The Irish standard., 1890-01-25


IL h Ms Il
Copy al the o OnacIal Reoourd 81 aS Church
Il Divorce Case
Mormons recognize two classes q
divorces, as we'll as two kinds of mar -
riages, writes q correspo pondent OF the h
st. Louis Globe Democrat from Salt Salt
Lake City, ct. =. One separates Tor lite;
the other for Che future. state. F'or
divorces Of husbands and first wives the
civil courts are resorted to. Plural
wives have no standing IN civil courts. Y
This was decided by the United States
Supreme Court In the case brought by
Ann Eliza against Brigham Young The l[s
only divorce remedy for plural wives "; V'' Is
through the church. Being Invested
with supreme authority to unite, the
president of the church can 4unloosen
Church divorce is a logical result OF
the doctrine Of plural and celestial
marriage. Plural wives would be badly
of if there was not some way OF throw
ing off a CALLING yoke. Besides this,
people married for eternity, II it was
not for the church divorce, would %
left tied together for the next world,
although they obtained absolute divorce
in a civil court. Parties sealed for
eternity, after obtaining civil court
divorce, must be unsealed by the church
or else they will find themselves still
joined together in the resurrection.
Mormons who have been spiritually
married and then divorced by the civil
courts may remarry for this world. But
the women can not remarry for eternity
without being unsealed from the former
union. Murder, adultery, infanticide
and incompatibiliry of temper are the
grounds upon which the Mormon church
grants divorces. Mormon divorces are
granted by the presidenc of the church
after the Bishop Of the ward in which
the parties live has made an investiga-
tion of the case and has reported in favor
of the application. The Bishops first
duty is to effect reconciliation. If
that is impossible he arranges the terms
Of the separation. The following Is the
official record of church divorce case:
Minutes of a meeting held at Bishop
rs house, SATURDAY. evening, August
"a, 1878, at the mutual request of g. and
wife; Bishop presiding. Present,
Bishop -,--,- ---, -, It. ana
wife (parties to the suit). Opened with
prayer by. After few preliminary
remarks the Bishop desired Sister -
to state the charges she preferred
apainst G.. her husband. After stat
ing some grievances she had, the
following were made out as the sum
charges against her husband, via:
Willful neglect and general abuse OF
herself and family; ill-treatment and
flogging of their children, causing them
to leave their home; not properly pro-
viding for them, and a desire on her
part for separation between them.
Also, in reply to the Bishop, she stated
she wanted one Of the two houses to live
in by herself to be allowed weekly
stipulation for herself and that the chill
dren be placed under her charge and care.
G.. refuted the charge of unmerciful
flogging, and stated that he provided
for his family to the best of his means;
that He was willing to do what was just
and right; to give his wife the best
house of the two to live in, and abide by
the Bishops decision.
The Bishop decided that he turn over
the best house of the two for his Wife's
use, and as soon as possible got the pres
ent occupant to move to another place;
shat be allow her six dollars per week
and find her in sufficient -four and fuel;
that he let her have the sewing ma
chine, co king-stove and an equal share
Of the furniture, and that the fruit OF
the orchard be fairly divided.
w. 81. was appointed to see that the
weekly payments be made as far as could
be conscientiously done.
The clerk was authorized to make
three copies of these minutes and pre-
sent the same for sigma ture, and see that
G. and wife each get a copy.
Dismissed by w. c.
Bishop -th Ward.
DEGREES of church divorces are made
out in triplicate, the original remaining
in the church records, and the two
copies being given to the man and wom-
an. The form of the church decree is
as follows:
Know all persons by these presents:
That we, the undersigned, --- and
--, his wife (before marriage to him
~, do hereby mutually covenant,
promise and agree to dissolve all the re-
lations which have hitherto 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 we have hereunto
set our hands at -, this day Or,
A. D. 13-.
Signed in presence Of