The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-12-04
CANONS OF
DIVORCE
Radical Course of the
Episcopate.
MAY AFFECT HONOLULU
Coming Action of General Confer
ence Of Episcopal Church
at San Francisco.
Especial Correspondence }


SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 22-As the
Anglican Church of Hawaii is not ur-
likely, before long. to be merged into
the See of Northern California, its
contemplated canons on the subject of
marriage and divorce become of
marked interest to Hawaiian church
men:
When the general conference of the
Protestant Episcopal church meets in
San Francisco next October. three new
canons on the subject of marriage and
divorce will be placed before that body
for it's consideration. Should these
canons become the law of the Episco-
pal church through the approval of the
general conference.-the there is every
reason TO believe that they wilI-then
the Episcopal church win have pro-
nounced its anathema against divorce,
and more particularly against the re-
marrying of divorced persons while an
other party to the divorce still is in
life. in a manner more emphatic than
any other denomination of the Protes-
tant church.
The subject OF marriage and divorce
came in for good deal of attention at
the hands of the general Episcopal con-
ference of 1898. A committee of twelve
was appointed for the purpose of TAX
ing the matter under consideration and
making recommendations TO the next
conference. This committee, after hav-
{ ing met a year ago. when ii failed to
reach an agreement looking toward re-
form, again went into session Wednes-
day. At the forenoon session. which
began at IL and lasted until 2 o'clock,
nothing of a definite nature was ac-
|complished. At 8 o'clock the committee
/ resumed work and as the members is
sued at the close Of this session it was
announced that the conference of the
committee had been adjourned sine die
and that three canons dealing in the
most lucid and definite manner with
the subject Of the conference had been
drafted.
FIRST CANON'S DEFINITION.
The first canon adopted is entitled
Holy Matrimony and Impediments
Thereto II defines matrimony and
the impediments of consanguinity and
affinity as stated In the books Of Levi
ticus and Deuteronomy.
The second canon deals with the sub
ject OF The SOlemniZation of Holy
Matrimony" It's provisions contain tn,
following:
Every minister who shall solemnize s
marriage shall without delay max,
such record Of same as may be re
Cuired by the law Of this church anC
civil authority.
No minister shall soIemnize marriag
without the presence Of witnesses. no
without witnesses to whom the partie
are personally known. except in a cas-
I'm which II is impossible for such wit
nesses to be secured. No minister shal
solemnlze the marriage of any perso,
not identified to his satisfaction.
No minister shall solemnize marriag
between any two persons unless. no
until. by inquiry he shall have satishe
, himself that neither person has been o
, is the husband or the wife Of an
other person living. unless the forme
: marriage was annulled by decree Q
some court Of competent jurisdictio
for cause existing before such forme
, marriage.
. BAN ON REMARKED DIvORCEE:
. While these canons erect new bal
riers as a safeguard against Illegal mai
= riages and prohibit remarriage nv an
Episcopal minister of any party TO
;. divorce suit, whether guilty or InnC
A cent. the third canon goes one step ful
ther and excludes from all ceans
grace within the dispensation of II
: Church any divorced person who sha
Y have remarked and be living with
] second husband or wife, as tue ca:
: NAV be while the other marty to IL
: divorce still IS in life. This cano
{ which. however. applies only 10 the o
!, tending party OF a divorce. practical
= tends TO outlaw the offender as far {
o Church fellowship goes. and provid,
for his readoption in the fold only {
the condition that he come truly pen
tent and separate from the party
the second marriage, or If he shou
u happen to be in immediate danger
: death and show the spirit of true r
L pentance.
r This canon is subdivided INTO thr,
,. sections:
: causes arising after marriage and ma
u rying again during the lifetime of Il
VI other party TO the divorce shall he a,
8 Uitted to baptism or confirmation
: received to Holy Communion. exec
l. when penitent and separated from Il
!. other party 10 the subsequent m2rsiag
or when penitent and in Immediate dal
ger Of death. but this canon shall n
y apply to the innocent party in n divor
n for the cause Of adultery
g Sec. 2-No person shall be denied ba
o tism or confirmation or the Holy Cor
9 munion under this canon. until aft
]. the minister shall have given 70 I
person due and sufficient notice Of sI,
intended denial and of the right of a