Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/388

* DIVORCE. 334 DIX. largest social combinations have absorbed tbe attention of society at the ex|)ense of all domestic ami commercisl groups. The evangelistic work of the last century., the temperance and the anti- slavery reforms, and the advancement of woman through assertion of her rijilits. should also, for similar reasons, be named as directly or indirect- ly contributory to the increase of divorce. That the general result is good as a whole may be fully conceded without denying the incidental evils. The increase of divorce and changing opin- ions and practice regarding marriage and other incidents of the family, in this light seem to be the result of changes in the constitution of West- ern civilization. How far the disintegration and reconstruction of families is consistent with the health and growth of the social body has become a question of first importance in social science. Change of Trk.tment. The growth of social science, especially in the form of sociology taken in relation to the social sciences, much as biology is related to its kindred sciences, is gradually but surely changing the discussion of divorce. For from this point of approach it is soon perceived that the family is the real object of study, and that marriage and divorce, as well as other of its incidents, are acts formative or destructive of the family. This puts the subject on a new ground. Historical sociology- reveals the place of the family, and with it that of property. i subject always wrapped up with that of the family in early society, and in the development of civilization in all its more im])ortant phases. The scientific analysis of the present social order shows how the monogamous family embodied in the home has liecome to the social structure what the cell is to the human bodv. For the question of divorce compels us to ask: "What is marriage? What is the family? How far does the family, in its structure and principles, enter into the na- tional constitution of a people? Can we hold to theories of the family which we have re])udiated in our treatment of the State ? Arc the family and Church and State of the same nature? Can democ- racy be allowed to go to the extreme of indi- vidvuilism, and end in the dissolution of the State and the family by nuitual consent?" Most of the discussions of former years in religious circles in this coiMitry. and even now. have not got much beyond the old method of the treatment of di- vorce as the chief concern of two individuals, through the ap|di<ation of the precepts of*indi- vidual morality. The dilTerent religious bodies have busied themselves with their respective ten- ets regarding the number of justifiable grounds for divorce and the practice allowable mder them, many assuming that the Founder of Chris- tianity legislated on the subject fur His Church, ur |ierbaps for both Cliurch and State. These things are l)eing reiterated with nuich vehemence in many cpiarters. They strengthen many in the old faith, and probably convert some others to it. Rut the scientific study of society .which has come about and rapidly spread in our higher ednealional institutions within the last twenfv- fi<» years, and the modern methods of biblical interpretation, have I'ombined to force considi'r- able change already. In some quarters at least the method of threshing over the old ground with granmiar and lexicon, with the adilition of mere archa'ological information, is giving way. and at- tention is turning to the underlying social factors in the i)«)blem. The chapters on "The Family." in Prof. Shailer Matthews's Social Teaching of JcsiiD, and in I'rof. Francis U. Pcabody's Jesus Christ and the Kw-ial Question, with some recent books on so<'ial ethics, may be cited in evidence of a change that is going on in the method of treatment by which the family has come to the front, both in si'icntitic and religious circles, and marriage and divorce made its incidents rather than treated as separate subjects. It is too early to predict delinite result.s, though the movement is one of nuich promise. The chief recent periods of discussion are as follows: In England, over the Divorce Law, by Mr. Gladstone and others in 18.3"; in Connecticut, in ISUti-ti'J, when President Woolsey. of Yale, and Professor Hovey, of Newton Theological Semi- nary, published small volumes on the subject; in Switz»-rland, in 1875, when a Federal law was enacted: in France, over the law of 1884. by M. ISertilUm. M. Xaquet. and others: in New South Wales, over the law of 1892, by Sir .lfred Ste- phen; in .Japan, about the same time, when divorce first came under the control of the .State; and in Germany, when an imperial law went into effect. .Fanuary 1, 1000. The discussion in the United .States was renewed in 1878, and has gone on since. The society now known as the National League for the Protection of the Family (Rev. Sanuiel W. Dike, LL.l).. Auburndale, Mass., sec- retary) has had an important part in the dis- cussion of this period. Its reports give much information rcgjxrding the movement. BiiiLiocit.viMiv. Foote. Divorce: a Keriew of the iSubjeet from a Scientific Standpoint (New York. 1884) : Lee, llistorical Jurisprudence ( ib., 1900) : Schouler, Treatise on the Lair of Do- mestic Relation (,5th ed., Boston, 1895) ; Lehr, Le mariaffv, le divorce et Ja separation dc corps dans les principaux peuplcs cirilisis (Paris. 1899) ; Stephen. Commentaries on the Latrs of Enqland (l.'Uh cd.. London. 1899) ; Bryec, Essaijs in Hislori/ ami Jurisprudence (Oxford, 1001); Hertillon. Etude dtmofiraphique du dit'orce ( Paris, ISS."!) : Fulton, Marriujie and Divorce (Phila- delphia, 1808) : Bolo, Du mariagc au divorce ( Paris, 1800) ; Convers, }farria(ie and Divorce in the United States ( Philadelphi.-i. 1889) ; Hugnet. Des effets du divorce (Paris. 1001) : WestbriMik, Marriage aiid Divorce (Philadelphia. 1883): Willeo.x, The Divorce Problem (New York, 1807) : Dixon. Latr, Practice, and Procedure in Divorce and Other Matrimonial Causes (.Id ed., London. 1900) : Bingham. Christian Marriage (New York, 1000) : Evans, Treatise on the Chris- tian Doctrine of Marriage (New York. 1870); Snvder. (leographg of Marriage (New York, 1899): Thw'ing. The Familg (Bo.ston. 1887); Wright. Report on Marriage and Divorce in the T'niled States (Washington. 1889) : the report of the Committee of the National' Council of Con- gregational Churches (1808). See minutes of the Council; also Proceedings of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church (1901). See also JLvbriage; Hishaxd anh Wll'E. DIX, Dodotiiea Lyxoe (1805-87). . Ameri- can |iliilanthropist. and writer of juvenile books, born :it Worcester. Mass. She was noted for her intcTc-t in the unfortunate and criminal classes. During the Civil War she was superintendent of liospital nurses. In the course of laliors to improve the condition of paupers, lunatics, and prisoners.