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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 17 CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE. (Continued from Page 2) mission for both to marry again. The child was given to the mother, who occupied the country residence. Two weeks after the divorce they both contracted fresh alliances and while on their honeymoon the child was stricken with scarlet fever. Both father and mother were notified and both came, and on the evening of their arrival the child died. Neither fa ther or mother addressed a word to the other, though the little child tried to bring their hands together as they sat by her dying bedside. It is only one case out of a thousand. Yet public opinion cannot be roused to the recognition of the deplorable nature and yet more deplorable consequences of the direct violation of God’s law. God has solemnly declared that those who, after divorce, marry again are adulterers. Georgia says “God is mistaken.’’ And we call ourselves a Chris tian nation. The Catholic Church is the divinely appointed teacher of men, and in all matters concerning faith and morals, her voice and teaching are the voice and teaching of Christ Himself, for He has declared to her: “He who hears you hears Me; and he who de spises you despises Me.’’ Catholics should know what is the precise teaching of the Church on this subject, and much misunder standing among Protestants will be removed if they know what are the doctrine and practice of the Church on Christian marriage. The Words of Our Redeemer. The position of the Catholic Church is based on the words of our Blessed Redeemer: “On account of this a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. What, therefore, God hath joined to gether, let no man put asunder.” (Mark X:7-8-9.) “Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her.” (Mark X:10-1 1.) “Every one that putteth away his wife and marrieth another committeth adultery; and he that marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” (Luke XVI: 18.) And writing to the Corinthians, St. Paul said: “But to the married I command, not I, but the Lord, that a wife depart not from her husband, but if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled to the husband. And that a husband dismiss not a wife.” (1 Cor. VI: 1 0-1 1.) “A married woman is bound by law to the living husband, but if the husband dies she is released from the husband, so then while the husband is living she shall be called an adultress if she belong to another man.” (Rom. VIL2-3.) Marriage is as old as the human race, being a sacred contract authorized and instituted by God Him self. It was raised to the dignity of a Sacrament by our Divine Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and as such it produces, as do all the other Sacraments, spe cial graces peculiar to itself. These graces, as stated in the Catechism, are “(1) To sanctify the love of husband and wife; (2) to give them strength and pa tience to bear with one another’s weaknesses; (3) to enable them to bring up their children in the love and fear of God.” As Baptism is necessary for the valid reception of all the other Sacraments, only baptized persons can at marriage receive the Sacrament of Matrimony. Unbaptized persons may contract a lawful and valid marriage between themselves, which is binding as a life-long contract—but only when they are baptized can the Sacrament be received. When two baptized persons contract marriage, thus receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony—of which Sacrament they themselves are the ministers this contract is binding until death, provided the mar riage has been consummated; and no power on earth can dispense from this. What God hath joined to gether let no man put asunder. Separation of hus band and wife may be allowed for certain weighty and extraordinary reasons, but in this case the bond of union still remains as long as either of the parties to the contract remain alive. Only death can dis solve it. Since Matrimony is a Sacrament instituted by Christ, it belongs to the Church, and the Church alone, to make laws regulating its valid and lawful celebration; and the Church can not legislate in any way against the natural or Divine law. The Church has the right to make laws regarding the celebration of marriage, given to her by her Divine Founder, and those who belong to the Church are as much bound in conscience to respect these laws as they are to observe the Commandments of God Himself. No power can make valid what the Church declares in valid we should obey God rather than men. Cath olics prove themselves very poorly acquainted with their faith and unworthy the name of Catholic who disregard and trample upon the laws made by the Church, with the authority of God. The civil authority has no right to regulate the essence of this or of any other Sacrament. But the State does not possess the power to make laws affect ing the civil effects of marriage—the ownership of property by the husband or wife, the right of citizen ship, etc. These laws of the State which are purely civil in their character ought to be obeyed, so long as they are not in any way in conflict with the higher law of God. It is not true on the contrary it is a calumny against the Catholic Church—to state that the Church does not recognize the marriages of non-Catholics as lawful and binding. The exact opposite is the truth. The Church proclaims that the marriages of baptized non-Catholics are as holy and binding as those per formed in the Catholic Church; and the marriages of unbaptized non-Catholics are binding for life also. No civil decree of divorce in either of these cases is recognized by the Church as giving any right to re marry during the lifetime of either party to the origi nal contract, unless it can be proven beyond question that there was no real marriage from the beginning. This would apply, however, just as much to a mar riage ceremony in the Catholic Church as it does to one performed elsewhere. In cases of doubt the Church always presumes the marriage to be valid until proven otherwise. Laws Governing Catholic Marriage. The Church has made the following laws concern ing the marriage of Catholics. They do not apply to non-Catholic marriages, which are valid and lawful unless there is some impediment arising from the natural or Divine law. Purely Ecclesiastical laws are binding only upon members of the Church. ( 1 ) Only those marriages are valid which are con tracted before the parish priest or the Bishop of the place, or a priest delegated by either of these, and at least two witnesses. (2) The parish priest or Bishop may assist validly at a marriage only within the limits of their terri tory, and when invited and asked, they demand and receive the consent of the contracting parties. (3) They assist lawfully when they have ascer tained the free state of the contracting parties, and at least one of the parties has lived for a month in