Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither
by heaven; for it is God's throne; nor by the earth; for it is
his footstool; neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the
great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou
canst not make one hair white or black. But let your
communications be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more
than these cometh from evil." (Matthew v., 27-28; 31-37.)

I have tried to reach those realities of human nature on which human
morality must be based. I believe that the fundamental things which we
must take into account are, first, the complex nature of human beings,
who having body, soul, and spirit to reckon with cannot neglect any one of
these without insincerity; and, secondly, the solidarity of the human race,
which makes it futile to act as though the "morals" of any one of us could
be his own affair alone.

It is because of this solidarity that marriage has always been regarded as
a matter of public interest, to be recognized by law, celebrated by some
public ceremony, protected by a legal contract. All are concerned in this
matter, for it affects the race itself, through the children that may be
born.

Human children need what animals do not, or not to the same extent. They
need two parents: they need a stable and permanent home: they need a
spiritual marriage, a real harmony between their parents, as well as a
physical one. A child is not provided for when you have given it a home
and food and clothing, since it is a spirit as well as a body--a soul and
a spirit, a being craving for love, and needing to live in an atmosphere
of love. The young of no other species need this as children do, and
therefore, it is the concern of the community to see that the rights of
these most helpless and most precious little ones are safeguarded. I cannot
believe that any State calling itself civilized can ever disregard the
duty of safeguarding the human rights of the child, and I repeat its
human rights are not sufficiently met when its physical necessities are
guaranteed. But I go further. I claim that it is really the concern of all
of us that people who love should do so honestly, faithfully, responsibly.
Marriage should be permanent; that is true in a sense that makes it
important to all of us that it should succeed. Those who have loved and
ceased to love have not failed for themselves only but for all. They have
shaken t