Evening star., 1900-11-15
AGAINST DVORCEDPERSONS
PROPOSED CANON BARRING THEM
FROM EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Action of Committee Appointed at
Last General Conference to
Act In Matter.

1893 committee of twelve was appointed
for the purpose of taking under considera-
ton the subject of marriage and divorce
and making such recommendation to the
next conference of that body as would pave
the way for changes in the present tenets
of the church on these subjects.
This committee met in New York city
yesterday. At the close of the session it
was announced that the conference of the
committee had been adjourned sine die and
the three canons dealing with the subject
of the conference had been drafted.
The first canon adopted is entitled Holy
Matrimony and Impediments Thereto The
full text of this canon is as follows:
Section l. Holy matrimony aefined-(a)
Holy matrimony is an estate of life which.
for the purposes of this canon, is sufnclentiy
defined in the form appointed for the SOL
emnlzation of matrimony in this church.
(b) The solemnizatio of holy matrimony is
a service where the mutual consent of the
parties is given in the presence of min
ister, who. then pronounces them, in the
name of the Holy Trinity. to be man and
wife.
Section defines impedments to matri-
mony. This section defines the impedi-
ments of consanguinity and affinity as
stated in the books of Leviticus and Deu-
terOnomy.
The second canon drafted deals with the
subject of the determination of holy mat
rmony." 1t is subdivded in four sections.
as follows:
Section /. 1t shall be the duty of all min
listers of this church to conform to the civil
authorities relative to marriage.
Sec. =. Every minister who shall solem-
niZe a marriage shall, without delay. make
such record of same as may be required by
the law of tbs church and civil authority.
Sec. 3. No minister shall solemnize mar
riage without the presence of witnesses, nor
without witnesses to whom the parties are
personally known, except in case in which
it is impossible for such witnesses to be Sc
cured. No minister shall solemnize the
marriage of any person not Identified to ms
satisfaction.
Sec. /. No minister shall solemnize mar
rage between any two persons unless, no1
until, by inquiry, he shall have satshed
himself that neither person has been or Is
the husband or the wife of any other per-
son living. unless the former marriage was
annulled by decree of some court of COM
petent jurisdiction for cause existing be-
fore such former marriage.
While the two above canons erect new
barriers as a safeguard against illegal mar
riages and prohibit remarriage by any
Episcopal minister Of any party to divorce
suit, whether guilty or innocent, the third
canon goes one step farther and excludes
from all means of grace within the dispen-
sation of the church any divorced person
who shall have remarked and be living
with husband or wife, as the case may be,
while the other party to the divorce still is
in life. This canon, which. however. ap-
plies only to the offending party of a di-
vorce, practically tends to outlaw the Of
fender as far as church fellowship goes,
and provides for his readoption in the fold
only on the condition that he come truly
penitent and separate from the party to
the second marriage, or if he should happen
to be in immediate danger of death and
show the spirit of true repentance.
This canon is Subdivided into three sec
tiOnS, AS follows:
Section l. No person divorced for causes
arising after marriage. and marrying again
during the lifetime of the other party to
-1rh tt,l I,,,Nt
or confirmation or received to holy com
muEion except when penitent and sep
arated from the other party to the subse-
quent marriage, or when penitent or in i'm
mediate danger of death. but this canon
shall not apply to the innocent party in a
divorce for the cause of adultery.
Section .. No person shall be denied bap-
tism or confirmation the holy commun-
ion under this canon until after the minis
ter shall have given to the person due and
sufficient notice Of such intended denial
and Of the right Of appeal therefrom as
hereinafter permitted.
Section 3 provides for appeal to the bish-
op of the diocese missionary district.
who, if he deems the cause sufficient, may
take counsel with two neighboring bishops
and decide whether there shall be any dis
pensation.
The canons in this form were unanimous
ly adopted by those taking part in the con-
ference. The committee. when appointed
by the general conference of 1898. consist
ed of twelve members. Only nine OF these
members were present at the meeting yes
terday. one having died and two not having
been heard from.
The committee was made up of an equal
number of clergy and laymen. Those pres
ent were the Rev DR.. Morgan Dix, rector
of Trinity parish; the Rev. DR.. Hoffman
of New York, the Rev. DR.. Mann of St
Louis, Rev. DR.. Fulton of Philadelphia and
Rev. DR.. Eccieston of Baltimore. The lay
members of the committee who were pres
ent were Francis A. Lewis of Philadel-
rhi1 7, nf nrl
Charles II. Stanley of Washington and
Judge E C. Bradford Of Wilmington, Del
Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix presided and Francis
tar