The evening times., 1899-10-03
FIRM AGAINST DIVORCES.
Endorsements of the stand Taken by
Bishop Potter.

LOUISVILLE, KY, Oct. 3.-Bishop T. U.
Dudley, of this city, is out in a stirring de-
nunciation of the divorce system inspired
by a similar stand taken last week by
Bishop Potter, in the diocesan council of
New York.
He says he thinks when the general
church meets in 1901 it will enact law
forbidding ministers TO marry divorced per-
sons. He says AT the general conven
tion of 1898 Bishop Potter led the opposi-
tion of the canon then proposed TO prohibit
the marriage by the clergymen of the church
OF any divorced person. Bishop Potter
feared and the majority of the Bishops, in
cluding myself agreed with him, TO go be-
yond the expressed declaration of the Holy
Scripture upon the subject of divorce. He
felt as l felt, bound TO regard the exception
which our Lord seems 10 make in the case
of an innocent person, divorced on the
grounds of adultery, notwithstanding the
fact that the genuineness of this particular
passage Of the Scripture has been ques-
toned.
1T would seam that the experience of
the past year has persuaded Bishop Pot
ter of the absolute necessity for such he
roic measure and | will add that | am
quite prepared to stand with him in his
changed position.
Perhaps We must look further than to
the disgraceful facility of divorces which
exists in the larger parts of the States of
the Union of the bottom evil of our pres
ent condition. Perhaps this is to be look
ed for in the almost unlimited facility of
marriage in every part of our country.
The little protection provided by our
Kentucky law is made worthless by the
proximity CT a region where no such law
is of force. and so il comes to pass that the
hastily married repent not leisurely, but
quickly, and the men and women who are
nc ashamed thus TO rush into the most SOL
emn relation conceivable, recklessly and
Iearlessly OF man or God, equally without
shame demand the dissolution of the bond
which has become irksome. careless of the
disgrace they are bringing upon the un-
happy offspring Of their unhalIowed union.
How long must We wait for uniform
marriage law enacted by national authori-
ty and of force throughout the nations?
is il not time that our legislators shall
be urged to consider this need? Beyond
all doubt the practice of virtual free love
by our present system of marriage and di-
vorce is undermining the very foundation
of the state
SCRANTON, Pa, Oct. 3.-In comment
ing upon the remarks of Bishop Potter
on divorces before the Episcopal conven-
tion in New York, the local papers referred
to the fact that during the past few years
a large number of divorces have been
granted in Laekawanna county, as many
as seventeen having been secured in a
single day. 1t was charged in the public
press that many of these divorces We're
the result of collusions. Today Attorney
C. W. Dawson in the court of common
pleas asked for libel in divorce in the
case of Jessie Kimball against Frank p.
Kimball. Judge Gunster, with some show
of excitement, then remarked:
1T would seem that all the married peo-
pie of this county are endeavoring TO be
divorced. 1t is startling to think of the
large number of divorces that are asked
for in this county. Speaking for myself,
/ wish to say that parties seeking divorce
in the future will have to present much
stronger cases than they have in the
past. Heretofore, We have been very easy
going with the testimony which has been
produced, and in the future l will not grant
a divorce unless the testimony is ex-
ceptionally strong
The remarks caused a stir in the court
room, as there are about twenty divorce
cases now pending.