OCR Text |
Show I DR. VANCE'S DAILY ARTICLE o BY DR. JAMES I. VANCE. Founder of Inter-Church World Move. ment and Chairman Foderal Council of Churches of America. How often marriage becomes dl vorcel A tidal wave of divorce cases has come as the aftermath of the war. It is easy to understand why. Marriage Mar-riage was entered into hastily, and disillusionment came on better acquaintance. ac-quaintance. But divorce was horc before the war.' It is society's standing scandal. Sometimes the situation Is as bad as that described by the child who, on being risked it her father and mother were living, replied: Yes, I have three fathers by my first mother, and two mothers by my second father." Sometimes tho grounds on which divorces arc granted are no better than that stated by the colored girl who, when asked by tho judge why she wanted a separation from her husband, hus-band, replied: "I done lost my taste for Jim." All recognize the evil of divorce. Some go as far ns to say that there is no grbund on which the annulment of the marriage vow can bo justified. Many believe that the Bible recognizes adultery and desertion as legitimate grounds, and there nro those who feeli that modern life has become so com-! plex that in addition to Infidelity and desertion tho state should recognize others. That marriage has been fearfully cheapened, .however, goes without the saying. Society is desperately In need of something to restoro the lost accent ac-cent of sanctity to the marriage vow. How is It to bo done? A national statute giving a uniform divorce law to all the states might bo framed so as to be constitutional, and would help. But if a cure is to be had, marriage must be regarded as more than a mere contract. It is a union, sealed by divine di-vine sanction, and "what God has' joined together, let no man put usun-der usun-der " There is nothing holier than a marriage mar-riage vow. For the sake of it, "a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and thoy twain1 shall be one flesh." When men and 1 women look upon the "tio that binds,"! In this light, they will bo slow to have it broken. j God mnkes tho breaking of the marriage mar-riage vow immoral, and what, divine' law makes Immoral, human law can never make moral. |