p. 16 | Increase of Divorce

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 30, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 44.

Increase of Divorce.

It was brought out by David H. Greer, D. D., of New York, in the discussions in the great Episcopal convention, recently held in San Francisco, that “in a recent year more divorces were granted in this country than in all of the countries of Europe and Australia and Canada; that while during the past twenty years the population of this country has increased at a ratio of 60 per cent, the divorces of that period have increased at a ratio of 156 per cent; and further, that if this accelerating ratio shall continue, there will be more marital separations by the end of the century by divorce than by death.” This is an appalling record. It indicates not so much the need of reform in civil law as growing laxness in moral law. It is a part of the abounding lawlessness of which our Lord speaks in Matt. 24:12; the incontinency of which Paul speaks in 2 Tim. 3:1–5. All these increasing evils should mean at least three things to the Christian,—more faithfulness in his own life, more earnestness in working for others, and bright hope that we are nearing the Lord’s coming. The sad fact is that it often has an opposite effect.