Ebook The Laws of Marriage

The old saw that a book which needs a preface ought not to be printed, does not, I think, apply to this book. I believe that some such book is needed, and that it needs a preface to tell how it came to be neither more nor other than it is, that is to say, an elementary grammar of the laws of Chris tian marriage. It has long been evident that the church must legislate upon the subject of marriage; but, thus far, it seems to be doubtful Whether we are prepared to legislate wisely, or even intelligently. In my own pastoral experience I have had sad occasion to feel the need of law to guide me in my action as a minister of the church, and the same need has been felt by many men who are very greatly my superiors in learning as in office. Bishops and pastors have from time to time sent me hypothetical or confidential statements of cases occurring in their practical work, with the desire that I should give them such assistance as I could in reaching the solution of their difficulties. Year by year the conviction has grown upon me that the church has no right to leave her clergy uninstructed as they are, in one of the gravest du ties of their pastoral responsibility; and that the church itself must legislate, not in the sense of making laws con cerning marriage, but in the better sense of declaring what the law of God requires.