The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-06

a has been demonstrated In many instances
in the circle of society from which the u 8
band, who obtained divorce there, comes. 'he
canon of the EpiscopalChurch Is not suiiicieh'
TO prevent It's members from awaiting theih-
selves OF any State law by which they can
escape from marriages irksome OF intolera-
BILE to them. Since they suffer from no social
~disapproyal because Of such defiance oil
their Church il IL evident that the society
In which they move sympathizes WIN una
disobedience. II, then, they can oeiS ."o
present Episcopal canon with lmliinhi's'
what reason Is there to suppose that they
would fare worse II the canon were clanseu'
"a now proposed, SO as 10 forbid divorce
altogether? This Newport divorce mas peeh
obtained in a spirit OF disobeuiehce W
that Church a. fat as II would nave oeehn
the canon had been already thur changed
The contempt OF the authority oi 'ho
Church could have been no more coinPIc'c
il the divorce had been obtained under the
most liberal OF American divorce laws; yet
It brings no reproach to the HUSBAND ma
circle of society where the Episcopal Church
Is the most favored. ,
The theory Of the sacramentalists ana
s%acerdotalists who are now demanding 'ha'
the Episcopal canon shall make marriage
indissoluble is that thus a ban would be pun
on divorce which would make the prac'ice
dlsreputable in that society; but We nave
seen that experience with the existing caho"
does not Justify such an expectation. People
who follow their inclinations In going into
matrimony are likely TO follow them in get
ting out Of it when the civil law offers the
opportunity and their manner OF life has not
h%abituated them to self-restraint. Accus-
toned to have their own way In other
matters, perhaps from childhood up. they
may resent marriage restraints which haVe
become troublesome to them or interfere
with their inclination to make new marriage
ventures. How, loo, can the Episcopal
Church succeed In establishing such a curb
in this country. when in England. with Its
established Church. divorce Is legal? The
case is different with the Roman Catholic
Church, which always in It's history has held
marriage TO be an indissoluble sacrament.
Whatever tnt iuWS VI hC VI nv >"'
toms Of Professionalism. Such has not been
the attitude Of the great body OF the Epis-
copal Church OF this country. Probably
divorces are as many, proportionately.
among its members as among Protestants
generally, and apparently they are more
frequent, relatively TO numbers. among
Episcopalians of the circle OF fashion In
New York.
Moreover, divorce is allowed universally
under our civil law, with the single excep-
ton OF South Carolina, and by every other
Church in Christendom except the Roman
Catholic. In a large part OF the instances,
too, and more especially those in fashion
able society. divorces are obtained for the
special purpose Of getting liberty to marry
new mates, oftehtimes mates who have
already been selected. II the suggested
change we're made In the Episcopal canon
the only practical consequence would be
that such people would be compelled TO go
elsewhere than to an Episcopal clergyman
to get remarked; but their entire willingness
70 do that has been, demonstrated very
frequently.