Page:Christian Marriage.djvu/156

 ideal. Christ did not disallow the reasoning which had led the Lawgiver to tolerate a laxity of divorce, which He Himself emphatically condemned. He recognised "the hardness of men's hearts," that is, their crude and rudimentary morals at an early stage of social development, as a valid justification for the Mosaic permission of the Bill of Divorcement.

By a sound analogy we may acquiesce in a lower standard of the general law than Christians for themselves can accept. But our acquiescence in such a lower standard itself constitutes a special reason why we should the more jealously guard Christian principles within the sphere of Christian profession. So only can we fulfil the duty which as Christian citizens we owe to the nation and preserve inviolate our allegiance to Christ.

It is the task of the Church, and it is within the power of the Church, to create and sustain a Christian atmosphere in the national life,