The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-27
4 matrimonY any peraons of whom ono


this canon divorce is hereby declared to be
divorce a uisscstlo natrimonii formally
decided by civil court"
Mr.. s. B. Ruggles said if resolution
could establish the law the point aimed al
had been already attained, for a resolution
covering the ground was adopted in the
General Convention Of 1908 by the follow
ing resolution:
" Resolued, That it is the sense of this
Church that it is inconsistent with law OF
God, and the ministers of this Church
therefore shall not unite in matrimony any
person who is divorced, unless it be on &C
count of the other party having been guilty
of adultery"
MIR. Tazewell Taylor, of Virginia, said
the minister did not derive his authority to
marry from the Church, but from the State,
and therefore it was not expedient to con-
troll his action by canon resolution was
sufficient.
Rev. DR.. Mulcahey, of Massachusetts,
asked if the clergyman in this Church did
not derive his authority from the Church
Rev. DR.. Clark, of Connecticut, in discus
sing the question, mentioned the fact that
in one-tenth of the marriages celebrated in
this State either or both the contracting
parties had been divorced. In some other
States he understood the case was even
worse.
Mr.. William Welsh said we were coming
in this country to the fearful state of things
existing in England.
A South Carolina delegate thanked God
that he lived in State in which divorce
had never been granted.
Judge Comstock, of New York, made the
point that the proposed canon would pro-
hibit the reiinion of two persons once di-
vorced a vinculo andtrimonii who might
desire to live again together.
Another delegate held that literal
Interpretation of the Scriptures forbade o
divorce even for adultery.
A Kansas delegate moved to strike out
the words making on exception IN the canon
in favor Of divorces for adultery.
Very many of the delegates took the same
view, repeating with considerable empha-
sis the quotation, "Whom God hath joined
no man shall put asunder."
A delegate from Connecticut said that,
canon and all regulations of the General
Convention to the contrary notwithstand-
ing, if clergyman refused to marry d.
yorced person the person so refused would
have o civil action against the clergy
man.
Rev. Professor Goodwin, of Pennsylvania,
wished to see marriages indissoluble under
all circumstances. He thought it would
be better for the contracting parties, for
society, and for all concerned.
Rev. j. S. Hanckel, of South Carolina,
said that the spread of divorce was sin
crying to heaven for vengeance. He wanted
70 see q canon, and not resolution, on the
subject, so that the minister violating 1t
could be punished for violation of it.
Rev. Mr.. Labah, Of Iowa, said he sincerely
hoped that this question would be recon-
mitted to the Committee On Canons. The
State held that there we're various grounds
of divorce, and many excellent persons
held that there were four grounds Of di-
yorce presented in the Scriptures.
Mr. Johnson, of Connecticut, said that
the frightful prevalence of divorce was sap
ping the very foundation Of society. In
nine cases out Of ten the change of partner
was the moving cause in the divorce suit.
The remedy was to puta stop to remarriage,
and thus prevent the inducing cause. The
speaker denied that the Protestant Episco-
pal Church was an abettor Of this divorce
mania; it was the Congregationalists, Yale
College, and Professor LOOMS, one of the
writer's in The Highlander, who were
making divorces popular.
Mr.. S. B. Kuggles, of New York, mentioned
q case which occurred in q western State,
where man married an epileptic wife
and subsequently got divorce from her on
that ground solely, and the poor epileptic
creature acted as bridesmaid at his second
marriage, [sensation,l and the clergyman
who officiated on that occasion was minis
ter of this Church. [Sensation.
Rev. DR.. Adams, of Wisconsin, knew the
case, and said the want of such a canon as
now proposed permitted the man spoken OF
and his two wives, with the unutterable
denominations of the case, to force them
selves upon clergyman Of this Church as
commandments.
Another delegate mentioned case of
which he knew in the diocese OF Iowa
where o woman obtained divorce twice.
The first time she got married within twenty
minutes after the divorce had been obtain
ed, and in the second case within half an
hour. Laughter And (the delegate re-
marked soto uoce) she married for the third
time her first divorced husband. -
After considerable discursiye debate, both
the canon proposed by the Bishops and the
canon reported by the Committee on Ca
mons were recommitted to the Committee on
Canons.