Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-13
Changes Under Consideration by
Protestant Episcopal Church.
MoDF EAHONS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Report for Submission to TrienniaI
Convention in October.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

IN, CoS- conSuIutlCnS and. canOnS OF the
church. That Of especial interest to the
membership at targets the modification OF
the canon on marriage and divorce. The
comm i1tee having in charge the considera-
ton OF these changes has adopted a re-
port on the subject which win be made
to the general convention Of the church.
That body Viii take final action on the
subject.
The discussion which had led to the
iadoption bys the committee of these changes
was begun IN 1Ss2 at the triennial conven-
tien which met in Baltimore. At that con-
sention a joint commission of seven bishe ps.
seven clergymen AMI seven laymen was
appointed to revise the constitution and
.canons of the church. The present menu
bcrs Of the joint commission are Bishops
Dsane Of ssihany, Dudley of Kentucky. Nc
Lsren Of Chicago. Burgess of Quincy. Pot
ter OF New York, and Paret of Maryland;
Rev. Dv. Eugene A. Hoffman, Rev. Dr.. j.
8. Stone: Rev. Charles A. l.. Richards d.
D.: Rev. DR.. Hall Harrison, Rev. DR.. F. Z.
Davenport, Rev. DIR. ]. Houston Ecclestcn
and Rev. DR.. William r. Huntington
Messrs, w. H. 1iightner. Edward G. Brad
ford. E. B. ,SWayne. Charles G. Saunders.
John A. Beall, Frank H. Miller and w. S.
1t is understood that many of the changes
in the canof are intended merely to. re-
E-oye obscuritieS and Infclicities of lan-
guage. Others. however, affect matters of
substance, and will, no doubt, lead to
warm debates. 1t is expected that this
viii: be especially true of the canon on
marriage and divorce.
1t is conceded that the present canon on
this subject has some obscurities of Ian
guage and needs some improvement. There
has. however, been for some years an ef-
fort to change the rule of the church on the
subject of remarrlage Of divorced persons.
The present canon permits the remarriage
ftn inn want orfNy In O nj
cause of adultery. Those who hold this
view base 1t on the words of Christ in the
sermon on the mount and elsewhere, and
these have been held by the Greek Church
and by most English commentators and
theoiogians to authorize the exception.
4 On the other hand. the theologians OF
the Roman Catholic Church and some of
q the English hold that marriage Is indis-
soluble except by death, and controvert
the argument from the words of Christ by
pointing oNt that in other passages re,
,rseording His words on divorce the excep-,
ton is not mentioned. 49, -
A Proposed Canon.
(; The advocates of the latter view seemed
ITO have impressed the commission most
-favorably, as will be seen from the follow
ing proposed canon: ~
Section 1. No minister shall solemnize a
marriage the parties to which are within
the degrees of censanguinity and affinity
Leriticus.
; Section 9. "a 1t shall be the duty of a
minister TO admonish the people from time
to time, that the church discountenances
shall soiemnize the marriage of any person
who is minor under the law of the place
OF marriage unless the parent or guardian
of such minor is present or shall have Civ
en- written consent to the marriage or is
permanently resident in a foreign country.
CD No minister shall solemniZe marriage
except In the presence of two witnesses.
himself or the witnesses being personally
acquainted with the Darties. "a Every
minister of the church shall at the time of
the marriage record in the register of the
parish in which the marriage takes place
the name. birthplace. age and residence OF
each party, and such record shall be sign
ed by the minister who performs the cere-
mony and by at least two witnesses of the
marriage.
Section 2. No minister of this church
shall solemnize the marriage of either party
to a divorce during the lifetime of the other
party.
Snbstitute Prepared.
A substitute for the provisions OF section
8 of the above canon has been prepared by
Bish op Potter. Rev. DIR. ]. n. Eccleston,
William H. Lightner, Frank II. Miller and
Rev. DIR. William r. Huntington, who will
recommend that that section shall be made
to read as follows:
mo minister of the church shall SOL
emnize the marriage of any person who
has a divorced husband or wife living
This shall not apply to the innocent party
In a divorce suit on his or her filing with
the minister as evidence of such innocence
of a legally certified transcript of the rec
ord, showing final judgment or decree of
the subject-matter awarding him or her
"A divorce a vinculo matrimonii on the
ground of adultery
!. In references to the matter of prohibited
In Of no. 1,ax-..
canon, there are many churchmen who
think it would have been wiser IL the COM
mission had set forth the degrees in de-
tail instead of referring to a much debated
chapter in Leviticus Under the proposed
new section 1t will, 1T Is believed be held
by many that marriage with the deceased
wife's sister is forbidden, while others will
probably hold that marriage between an
unc}e and niece is permitted.
Book of Common Prayer.
The commission recommends that canon
90 of the use of the Book Of Common
Prayer be made to read as follows:
Section l. The Book Of Common Prayer
as the same las been established by the
general convention, shall be used by every
minister Of this church upon all occasions
Of public worship for which the church
provides. When officiating in such services
he shall Use no other prayers than those
OF the Book of Common Prayer, except
Fuch forms Of prayer and thanksgiving as
may be set forth by the bishop for special
occasions.
.Sec. 2. All ministers shall say daily the
morning and evening prayer. either pri-
Tately or openly, not being let by sickness
or other urgent cause.
Sec. 8. The bishop Of every diocese OF
missionary jurisdiction may compose forms
Of prayer or thanksgiving, as the case may
require, for special occasions, and send
them to every: minister within his diocese
or jurisdiction. and 1t shall be the duty of
the minister to use such forms"
Section ?. which prescribes compulsory
daily use by ministers of the services set
forth, has met with considerable objection
from a number of the members of the COM
mission, and will undoubtedly be the sub
ject sOkNliscussion In the convention.
rganisation Of Provinces.