A Story Outline of Evolution 



cerned only with the development of the moral Idea con- 

 cerning marriage. 



Society has learned by costly experience that as a pro- 

 tection to the offspring, no marriage relationship should be 

 permitted within the third degree of consanguinity and most 

 all enlightened nations have laws prohibiting such mar- 

 riages. But in the earlier times, such marriages were con- 

 sidered both regular and natural. Genesis tells us that the 

 patriarch, Abraham, married his half-sister. The pages of 

 ancient history are replete with examples of incestuous rela- 

 tionships. Again society has learned that polygamy and 

 polyandry are conditions which are not conducive to the 

 best interests of the nation and all the enlightened nations 

 have established laws preventing such plural marriages. But 

 many of the patriarchs of Bible history had plural wives. 

 Wives were bought and sold as common chattels. Again 

 society has learned that no marriage should be permitted 

 between persons of tender years and all enlightened nations 

 have enacted laws preventing such marriages, and yet most 

 of the Oriental peoples permit marriages at the age of 

 puberty or earlier. Not only this, but their customs have 

 superceded the law of natural selection. 



The same general rules of development are found In 

 every human action belonging to the moral code and society 

 has attempted to regulate the conduct of individuals to con- 

 form to established rules. The family is the unit of society. 

 Parental teaching is the most effective of all teaching. The 

 morals of no state can arise above the morals of the indi- 

 viduals comprising the state. It is the duty of the state to 



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