Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-07-25
DIVORCES I'M MoRMoNpoM.
Copy OF tho Official Record OF a Church
Divorce Cnsc.

Sopy VI hhC Ofictet Record OF q Church
Divorce Cnsc.
Mormons recognize two classes OF
divorces, as we'll as two kinds OF mar
ringcs, writes u correspondent of tho
st. Louis Globc-DcmUcrat from Salt
Lake City, Z. Il. One separates for lifc;
tho other for the future state. For
divorces of husbands and first wives tho
civil courts AFRO rcsortcd to. Plural
wives havo no standing in civil courts.
This was decided by tho United States
Supreme Court in tho cnso brought by
Ann Eliza against brigham Young Tho
only divorce remedy for plural wives is
through the church. Being invested
with supreme authority To unite, tho
president OF the church can uniouscn.
Church divorce is u logical result OF
the doctrine OF plural and celestial
marriage. Plural wives would DO badly
OIL IL there was not Some way OF throw
ing oil CALLING yoke. Besides this,
people married for eternity, IL it. was
not for tho church divorce, would DO
left tied together for tho noxt world,
although they obtained absolute divorce
in civil court. Parties scaled for
eternity, after obtaining q civil court
divorce, must ba unscalcl by tho church
or clso they will find themselves still
joined together in the resurrection.
Mormons who havc been spiritually
married ami then divorced by the civil
courts may remarry for this world. hut
tho women can not rcmarry for eternity
without being unscal"d from tho former
union. Murder, adultery, infanticidc
ana incompatibility of temper arc the
grounds upon which tho Mormon church
grants divorces. Mormon divorces arc
granted by the prcsidcnJ OF the church
after the bishop of tho ward in which
the parties live has uadc an invrstiga-
ton of thrcaso and has reported In favor
Of the application. Tho bishops first
duty Is to effect reconciliation. If
that is impossible no arrangcs tho terms
OF tho separation. Tho following is tho
official record OF n church divorce case:
Minutes of meeting held at Bishop
IS house, Saturday evening. August
~, 1878, at tho mutual request of g. and
wife; Bishop --p presiding. Present,
bishop --,-, -, -, -, &. and
wife (partics to tho suit. Opened with
prayer by. After fow preliminary
remarks tho Bishop desired Sister -
to stato the charges sho preferred
against g., her husband. After stat
..ImG sonho grievances she had, tho
following were made out as tho sum
charges against her husband, viz:
Willful neglect and general abuse Of
herself and family; ill-trcatmcnt and
nogging of their children, causing thcm
to Leave their home; not property pro-
vidinR for them, and n desire on hur
part for separation between them.
Also, in reply TO tho Bishop, sho stated
hho wanted ono OF the two houses to 1.-Two
in by herself; to 10 allowed weekly
stipulation for herself and that tho chill
drcn Ec placed under her Charge and caro-.
q. rcfutcd tho charge of unmcrciful
logging, and stated that ho provided
for his family to the host of his means;
that ho was willing TO do what was just
and right; to give his vito tho best
house of the two to 1.-Two in, and abide by
tho bishops decision.
Tho Bishop decided that he turn over
tho best house OF tho two for his wife's
use, and as soon as possible got the pres
ent occupant to movo to another place;
that no allow her six dollars per week
and lind her In sufficient flour and fuel:
that he let her havo tho scwing-nia-
chino, cooking-stovc and an equal share
of tho furniture, and that tho fruit of
the orchard be fairly divided.
W. II. was appointed to SEQ that tho
weekly payments be made as far as could
be conscicntiously done.
Tho clerk was authorized to mako
three copies OF these minutes and pre-
sent the same for signature, and soc that
Il. and wife each get copy.
Dismissed by w. G.
" -, Bishop TIL Ward.
DEGREES of church divorces are made
out in triplicatc, tho original remaining
Ill tho church records, and tho two
copies being given to tho man md wom-
an. The form OF tho church decree is
as follows:
Know all persons by these presents:
That We, tho undersigned, - and
-, his vito (before marriage to him
y, do hereby mutually covenant
promise and agree to dissolve all tho re-
lations which havo hithorto existed be-
tween us as husband and wife, and to
keep ourselves separate and apart from
each other from this time forth.
In witness whereof wo have horcunto
set our hands at -, this = day Of,
A. ID. 1S-.