The San Francisco call., 1898-07-12
MINISTERS MEET IN
 WEEKLY CONFERENCE
REV. T. D. BUTLER TALKS ON
 MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.
He Condemns the Present Marriage State for Being Vicious and Disgraceful-other Sub
 jects Discussed.

According to Rev Thomas D. Butler, pastor of the First Christian Church of Oakland the condition of the marriage state in America is vicious and disgrace full The well-known minister visited this city yesterday and gave voice to this statement before body of fellow ministers who listened with approval to his views on the familiar subject.
 What is the relation of the minister of the gospel to the administration of the marriage ceremony? Is marriage pollti- cal association or modern institution? Is the minister the agent of the state, Of so- ciety or of God?" In answer to these queries the speaker said in part: The condition of the marriage state in America is largely vicious and disgrace ful. hence the very frequent recourse which is had to the divorce courts Tor legal separation. l cannot mention any evil more productive of misery and the indescribable ills of human society. It is clear to my mind that if anything among us needs the purifying and SWeetenlng m fluence of Christ's religion it is this evil.
 '.When we come to speak of society and its mandates in this realm We are speak ing of an uncrowned potentate whose un- bridled will may a1ect 5ne pc petsodial i poPu+ of an uncertain quality and quantity, that he should for money insert the clause Of public places to draw a crowd to see him openly prostitute his office by making a burlesque or mockery of sacred ordi- nances of the marriage ceremony
 1T hold that a minister of the gospel commits sacrilege and thereby infiicts a grievous injury on public morality, and specifically on the marriage ordinance in the popular mind and practice, when he has reasonable ground to know the fact, that he becomes a party to an ar engagement by which sacred ordinance event for a money consideration or for the entertainment of a crowd who furnish the money that is 5,os, to compensate the pro
 Dr. Butler held that except on scriptural grounds a minister cannot properly recog- nize divorce. This, he said, will neces- sarily involve absolute refusal to be a marty to the marriage of divorced persons with others. The minister of the gospel is said to maintain Gods word and ordi- nances, and he cannot rightly join to- gether by the marriage ceremony those where one or both have been unscrip- turally released from their marriage ob- Dr. F. 1T. Foster, professor of the Pacific Theological Seminary, appeared before the Congregational ministers and read paper on What Constitutes the Deposition Gf a Congregational Minister" The paper con tended that when man loses the certifi- cation of his ministerial character by the legal association of churches and minis ters, he thereby loses his character as a Congregational minister and that such loss is the real equivalent of deposition. The theory that action of a council is nec- | was shown that such a council can only do what has already been done by expul- sion from the local conference and conSe- quently does and can add nothing to what the conference affects.
 Dr. $. H. Wiley and Dr. James H. War rcn, pioneer ministers, were elected hon. orary members of the body.
 The Presbyterians elected the following
 as their officers for the ensuing term: Rev. s. s. Cryor, president; Rev. R. w. Reynolds, vice president; Rev. James Woodwork. secretary and treasurer. Reports of commissioners to the Win-
 ona conference were heard Rev John Hemphill told of the work accomplished there, and Rev. Theodore F. Burnham
 described the trip and gave other inter- eSting information.
 Rev. D. w. Chiffon addressed the Meth odist meeting on '"The Social Problem. '' He was listened to with great interest and at the conclusion of his remarks a general | discussion took place.
 | Rev. Dr. Mines of Fruitvale said that | the church was not doing it's duty toward | the poor-not looking after their interests