which comes of association with the finest intellects of one's time and years of foreign travel. Her gift for music, vocal and instrumental, was marked. Col. Thomas Wentworth Higginson, in one of his brilliant sketches of a brilliant social epoch in Boston, speaks of Mies Charlotte Dana's exquisite rendering of Moore s Melodies. As years went by she identified herself with all important movements for the advancement of mu.<iu and art in Boston and Cambridge, and was a constant attendant at the early Harvard symphonies. Miss Dan& tame into the Catholic Church in Bishop Fitzpatrick'e time, durng that remarkable influx of members of the most distinguished ■•' the old families of Boston, was earnest and fervent in the practice of her religion, ana increased the good works in which she was already interested Even when the infirmitieß of age were heavy upon her, she was still to bo seen at the meetings of the Children ot Mary at Notre Dune Convent, Berkley street, and the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Massachussets Avenue. She was a brilliant conversationalist, and was fond of the society of young people. Besides her kindred famous in letters, already mentioned, Miss Dana had a niece, Mrs Henrietta Dana Skinner, of Detroit, a well-knowa novelist. Miss Dana leaves many grateful friends in the various religious communitHa of Boston, in all of which t-be was inte rented, to mourn her loss ami pray for her soul. She was aIBO a friend and benefactor of tlu Cithoho University of America.