Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-11-22
A Mixed Ministerial Marriage
Question.


Question.
THE VIRGINIA NJ. E. CONFERENCE AND REV.
DIR. GEO. w. CARTER.
The marriage of Rev. DR.. Geo. ". Carter
of the Virginia Conference, aged seventy, to
Miss Virginia Statham Of Lynchburg, aged
twenty three, occasioned good deal of talk
when it occurred last April. 1t is now, at the
request of DR.. Carter. a subject of investiga-
ton by the Conference in session at Rich
mond. The Bishop appointed committee OF
twelve to investigate it.. OF the investigation
the Richmond Dispatch says:
DR.. Carter and several others interested in
the examination were on hand. The
session was secret one, and it was difficult
to learn anything Of the proceedings. Sever
al speeches were made upon the matter, and
quite lengthy and exhaustive defence was
presented for DR.. Carter. The subject under
Investigation is DR.. Carter's marriage, last
April. with Miss Virginia Statham, of Lynch
burg, when he had wife living, from whom
he had been divorced. This, 1t appears, Is
contrary to the laws of the Methodist Church
The defence Of DR.. Carter. as presented to
the committee, is that at the time OF his mar
rage with Miss Statham he was perfectly
competent to coAtract matrimOny. This was
due to the fact that he had previously bee n
divorced from his first wife, u lady from
Loudoun county. Virginia when he welded
Mrs. Mary Borden. of New Orleans, In,
thereby having, according to the Church
discipline. only a legal relation with his
second wife and tho matrimonial relation
incident thereto, apd no Scriptural relation
to her.
REGARDED AS SINGLE
Since that time the first wife has died, leav-
ing no Scriptural or legal relation between
DR.. Carter and his second wife at the time of
his last marriage, which took place In Wash.
ingtOn. The first wife having died, aud the,
second. whose marriage was not sanctioned
by the Church, having obtained u degree of
separation, DR.. Carter contends that at tho
time of his third, marriage, he was, according
to the ruling Of the Church, a single man.
At the session of conf ,rence in Norfolk
which readmitted DR.. Carter, three years ago.
the two divorces were fully gone into and the
conference took the position that Dr. Carter
was single, the second marriage Chat to Mrs.
Borden) being invalid in the eyes of the
Church, the divorce from the first wife not
having been obtained ON Scriptural grounds.
This being the case at that time, and the
first wife having since died, by the laws of
the Church itself, it would appear that DIR.
Carter had the right to marry third time,
with regard to both the laws of the Church
and those of the State. The first divorce was
obtained in 1872, and was then only tempo
rary, but became absolute at the expiration
of seven years. Later on, the marriage with
Mrs. Borden took place in New Orleans, and
in 1885 she secured divorce from DR.. Carter.
In both cases the divorces were obtained by
the wives on the grounds Of abandonment and
incompatability. DR., Carter put in no de-
fence in either suit.
RE-ENTERED THE MINISTRY.
In 1889 DR.. Carter became converted
second time. and sought his first wife again
in marriage. Mrs. Carter. who was then an in
valid, and devout Christian woman refused
to 60 into rennion, taking the position that
she was still scripturally married to DR.. Car
ter, but had been legally separated, She.
however, professed perfect friendship and re-
spect for him.
Dr. Garter first entered the Virginia confer
ence in 1871, when he was but little more than
boy. He preached for twenty-one years,
and then left the ministry. He remained out
of it for twenty-One years before returning to
it. In the time intervening DR.. Garter prao-
ticed law, had considerable experience in
politics, was president of one university and
one or two colleges; was professor in seve-
nj mn
| time was private secretary of SEN
ator Pinchback, a colored representativ e
in the United States Senate just after
the war. He also edited several newspapers,
and was regarded as writer Of great force
Dr. Carter has lived in twenty States; was
| Minister to Venezuela under President Gar
field, and has held other positions of honor
and trust He is now about 70 years of age.
His last wife is about 24. The second wife a
very cultured and highly intelligent woman,
| and devoted church worker. now resides in
| New York city. where she stands high. The
Portsmouth minister says he has profound
respect for his second wife. regards her as
an admirable woman, possessed of fine sense
and remarkable talent.
The committee of investigation of the charg-
/ eS against LIE. CdfCer, OIL SATURDAY TopOTCeu
its prayerful and faithful consideration OF
them, and submitted its report that In its op-
inion trial Of that gentlemen is necessary.
This report was adopted by the Conference
amid suppressed excitement. The report
was presented by Rev. j. NJ Anderson,
! Bishop Galloway then announced the COM
mittee for trial Of Rev. Geo. W. Carter as
follows: Rev. ]. g. Reed, chairmen; Rev. S.
S. Lambeth, secretary, and Rev. Messrs. E
NJ Peterson.R. W. Watts,F. NJ. Edwards, w
r. Smithey, W. F. Dlvis, W. H. Christian.
W. T. Green, e. F. Homer and W. e. Walden.
Rev. E. NJ. Peterson asked to be excused
saying he had made up his mind long ago re-
garding the M after, AID the Bishop named
Rev John T. Payne in his stead.
ACQUITTED.
The committee on Tuesday, by vote of
to g. made report acquitting DR.. Carter. At
his request the conference 'Iocated" Dr.
L Carter in order that he may engage in news
paper work or the practice of law, and retire
from the itinerant ministry.