The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-09-03
MARRIAGES IN chilli.
Serious Obstruction Placed In tho Way Of
Lovers by tho Church-Tho Liberals
YYoaald EnEnecA tina Civil Alnrriana Ack

Serious Obstruction Placed In tho Way Of
Lovers by the Church-The Liberals
Would Enforce tho Civil Marriage Act.
It formerly cost $25 to be married by the
church and large part OF it's revenues
came from that source, says the Santiago
correspondent OF the Chicago Tribune. The
poems, who scarcely ever arc able to &C.
cumulate SO much money, therefore lived
In n state OF concubinage, and more than
hall the children born in Chilli were ille-
climate. Now a marriage certificate can be
secured from q civil magistrate for 25
cents, and persons cohabiting without it
are subject to fine and imprisonment. The
archbishop has issued Il decree cxcommu-
nic.ting from, the church all persons who
olics OF the country, comprising 80 per
cent. OF the population, arc in a serious d.
lemma. They are compelled to choose be-
tween communication. and imprison-
ment, therefore, in the upper classes,
weddings are no longer fashiona BILE
Some people go first to the church
and then to the magistrate, and run the
conscientious prefer to remain single.
Just now in Santiago there is & young man
Of brilliant attainmcnts, H. member OF con-
gress, and a leader of the Liberal party who
wants to marry the daughter of IL promi-
ncnt merchant. The engagement has been
existing for several years, and both parties
arc willing to fulfill it according to civil
law, but the girls mother is a devout Cath
Ole and cannot be convinced that q wedding
without the blessing OF u priest is matri-
mony. The young man will go to the church
as well as to.thc magistrate, but the arch
bishop has forbidden any priest to marry
him without Il full retraction by him of his
political record. This he refuses to make,
and tho couple are preparing to 60 to the
United States or some European country
to have the ceremony performed.
A few weeks ago there was II mar riage in
high life in one Of the south provinces OF
Chill, which attracted wide attention from
the tact that it was the first detinance Of
the church in that part OF the country.
The Sunday following the parties were de-
nounced from the pulpit Of the cathedral
by the bishop, and the Catholic newspaper
publised some very brutal comments to
the effect that the young couple had placed
themselves on the level OF beasts by CO.
habiting without the blessing OF the church.
The brides brother hammered the editor
so that he will be u cripple for life, and
would have given the bishop similar
chastisement had not the latter kept out
OF the way.
At the next presidential election, which
occurs next spring, the issue will be the en-
forcement Of the civil marriage law, and
il the Liberal party is successful, as it un-
doubleday will be, some measures will be
taken to reduce the church to subsection,
and a law has already been proposed to ex-
pei from the country priests who intimi-
date citizens from obeying the civil mar.
riage act. This will be open war and priests
who threaten to cxcommunicate will be
sent to exile, where they will shortly be fol-
lowed by the monks and nuns, and gen.
oral confiscation Of church property will
be the next step. 1t is estimated that one
third OF the entire property in Chill is
owned by the church.