Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-22
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.
Three Now Canons to he Considered by
EpiscopaIians.

| NdW IUfhs NOV. Ii. w ueu tu6 sJtu-
eral Conference Of the Protestant Epis-
| copal Church meets in San Francisco
next October three new canons on tho
subject Of marriage and divorce will
be placed before the body for its con-
sideration.
| Should these canons become the law
Of the Episcopal Church through the
4 approval of the General Conference,
then the Episcopal Church will have
pronounced its ban against divorce,
| and GEOGRAPHICALLY against the re-
marrying of divorced persons while an
other party to the divorce is alive.
The subject of marriage and divorce
i came In for good deal Of attention at
the hands of the General Episcopal
Conference of 1880 much, IN fact.
that q COMMITTEES Of IL was appointed
for the purpose of taking the matter
under consideration and making such
recommendation to the next conference
Of the body as would pave the way for
changes in the present tenets of tho
church on these subjects. This COM
mittee, after having met year age,
when they failed to reach an agree
ment looking toward reform, again
went into session today.
The committee spent the greater por-
tion OF the day wrestling with the
problem before them. At the forenoon
session nothing of definite nature WAS
accomplished. This afternoon the com
mittee resumed work. and as the men,
hers came out at the close of this ses-
sion 1t was announced that the confer
ence OF the committee had been ad-
journed sine die and that three canons
dealing with the subject Of the con-
ference had been drafted.
The first canon adopted Is entitled
"Holy matrimony aud impedimeuts
thereto. The text of this canon is as
follows.
"Secton l. tal-Holy matrimony is
an estate of life which for the purpose
of this canon is sufficiently defined in
the form appointed for the solemniza-
tion Of matrimony in this church. 10y
! The solmenization OF holy matrimouy
is service where the mutual consent
of the parties Is given by the presence
of minister, who then pronources
them IN the name Of the Holy Trinity
, to BIZ man and wife,
! Section defines the impediments of
consanguinity and affinity as stated in
the Books of Leviticus and Deuter-
onomy. The second canon drafted deals
with the subject of the determination
, Of holy matrimony." 1t is subdivided
in four sections, as follows:
''Section !. 1t shall be the duty Of
all ministers Of this church to conform
3 to the civil authorities relating to
! marriage.
: "Sec. 2. Every minister who shall
. solemnize marriage shall without de-
D lay make such record of same as may
5 be required by the law of this church
, and civil authority.
, "Seo g. No minister shall solemnize
8 marriage without the presence OF wit.
n nesses, nor without witnesses to whom
9 the parties are personally known, ex-
4 cept in case in which it is impossi
. BILE for such witnesses to be secured.
8 No minister shall solemniza the mar.
: riage OF any person not identified to
o his satisfaction.
: "Sec. 4. No minister shall solemnize
marriage between any two persons I'M
!. less nor until by inquiry he shall have
a satisfied himself that neither person
q has been or is the husband or the wife
. OF any other person living, unless the
Q former marriage was annulled by decree
i of some court of competent jurisdiction
b for cause existing before such former
marriage ~
u While the above two canons erect new
n barriers as a safeguard against illegal
d marriages, and prohibit remarriage by
any Episcopal minister Of any party tc
9 a divorce suit. whether guilty or :nno
t cent, the third canon goes one steE
farther, and excludes from all means oi
grace within the dispensation of the
church any divorced person who shall
have remarked and be living with hus
. band or wife, as the case may be, while
the other party to the divorce still il
d living. This canon, which, however,
d applies only to tho offending party of {
or divorce, practically tends to outlaw tn,
10 offender as far as church fellowsh il
N goes, and provides for his readoEtior
" in the fold only on the condition tina
l. he come truly penitent and separat,
10 from the party to the second marriage
ID or II he should happen to be in imme
3. spirit of true repentanos. This oanoi
D. IS subdivided into three sections, al
'e follows:
IN "Section l. No person divorced TO
le causes arising after marriage and mar
to ryinR again during the lifetime of tn
10 other party to tho divorce shall be ad
D. mitted to baptism or confirmation o
e. received to holy communion, excep
It when penitent and separated from tn
10 other party to the subsequent marriage
le or when penitent and in immediat
re danger OF death, but this caEon shal
q. not apply to tho innocent party ia di
TX vorce for the cause of adultery.
re ''Sec. 2. No person shall be denie,
We baptism or confirmation or the hol
It. communion under this canon unit
it. after the minister shall have given
re- the person due and sufficient notice @
tn such intended denial, and of the RICH
to of appeal thereirom as hereinafter per
ed mitted. -R
r.. "Sention provides for appeal to th
10 bishop of the diocese or missionary dis
of trict, who, il he deems the caus
We sufficient. may take counsel with tw
he neighboring bishops and decid
nd whether there shall be any dispense
- ton"
The cauons in this form we're unani
mously adopted by those taking part j
the conference. The committee, whe
sw appointed by the general conference {
as 1898, consisted of IL members. Onl
IN nine of these members were present q
he the meeting to-day, one having died an
~, two not having b GO nheard from.
20 PENINSULA PARAGRAPHS.