The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-10-24
EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.
THE BODY TO ADJOURN THIS
EVENING.
The Important Questions of Mar
rIa&e and Divorce Occupy the
Body During It's Last Hours
strong Positions Taken.


Episcopal convention opened to-day, the
president of the house Of deputies, DR..
Dix, presented the Rt. Rev. DR.. Churton,
Lord Bishop OF Nassau, to the conven-
ton and the members arose in respect
to the distinguished guest.
The first business at the morning ses-
sion was the report OF the committee on
canons, in relation to the organization
of missionary diocese, declaring that
the consideration of the subject was i'm
practicable at this late stage of the pro-
ceedings.
The colored question was reopened by
the committe on conference and approved
by the house Of bishops who recon-
mended that the deputies acccde TO the
desire of the upper house and pass res
Olution deferring the attitute of the Epls
copal church toward the negro race.
The deputies declined TO reconsider.
Then action on the subject OF increasing
the membership of the committee on the
state of the church by providing for two
delegates from each missionary Jurlsdlc-
ton and one from the church i'll foreign
lands followed. DR.. Nevin's motion was
to amend by electing two delegates from
all the missionary Jurisdictions and one
from abroad. Altcr some debate the res
olution and amendment were adopted.
At this point the secretary notified the
house that the bishops had again Jailed
to concur in the adoption of Dir. Hunt
ingtons short office of prayer as re
commended by the conference committee.
Another burning question was disposed
of bv the house in the Wilco resolution.
ton. DR.. Judd, OF Chicago, then
moved to substitute for the words
protestant Episcopal" the words
american Church, amounting to a
change on the title Of the church. Dr.
Judd explained that the matter merely
looked to the elimination OF the present
words or the title page OF the prayer
book and did not require constitutional
amendment he had no doubt that a
majority if the house desired the change.
Laughter.
The gentleman said, "he laughed, no
doubt, from JOY" Dr. Judd then stated
that the friends of the measure were in
no haste, and moved that the adverse
report of the joint committee, together
with the original resolution, he rcierrt II
to the next general convention, and 1t
was so ordered.
Two resolutions reported back by the
Joint liturgical committee were next Ill
order. The most important was that
the rubric following the prayer tor the
President of the United States be trans
posed so as to follow the collect for grace
i'll the morning prayer. This implies the
omission of the prayer and excited a
number Of speeches protesting against
such omission. DR.. Newton, OF Virginia,
called attention to the fact that there
was no man in the land who was so
burdened with responsibility or needed
the prayers of the people more. Dr. Gib.
son moved that the matter go over until
the next triennial convention, but was
voted down. Dr.. Stark, of Connecticut
moved that vote be taken by the do
ceses and orders and the roll of each
diocese called. The motion was lost by
vote, ayes II, nays rs.
The house then, with closed doors
took up one of the most momentous
sections of the canOnca law, that o.
marriage and divorce. DR.. Benjamin
Franklin, of New York. the chairman o
the committee, opened the proceedings
by reading the appended canon com
prising the grand work of the existing
canon with proper amendments.
SECTION /. If any persons be Joined to
gether otherwise than as Gods Wore
doth allow then the marriage is moi
lawful.
SEC. 2. Marriage is prohibited by tht
word OF God and by his church within
degrees of consanguinity and affinity
S&Specifed in Leviticus xiii, 6-lS.
SEC. 8. 1t shall be the duty of minis
ters to admonish the people from time tt
time that the church forbids clandestin
marriage and that its public solemniza
tion ought not to be dispensed with, eX
cept for good cause and under special cir
cumstances. No minister shall solenlniz
the marriage of any person under the az
of 1S years except the parent having le
gal charge of such person and guardian
be present or have given written consen
to the marriage. No minister sha
solemnize a marriage except i'll the pres
ence of at least two witnesses, himself o
the witnesses being personally acquainte
with both parties. Every minister {
the church should keep an official registe
of marriages i'll which he shall record tl
name, birthplace, age, residence and COZ
dition of each party; and said RECORD
duly transcribed in said register shall
signed by both parties to the marriage
by at least two witnesses. and by til
minister who performs the ceremony
SEC. f., The law of the church concerI
ing divorce is contained in st. Matthe'
3. A marriage when duly solemnzet
NAV not be dissolved, except for adulter
and tornication. The guilty party
divorce for adultery is prohibited troI
marrying again during the life time I
the other party. Persons divorced ma
not be married again to each other,
the woman, meanwhile, shall have ma
ried again.
SEC. s. If any minister of this churc
shall perform a ceremony OF marriage
violation of this canon, he shall be SUI
iect to trial, and liable to admonition IL
first offence, and to suspension {
deposition for a repetition of the same.
SEC. 6. Persons who shall marry
violation of the provisions of this cane
shall not be permitted to receive the no
communion, except upon penitence N
avowed final separation; provided, hoy
ever, that no minister shall in any cas-
refuse the sacraments to penitent pc
son in imminent danger of death.
SEC. Z. Questions touching facts in al
case arising under the provisions of til
canon, may be decided by the ordinar
aiuer such inquiry as he shall dee
necessary.
SEC. 8. This canon, so far as it fix
penalties, has no retrospective effect.
SEC. 9. All previous canons on tt
subject are hereby annulled.
In presenting the foregoing, DR.. Fran
lin stated that the principle of canonic
law is peculiar compound with t
civic and criminal law. The spirit OF
devil cometh in like food, and the qu'
tion is, whether the church should me