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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 75

The Rationalistic View the Nobler

The Rationalistic View the Nobler.

It will no doubt be said that this would be to take a degrading view of the subject. Now, there is no doubt that the Catholic conception of matrimony as a sacrament—the truth of which I should be the last to defend—tends to emphasise the fact that to true marriage something is essential beyond the mere physical union. But that the ordinary theological view of marriage is in any way nobler than the rationalistic view I entirely deny, Let us contrast for example, the conception of marriage presented in the form prescribed for the solemnisation of matrimony in the Book of Common Prayer with that presented by Milton. How the conception of marriage presented in the form used in the English Church can be described as elevating I cannot imagine. The second of "the causes for which matrimony was ordained "as there set forth is as follows :—" It was ordained as a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift of contineacy might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ's body." Now, it aetmi to me, that the view here presented of "holy" matrimony is not only sadly gross and material, but deplorably perverted and untrue to human nature. It is difficult to believe that emancipated and cultured women will much longer tolerate a form of solemnisation which treats woman as a tempter and demoraliser, and regards the congugal relation at inferior to the prudery of asceticism or to a divinely-ordained celibacy. This conception of "holy" matrimony is as degrading as it is untrue to the facts of human nature, In New Zealand, as in England, the ecclesiastical conception of marriage and the traditional interpretation of the Gospels have been repudiated so far as to recognise that marriage is dissoluble, and that, too, by the State. But the purely physical ecclesiastical idea of the conjugal relation still so far dominates our legislative handling of the subject that adultery is the only cause recognised as sufficient to justify dissolution of the marriage bond, and consequently "no remedy can be found for miserable or unfortunate unions without someone paying for it by a cruel social stigma." Hence, as the result of a slavish Biblolatry, the performance of a discreditable action is made an antecedent condition of arriving at an end which the law sanctions, and sanctions only because it is supposed to be desirable. But surely the climax of absurdity is reached when our law refuses to dissolve a union if it; be shown that the spouse asking for dissolution has been guilty of the offence charged against the other spouse. If both spouses have shown their contempt for the obligations of marriage, and their desire to free themselves from its bondage, surely the reason is all the stronger why society should not hold them chained together; but, so far from looking at the matter in this light, the law takes care that the fetters shall be riveted on their limbs for ever.