The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-24
THE anti MARRIAGE BILL
Ministers Favor a Measure to
Make Morality Difficult
Queer Amendments.
Special the Jersey City Wears.

IhENION, MATCH II, loSL-AiiUlici
hearing was given on the Lloyd Marriage
License bill yesterday afternoon by the
Senate Committee on the Revision of
Laws. 1t was largely attended, mostly
by ministers. The Rev. DR.. Lawson, =
Baptist Clergyman of Camden, said it was
with regret that he called attention to
the fact that the men whom rumor had
been talking about in this connection all
belonged to one denomination and that
it was also notable that the men who APP
peared in opposition to the bill were mem
bers of that denomination.
The Rev. DR.. Graw of this city, in
speaking for the Methodist ministers, to
whom, he said. DR.. Lawson referred, re-
futed the charge.
Mr.. Lloyd said that he had a letter from
Bishop Scarborough warmly indorsing The
bill. Then MI. Lloyd introduced the Rev.
]. N. Lyle of Camden, who said he
thought the bill would accomplish a much
needed reform. Maryland adopted such
a law more than a decade ago and The
law met with general appreciation. The
principles of the bill, he said, were not
matters of theory. but the result of ex-
perience. 1t could not be charged that
lflOSc ADVOCATING tu6s Oil tdu dIJ NllGIIOI
motives. The people of the State ex-
pected the passage of the bill, all in the
of morality.
Some will object he continued, ,'on
moral by legislation. That is granted,
but it does not follow that all legislation
should cease! Others object by saying
that the bill will have exactly the oppo-
increase immortality. What do the facts
prove? Has immortality increased under
the present law in Pennsylvania? The
fact Is that vice follows the line of least
resistance. h bill is designed to make
it reasonably difficult for young mcn and
women to enter thoughtlessly into the
most sacred relation"
The Rev. Dr.. Yerks, representing the
Teachers Association of Plainield and
North Plainf1eld, said that the association
had passed a resolution approving of the
bill. Had 1t been necessary all the menu
bers of the association would have been
present to urge it's passage"
1T has been intimated," DR.. Yerks went
on, that we have no selfish motives and
very pertinent is the query, What are
ysu doing here?, Surely not in the in
terest of party, but from a high and
solemn consideration of those things
which lie at the very foundation Of the
safety of the people.
@The marriage relation is the most
sacred thing on earth The family is the
foundation of all that Is good and it
would seem that these sacred relations
shouldbe safe guarded by wise and ju-
dicious legislation. The clerk issuing the
license will require identification of the
parties. That is something the minister
cannot always do. 1t will save the min
lister from uncertainty and many times
it will save individuals from ruin"
Mrs. A. R. Varney of Camden spoke
next. She said she represented the
Women's. Christian Temperance Union of
the State. Il come to advocate a right
eous measure" she began. II represent
tho nnnfhorhnn6 of fhn Gfafa. o41 @-.1
here to plead for the fuller protection by
law of our sons and daughters If, as it
is claimed by some, the proposed law
would promote immortality, would not the
forty-one States in which the law now
exists be more degraded than we are?
Would not New Jersey stand far above
her sister States in morality, and does
She?"
Mrs. varney then spoke of the great I'M
morality existing in Camden because of
the baxity of the marriage laws, sdThe
deepest sorrows" she said, have been
suffered In cases which have never
reached the column of the press.
In behalf of the motherhood of the
State" she concluded, lin behalf of our
sisters. the motherhood Of other States,
age of this bill, which will relieve the
State of the disgrace thai has been
heralded from the Atlantic to the Pacifc.'
The Rev. r CT Moses of the Episcopal
Church at Merchantville, Camden countv
was the next speaker.
u endorse the principles of the .bill,p he
said. for this reason. The marriage
contract is legitimately within the snhere
of civic legislation. The minister's DarI
IN the matter is simply the solemnizing
of the marriage. The State does not nro.
yfde that the records, which 1T reo11ires
should be kept, should be recorded bV ia
own officer. The State has no right "a
REQUIRE a minister to certify to facts
which lie within the province Of the civic
law. The means of Identifying the nar-
ties IS altogether beyond the minister
Tne Key Mr.. Stoy, representing d large
parish In Camden, said a few words in
advocacy Of the bill. h ministers
tnemselves, he said, wanted 1t. becaus it
would relieve them of responsibility
which they attimes could not fnlfl.
Rev. A. g. Lawson, D. D.. Of Camden
for two reasons. First he said DE
cause I happen Just now to Be a minister
in Camden. For some years pasf tba
ministers OF Camden have been lam-
pooned BY the Wholesale. All the pastors
OF Camden have not been guilty Of the
miserable mercenary business. The man
who are doing this business ought n he
in the State Prison today. I am q Eans
tist and every Baptist minister in Camden
is for this bill. n regret to saw thgaf fha
men on whom rumor has been al work
principally belong to one denominafinY
And i regret to say, further. that the |
men who have appeared in Opposition IA
this bill belong to that denomination
Tt Is under III present law that all
this mnaorality has grown up. 1t IS now
simply optional Withthe minister as IL |
whefper or net ne shall ask for an am