The St. Louis Republic., 1900-11-16
REMAnRIAGE OF
DIVORCED PERSONS.
Considered the Uppermost Ques-
tion, for Final Adjustment, in
the Episcopal Church.
DEAN DAVIS FOR PROHIBITION.
He Believes the Canon Should BE
Made More Explicit-Judge
John 4. Harrison Would
Make No Exceptions.

Tho report o: the COMMITTEES Of Twelve
that Was appointed at the last general con-
Venton of the Episcopal Church. which was
he'd in Washington In ISaS to consider the
question OF the revision Of the canons Of
the church relating to tho subject OF the
Temarriage OF persons who had been d.
Norced. has created widespread discussion
and is expected to prove the burning ques-
ton for solution when the general convcn-
ton meetf in San Franctsco on the first
Wednesday of October next.
As the law OF the church now stands.
there is but one exception 10 the rule that
divorced persons cannot marry during the
life Of either. and that is In the case Of
iniidelity. At present the canon allows the
innocent person where divorce is granted
on such ground to remarry in the lifetime
OF the othe- person. II the recommendation
or tho committee appointed by the last
general convention to consider the matter
Is adopted by the next general convention
then renarriage of divorced persons will be
ihnioited altogether during the lifetime of
either OF the parties to the divorce.
lean Carroll NJ. Davis of the Diocese OF
MISSOURI. in discussing the question: said:
Inc canons OF the church now prohibit
the remarrage OF divorced persons during
the lie OF either. except upon the one we'll
Known ground, where the Innocent party is
allowed I" remarry. This law Is founded up
on the Holy Scripture. All Episcopa!ian5
are agreed that this is strictly in accord
with the Divine Inhibition, ard should re-
main a part of the organic law. 1t is unan-
imousiy agreed that. 80 far as this excep-
ton Is concerned. there can be no remar-
riaGe in the church by the guilty party.
There ia another question on which
there Is unanim.ty, and that is that the
present canon on. the subject should be
made more explicit. AS ii stands to-day it
is left 70 the discretion OF the particular
minister to whom divorced persons may a,-
ply TO be married as to whether they may
or may not remarry. 1t is a well-known
fact tnat many divorces are granted where
the real cause is intidelity. though it never
appears In the court record because the
parties, FOR the sake of children, family or
other reason, consent to u decree on other
grounds.
Now, when either OF these persons may
desire afterwards to marry they represent
to the minister that. though the cttic!al
recoTS Is on one ground, the real ground
Tor the divorce came within the exception,
and If the clergyman Is satisfied with the
truth OF the assertion he can remarTy the
person. All agree that the law should be so'
amended as to take away tniS discretionary
lower Of the individual minister.
There IS a division Of sentiment in the
churc: OF the question as to whether di-
marry under any circumstances during tho
life Of the other. On this question ths rub
Will come in the general convention next
year. 1t Is practically certain that soma
amendment TO the preseu. law will be
made, taking away the discretionary pow
ers In the individual ministers, which. LII
my opinion, should Je done. and making the
cai.on on The subject So explicit that UNI
form and infexible rule WIZ obtain ever
afterwards
Judge John A. Harrison. a prominent lay
man Of the church. said: In my opinion.
there Is no doubt about the question that
the remarrlage Of divorced persons should
be prohibited altogether. no matter upon
what ground the divorce may havo been
granted. l beI!eve that iine-tcrths of tho
ministers of the church believe this, but
they are afraid to come out and fight for
It beca Nsa OF the very serious question that
arises as 10 what disposition Ia to be made
OF the members OF the church who have
married after being divorced. In my opln-
Ion, that ~ a consideration that should not
be rec'oned with. The church has the p.-
vine injunction as its guide. Gods dlrec-
tlon IS explicit and brooks 10 temporiztng
or expedieuts. In my opinion, the duty of
the church Is to follow the Divine direc-
tIon and trust to the wisdom OF God for