Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-14

nodi hGatlon OF the canon on marriage
and divorce ia the subject of especial
interest. The change is to be recon
mended to the general convention of
the chorch, to he held in Washington
next October. Action looking TO the
changes in the church's laws was taken
at the general convention of 1892, which
was held at Emanuel Church, Balti
more At that convention joint com
mission OF seven bishops, seven clergy
and seven laity we're appointed to revise
the constitution and canons OF tho
church. They reported in 1885, md
some OF the changes in the consti
tuition were then approved in both
houses. These come w for final
adoption at the meeting in Washing
ton next October. Othere passed the
House OF Bishops anG were referred TO
a committee of the House of Deputies
for report. The canons were racom
mitted to the joint commission.
The committee on the constitutional
changes and the JOINT commission on
the Canons were each instructed TO
Print their report at least six months
before the October meeting. The joint
commissions report was ready for dis
tribution on April lst, and copies of it
may be had by deputies to the general
convention as soon rs they are chosen.
The present members of the joint com
mission are: Bishops Doane of Albany,
Dudley of Kentucky, McLaren of Chi
cago, Burgess Of Quincy. Potter OF
New York, and paret Of Maryland;
Rev. Eugens A. Hoffman, ID. D.,
ID. @. L.; Rev. J, S. Stone, D. d. /;
Rev. Charles A. l.. Richards, ID. D. /;
Rev. Hall Harrison, ID. d.. Rev. F.
p. Davenport, d. D.; Rev. j. Hous
ton Eccleston, d. D., and Rev. William
Il. Huntington, d. D., ID. O. L., and
Messrs. W. Ii. Lightner, Edward 9.
Bradford, F. b. Swayne, Charles q.
Saunders, John a. Beall, Frank II.
Miller and w. S. Laidley,
Many Of the changes in the canons
are intended merely to remove oh
scurities and infelicities OF language,
Others affecting matters Of substance,
will no doubt lead TO warm debate.
Among these il the canon on marriage
and divorce.
The present cauon on this subject
has some obscurities OF language and
needs improvement. There has, how
ever, been for some years 40 effort to
change tina rule OF tho church ON the
sons. and to adopt a rule as 10 prohibited
degrees. Az to remarriage, the present
canon permits the marriage of the
innocent party in divorce for tine
cause of adultery. Those who hold
this view base it on the words of Christ
in the Sermon on the Mount and else
where and these have heen held by
tho Greek church and by most Eng
liah commentators and thoologians tt
authorize the exception.
On the other hand, the theologiani
of the Roman Church. and some Of thu
English, hold that marriage is in
dissUluble except by death, and con
travene the argument from the world
of Christ by pointing out that in othe
passages recording His words ON divorce
the exception ia not mentioned Tn
advocates of the latter view seem Il
have impressed the commission mos
fAvurRbly, as will be seen from tn
following proposed canon:
Section |. No minister shal
solemnizo a marriage the parties t
which are within the degrees of con
sanguinity and affinity defined in th
18th chapter of the Book Of heviticus
"Seu. 9 (ll 1t shall be the duty {
ministers to admOnish the people frol
time to time that the church dis
countenances claudestine marriage.
seq No minister shall aolemnize th
marriage Of any person who is mine
under the law OF the place of marriage
unless the parent or guardian of Huc
minor ia present, or shall have give
written consent to the marriage, or
permanently resident In foreig
country.
"(3C No minister shall solemnize
marriage except in the presence of
least two witnesses, himself OF the wi
ness being personally acquainted wit
the parties.
40 Every minister of the churc
shall, at the time of this marriag
record in the register Of the parish
which tho marriage takes place ii
name, birthplace. age and residence
each party, and such record shall
signed by the minister who perforr
the ceremony and by at least two wi
neases Of the marriage.
'SeU. 8. No minister of this churl
shall solemnize the marriage Of eth
party to a divorce during the liletir
OF the other party"
To the provisions of section 3 of t
above canon, Bishop Potter, the Re
DIR. j. Houston Eccleaton, William
Lightner. Frank II. Miller and t
Rev, DIR. William r. Huntington ha
already entered their dissent and reco
mend that that section shall be ma
to read as follows:
mo minister of the church sh
Holemnize the marriage of any pers
who has a divorced husband or W
living. This shall moi apply to
or her filing with ths minister, aR g
dence of such iunocence. legally Ger
fed transcript Of the record, shown!
final judgment or decree of a court
record having jurisdiction on the 81
iect matter, awarding him or her
divorces "a vinculo matrimonii' on
ground of adultery"
As to the matter of prohibited
grees proposed in section of
above canon, many churchmen thinl
would have been wiser il the &C
mission had set forth the degrees
detail, as in the Maryland State Ii
instead of referring to the text Q
much debated chapter in Levitic
Under the proposed now section it '
probably be held by many that mari
with a deceased wifs's sister is
bidder, whils others may hold t
marriage between an uncle and nj
is permitted.
Canon 49, of the use Of the Booh
Common Prayer is made to read:
Section ]. The Book of Conn
Prayer, as the sume has been est
lished by the General Convention 81
be used by every minister of |
church upon all occasions OF pul
worship for which the church provit
When officiating in such services
shall use no other prayers than II