“NEW YORK, June 10.–In a sermon at the Church of the Messiah, Rev. Minot J. Savage has expressed the belief that on the whole a large number of divorces at the present time are altogether to be welcomed.
‘They are,’ he said, ‘nearly always in the interest of oppressed women, giving them another opportunity for a free, sweet, wholesome life. There are cases where the divorce laws are abused, but not nearly so many as the frightened ministers of a great many of our churches seem to imagine.
‘Law does not make marriages. The church does not make marriages. Men and women, if they are ever married, marry themselves. All the law can do is to make a clumsy attempt to protect. All the church can do is to recognize and try to consecrate a fact which already exists. But if there is no marriage, then it is desecration to keep up the sham.’”
~From The Spokane press. (Spokane, Wash.), 10 June 1905. Chronicling America. Lib. of Congress.
Historical accuracy is not an excuse for sexism. “Everyone thought like that then” is not an excuse for sexism. Because, clearly, enough people didn’t think like that for us to have evidence of it.