The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-25
MARRIAGE AFTER DIVORCE
rHE BURNING QUESTION BEFORE THE
GENERAL CONTENTION.

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rage Of Either Party in n Divorce in this
Life Of the Othor-To Gust protestant
Hpfscopaln from the Church's Name.
'w~AsHINgroN. Sept. 24.-The General Con-
Vontion OF the Episcopal Church. which sits
every three year,. will convene in Washington
on Oct. 8 and remain in session about three
weeks. In many respects this will be the most
important convention Of the Church held in re-
cent years. The revision OF the constitution
and the canons OF the Church, which was be-
s1n some years ago. will occupy the attention
Of the coming convention. and 1t is hoped that
&e revision will be accomplished at this
meeting. The attendance promises to be very
large. The convention Is made up Of two
houses; the House OF Bishops. COMPOSED OF
about sixty Bishops. and the House Of Depu-
ties. which IL composed Of four clerical and four
lay delegates from each diocese. The Woman's
Auxiliary holds it's meetings at the same time
as the convention. and there will be 1900 in
attendance. Arrangements are being per-
fected for the reception OF the delegates to both
bodies. and Trinity Church, where the Wo-
mans Auxiliary will meet. and the Church OF
the Epiphany. where the sessions Of the Gen.
eral Convention will be held. have both been
thoroughly overhauled for the purpose.
The list OF clerical delegates to the conven-
ton contains the names Of nearly all the lead
ing ministers Of tho Episcopal Church. while
that Of the lay delegates shows many names
prominent in the world Of finance and politics.
Among those who are expected to attend are
ex-senator George T. Edmunds OF Vermont.
now Of Philadelphia; ]. Pierpont Morgan OF
New York. Henry e. Pierrepont OF Brooklyn,
John n. Triplett Of Missouri. and David B.. Ly-
man Of La Grange. III.
The House Of Bishops will be presided over
by the Right Rev. John Williams. Bishop Of
Connecticut. who is the senior Bishop in date
Of conservation. All the Bishops will attend
the convention. The sessions of tho House OF
Bishops will be held behind closed doors. but
those Of the House OF Deputies will be open to
tho general public.
Ofthe many questions which are to como up
before tho conSentian for discussion and action.
Tire most interesting and most important to
the Church at large will be the proposition to
revise the canon on marriage and divorce so
as to make 1t impossible for q clergyman OF tho
Protestant Episcopal Church to marry either
paEty1o n divorce. Over this canon 1t Is ex-
plotted the most protracted debate OF the con-
v0ntion will take place. There is no doubt that
che sentiments In the Episcopal Church. at least
among the clergy, is strongly in favor OF the
Church setting its face firmly against divorce.
An evidence OF this is the circulation OF q petit
ton TO the convention requesting that 1t adopt
some stringent rule for this purpose. which has
already received the signatures of about two
Thousand Of the clergy. The proposition to
adopt q stringent canon will receive the I'M
divided support Of the High Church ministers
and finds many supporters among the Low
Church ministers. The canon which applies to
the marriage Of divorced persons is as follows:
Canon 13, under title 2, section 3. No minister,
knowingly. after due inquiry, shall solemnize the
marriage of any person who has a divorced husband
or wife still living. If such husband or wife has been
put away for any cause arising after marriage; but
this canon shall not be held to apply to the innocent
party in o divorce for the cause of adultery. or to
parties once divorced seeking to be united again.
In making It's report. which will be presented
to the General Convention. the Joint Commits
sion on the Revision OF the Constitution and
Canons will recommend that the following
canon shall be adopted in lieu Of the one HOW in
force: mo minister Of this Church shall
solemnize the marriage Of either party to a
divorce during the life of the other party"
The joint commission which considered this
question during the last three years was COM
posed of Bishop Doane of Albany. Bishop Dud-
ley Of Kentucky. Bishop McLaren of Chicago.
Bishop Potter of New York. Bishop Paret OF
Maryland, and Bishop Burgess of Quincy; the
Rev: Eugene A. Hoffman, the Rev. James s.
Davenport, the Rev. j. Houston Eccieston. and
". ii. Lightner. E. 6. Bradford. i. D. ySwayne,
&C; Saunders. J. A. Beal, r. II. Miller, and
In q commission of this size. and representing
90 many shades Of opinions. the commission
S @srFia aeS q ft diSof Sa ' pers canon T Esea disseSt t@s
from the report OF the commission. in so far as
+ Ds sSsiS t Eish t BIshe spb Ii, I. f Fett led Of x Sa NO F !Sss a
who is ably seconded by the Rev. J. II; EGcle-
s NJ. Franz IF 1Hl II Miller vi of 4 dd adghsnG an Of H. &; fh9 s1:
William r. Huntington of New York. These
clergymen will present to the convention a mi
that section 3 OF canon 81 Of the revised canon.
as proposed by the Joint committee. shall read:
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Sand or wife living: This shall not apply TO tn the
Of sdpIteFy on his or her alins with the minister:
srse sSssSaS q tie / i rscerd inn sRo@in3i q i aGaI =jn SG Z
Ssrdectes ct . SonIs OF record having jurisdiction on
a sitteIio HistriHSOnii on the grounds of adultery.
The Rev. Hail Harrison d~issents from the
entire canon as proposed BY the Joint commits
tton 2. which requires that the marriage shall
be rePorted and the record signed by at least
ssess l1 + Hh isf GGe eaRis WITH S'P agrees e, i1e OF egH:
sSEf shi9p Ba sns @s Of 9aSinc 81 and SiVS %S. y, PS ,Haid:
ioTblds the marriage Of divorced people,
divorced persons ls, not the only important
ShHngs prq me- ~ IN the The canon 7 now Regulating
portdat and viii be accepted BY the convention
Mithopt considerable debate. Canon l3 Of the
6as four principal Sections. The first reads:
.ffany persons be. Joined together otherwise
Sss1 IaWt s1a'S T TSSrd dd d1th H1lew' on the tR %s EeSisjo is
ofthe Canons will recommend the substitution
for this section OF the following: mo minister
shall solemnize q marriage the parties to which
are within the. degrees of consanguinity and
afnnitydefned In the eighteenth chapter OF the
book OF Leviticus."
Canon IS. section 2. provides that divorced
people shall not be married by a minister. OK
cepEtn' the case of an innocent party in a d.
yorce for the cause Of adultery. or parties once
divorced seeking to be. united again. This sec
vised canon "a. forbiddlng the marriage OF
either party to a divorce, during the life OF the
other party. In section 3 Of canon IS It is pro-
yided that the minister shall refer cases to the
Bishop whore he has reasonable cause to doubt
that parties desiring baptism. confirmation or
communion have been married Improperly ac-
cordipg TO the Church, but with the proviso
that no minister shall. in any case, refuse the
aaerAmentat TO anY penitent parsOn in imminent