Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-15
marriage AND DIVORCE
IN EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
THREE NEW CANYONS on THE SUB
JECT FOR PRESENTATION AT
NEXT GENERAL CONFERENCE
PREPARED BY rHE COMMITTEE
APPOINTED BY THE CONFERENCE
OF 1898, To WHICH THE WHOLE
SUBJECT WAS REFERRED.

the SUBJECT OF marriage anu divorce Will
| be placed before the body for its con-
sideration. Should these canons be
come the law of the Episcopal Church
through the approval of the general
conference, then the Episcopal Church
will have pronounced its anathema
against divorce, and more particularly
| against the remarrying OF divorced per-
sons while another party to the divorce
still is in life.
The SUBJECT Of marriage and divorce
came in for a good deal of attention at
| the hands of the general Episcopal con-
ference of 1898. SO much in fact that
| a committee Of twelve was appointed
| for the purpose of taking the matter
under consideration and make 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 to-day after an all
| day session adjourned sine die and an
| nounced that 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 defined
| (a) Holy matrimony is an estate OF
| life which for the purpose OF this canon
| is sufficiently defined in the form APP
proved for the solemniZatlon or matrl-
mony in this church.
| ~ aloy in a
| rimony is a service where the mutual
| consent of the parties is given in the
| presence of a minister who then pro-
nounces them in the name OF the molly
| trinity to be man andswife.
| Section 2: Impediments TO matri-
| mony defined.
| The section defined the impediments
! Of consan guinity and affinity as stated
| in the books of Leviticus and Deuter-
onomy. The second canon drafted
| deals with the subject of the solemniza-
ton of holy matrimony.
| 1t is sub-divided in four sections as
| follows:
Section /:
| 1t shall be the duty of all ministers
of this church to conform to the civil
/ authorities relating to marriage.
| Section 2.
Every minister who shall solemnize
a marriage shall without delay make
| such record OF same as may be required
! by the law of this church and civil au-
| thority.
Section 3.
| No minister shall solemnize marriage
| without the presence of witnesses nor
without witnesses to whom the parties
| are personally known, except in a case
in which it is impossible for such wit
| nesses to be secured. No minister shall
| solemnize the marriage of any person
/ not identified to his satisfaction.
Section A.
No minister shall solemnize marriage
1 between any two persons unless nor
| until, by inquirey he shall have salts
| fed himself that neither person has
| been or is the husband or the wife Of
| any other person living unless the for
! mer marriage was annulled by decree
| of some court of competent jurisdic-
| ton for cause existing before such
! former marriage.
While the above two canons erect
| new barriers as a safeguard against IL
legal marriages, and prohibit re-mar-
party to a divorce suit whether guilty
| or innocent, the third canon goes one
| step further and excludes from all
| means of grace within the dispensation
| Of the church any divorced person who
/ shall have Remarked and be living
| with husband or wife rs the case may
be while the other party to the divorce
| still is in life. This canon, which, how
ever, applies only to the offending
! party Of divorce practically tends to
| outlaw the offender as far as church
| fellowship goes, and provides for his
| readoption in the fold only on the con-
| dition that he come truly penitent and
separate from the party to the second
| marriage, or il he should happen to be
in imminent danger of death and snow
the spirit of true repentance.
This canon Is sub-diyided into three
sections. as follows:
Section /:
No person divorced for causes arising
| after marriage and marrying again
during the life OF time OF the other
party TO the divorce, shall be admit
ted to baptism, or confirmation or
receive. holy communion, except when
penitent and separated from the other
party to the subsequent marriage. or
when penitent or in imminent danger
OF death, but this canon shall not apply
to the innocent party in a divorce for
the cause OF adultery.
Section q:
No person shall be denied baptism
or confirmation or the holy eommun-
ion under this canon until after the
minister shall have given TO the per-
son due and sufficient notice OF such
intended denial and OF the right of an
lpeal therefrom as here and after per-
mitted.
Section 3:
This section provides for appeal to
the bishop OF the diocese who. Ii he
deems the cause sufficient. may take
counsel with two neighboring bish-
ops and direct whether there shall be
any dispensation.
The canons in this form were unani-
mously adopted by those taking part
in the conferences. The committee
when appointed by the general con-
terence of 1898 consisted oftwelve mem