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 means so easy as the zealots of the churches pretend.

There are three aspects of marriage which must always be taken into account by the Christian citizen, and which are affected in varying degrees and measures by his discipleship. First of all, marriage is the fundamental natural relationship; next, it is the most important of social contracts; finally, it is (for every Christian who marries as alone Christians may rightly marry," in the Lord") a holy estate entered by a divine vocation.

Of these three aspects the State is concerned only with the first two; the third has no meaning or importance outside the sphere of Christian discipleship. The Church has no special illumination with respect to the natural or to the social aspects of marriage, but only to the religious. The principles of Christ's religion are indeed the right principles on which natural and social relationships must be controlled; but the application of those principles is left to the decision of Christians,