The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-19
SCHWEINFURTH'S MARRIAGE.
chicago Ministers Would Not Have
Performed the Ceremony.

Chicago Evening Post
Jacob Schweinfurth. the Rockford mes
sian s. successful escape from the clutches
OF the law by wedding one of his angels,
last evening in a Universalist church at
Minneapolis will at least cost its nastor
Rev Marion d. Shutter the respect which
he formerly enjoyed among his associate
preachers in this city. They are not mine
ing words over the affair which thew de-
clare has no parallel since Henry Ward
Beecher at the deathbed of Richardson.
the famous New York war correspondent.
made him the husband of woman who as
alleged, had another husband living THAT
incident eliminated in the widely published
Beecher VS.. Tilton'' case and Chica COS
representative Universalist. Rev A. j. Can
field, shakes his head when he asserts that
Rev Mr.. Shutter has not heard the SEQUEL
OF the Schweinfurth marriage.
incidentally, it might be well to warn tbe
Rockford messiah" that he keen awav
from Chicago ministers if he is = gain nIaced
IN situation where imprisonment under
an indictment in the hands of an unbeliey-
ing state $ attorney stares him in the face
lie VIII ind all church doors barred against
MN ana no divine willing to sacrifice his
standing by basking in the glare of
Schweinfurth's own prominence to quote
one OF the leading South Side preachers
Schweinfurth finds no sympathy among To-
cal divines for his doctrine of free love ;,
lie is denominated a ''blasphemer. a ..lep-
er and "hypocrite" by ministers who cam
not be attacked for sensational oratory.
SchWeinfurths wedding at Minnea nolis
last evening may not be sanctioned by com.
mon law, according to his belief The cere-
mony was manufactured to suit the doc
trlne which has invited scandal after scan
dal upon the inhabitants of the Rockford
heaven and all tributary heavens There
was no legal aYowal of marriage" says Dl.
Canned, and his statement is corroborated
by other authorities.
According to dispatches from MINNEAPOLIS
the ceremony in the Church Of the Redeem
er was dictated by Schwenfurth Two other
couples. all under the ban of grand jury in
dlctments: followed the initiative of their
messiah" and were Joined in wedlock after
an exchange of golden bands and declaring
assent TO the following:
I'VE. in the name of Emanuel and in the
adorable presence of God and in the pres
ence of this representative of the church
and State do promise to be to each other all
that pure love can make us forever and
forever, and forever
That VOW is too indefinite to receive the
sanction of the church" commented Rev.
Mr. Garfield From my knowledge of the
case, this marriage was sought to obtain
release from the indictments in the hands
of States Attorney Frost. AS such it would
peace to preside at the ceremonies. such
they We're ! cannot understand how Mr..
come into his church. l am sure its mem
bers, such as ex-senator Washburn and
Thomas Lowry, will not submit willingly TO
such a degradation of the church. | know
Mr. Shutter we'll Two years ago it was
announced that he coming to this city
to take charge of the Universalist pulpit,
but the runor was unfounded. although he
made voluntary statement before the
congregation.
ried in ST. Pauls church, No. sir. The
of st. Paul's church would not
consider it. There is no denominationaI en-
nifty behind such a refusal. In view of
Schweinfurth's record and the alleged re-
lationships at the Rockford retreat it would
cost a minister his seif-respect to officiate
at his marriage. l do not wish to attack
Mr.. Shutter in any wcy, although the affair
may be regarded as an attack on the
clare them man and wife on the avowa of
pure love. Pure love may be Inconsistent
and dictate that within an hour after the
marriage ceremony he seek another wife.
The common law of the land is a civil
pledge, a lasting contract between the two
parties. We should foster pure love for all
our neghbors as fellow men. l question il
marriage is legal Then why
did he go to another State to be married?
phemy The sin of it is that he has so
many loyal followers and is establishing
really cannot understand what motive there
is in leaning the dignity of the church to
his marriage. unes it is to secure notoriety
or attract attention by destroying the tradi-
tons and sanctity of marriage. But there
are ministers in the Universalist faith as
in all others, who are Universalists when |
they want to be. There is a Presbyterian
here in Hyde Park who is a Presbyterian
only when he wants to be. 1t reminds me
of Henry Ward Beecher when he married
Richardson to the wife of another man.
who shot him in front of the newspaper
office where he was employed 1t earned |
considera BILE notoriety fer Beecher and real |
y brought on the famous trial In which he |
was the shining figure. OF course. many do |
not care what color the light is which they |
x~TA ~
selves.
Rev. Simon j. Mcpherson is not less out |
spoken regarding the Minneapolis marriage |
than his brother prea cher of the Universal |
st cloth mo such marriage would be al |
lowed in the Second Presbyterian Church,
ne said. Il should require Schweinfurth to |
show consistent relationship and proof |
strikes me that this marriage ceremony |
was forced upon him by the law. That is /
good sign however. 1t shows the victory |
IF the law over practices which have been |
going on at Rockford. Schweinfurth is re- |
20 rded as a moral leper and has induced |
many ignorant and sentimental people to |
o.low him 1t is strange heresy which in |
1uences many people TO convince them |
selves that filth and untruth is the opposite. |
But there are such people and there are !
many sincere followers of the Rockford |
m assiah. The marriage ceremony is GER |
-ainly elastic but / think it can stand the |
lest of common law. The ceremony in a |
contract is only superficial part. |
If Schweinfurth came to the minister With |
he request to be married, why, il seems |
hat the law must recognize the contract. |
But | would not perform the ceremony in |
any event. 1t will certainly not add to the |
dignity of the church.