The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-05

Proposed Modification Of the Rabblnical
Marriage Laws-An Acknowledgement Of
tho Equality of Women with Men-Dt-
vorccs BIZ tho Church to be Abolished.
PHILADELPHIA. Nov. 4. 1859.
The Convention has received an addition In the
arrival OF Rev, Isaac M. Wise, OF Cincinnati, and
pr. NJ. Schlisseneer OF Albany. The session
was opened OF ten O'Clock A. NJ. All the men,
Gers seemed to DO animated by the sincere
desire to make the beat use OF time, 70
make as few speeches as possible ana 70
advance the cause OF reform by decioed
improvements. The reforms In Jewish marital laws
were considered tia morning and again the propo'
sitons OF the Rev. ~ Elnnorp TAKEN ~ oass'
The preamble starts with the premise that although
Judaism always recognised the sanctity OF matri-
moniai union, yet in iss lega; deterlsinatlons 1t
placed women on par with slaves and MAJORS. IL
Is. therefore, expedent that reformed Judaism nect
such reforms as to bring the higher position which
woman occupies In modern society In accord with
the religious institutions. The nrst resolution passed
reads as f0l0ws:-
In the marriage The bride shall logger occupy
the same formula and by exchange Of rings.
Some members opposed the innovation OF intro
ducing the exchange OF rings. Since marriage was
but strictly civil act, the ring was msre symbol
tended that though the words spoken completed
legally the bond Of wedlock, yet the ring while used
as symbol, should be rendered BY the bride to her
future husband well by the latter 10 the former
II Is q demonstration that Judaism recognizes The
full equal fy OF woman with man "a moral being,
tnat the nvowal Is mutual and that the duties Of
man towards his wife are as sacred as those OF the
wife towards her husband. Tue resolution was
finally adopted.
The second resolution gave rise to an animated
and even excited debate, and was 1naly passed IN
the following form:-
Tho marriage forr,ua shall be- .be welded unto mo. as
husband respectively wife, according TO the law OF God"
Propositions three four and nve were adopted
without debate and read az follows:-
Tho benedicon 81 to be replaced By one
which fully expresses the moral elevation OF the married
state and emphasizes the biblical idea OF the fusion
and woman into one personality and the Divine prohibition
Poygsmy In direct opposition idea marriage
The marriage OF with q second wife be little
valid therefore and little claim the sanction of eccesas
cal authorities ~ the marriage OF already married
With another man Ia to be considered null and void.
The fourth resolution must In so far be explained
that heretofore woman who was married to q man
vorced BY the rabbnica authorities before she could
marry again.
8. The priestly marriage laws which presuppose the
higher sanoy Of the Aarones have since the destr
ton of the Temple aud the extinction Of the sacrfcia
ship all validity and are no longer to DO respected.
The next question was the validity OF divorce by
the civil authorities and the position OF religion in
regard to 1t. The following Is the first res0lu ton
passed.
Divorce IT, Mosaicai and rabbinicnl grounds only
civil ACT and never religious function. 1t therefore
cal authority Of the State. The called Ritual Jewsh
letters OF divorced therefore In all declared