The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-10-14
EpIscopAL ExcoMMuNIcArIoN.
A Canon Of Which Many Church
Members Are Ignorant.

In the course Of his remarks on
different questions now agitatinS the
Episcopal general convention at San
Francisco, and on the subject OF mar
rage and divorce in particular. the
Rev. William Short, rector of St
Peters church, yesterday morning
called attention to an old and for
gotten church law published in the
general canons Of the church that
more strict church canon on the ques
ton OF divorce than that at present
would soon become obsolete from non
I observance, making the point that
people who would not observe the
+ law as 1t is now would not observe
one more rigid In other words, that
morality could not be enforced by leg
islation, but could be promoted by
teaching end preaching and appeals
through the higher ideals.
In this connection he ventured the
opinion taar not three members Of
his congregation knew Of the canon
which permitted the minister to pun
ish the parisbioner who failed to OBJ
serve the Sabbath day, yet there was
such a canon in existence. This com
ment naturally aroused some interest
and curiosity. If a man could be pun
isaed or disciplined for not observing
the Sabbath, what sort of punishment
was he subject to, and had the canon
ever been enforced, was the question
which naturally arose. When asked
about 1t last night. DR.. Short said
the law had been in disuse so long
that he had forgotten It's provisions.
On second thought, he did not believe
there was a Jenalty attached to the
canon and the subject was loked up.
The general canon on the subject
reads: "All persons within this
church ~han celebrate and keep the
Lords day. commanly called Sunday,
in hearing the word of God read and
taught, in private and public prayer,
in other exercises of devotion and in
acts of charity, using all godly and
sober conversation"
The diocesan canon, however of lay
! discipline cover practically the same
p ground and affixes a penalty. Canon
; 26, of lay discipline, section l, reads;
: persons IN connection with this
, church by baptism, who are habitual
ly neglectfui OF the duty of public wor
. ship and OF other Christian obliga
tions. shall be kindly admonished by
} the minister. The confirmed, whc
] have never been communicates, shSl
be earnestly urged to prepare them
= selves for that bounden duty Com
5 municants absenting themselves from
: divine service or from the Lords
T. supper for six months, shall be seri
: ously exhorted to return to this duty
4 and II they still so absent themselves
may, after one year, be suspended
from the holy communion, and it shall
be unlawful for the clergy elsewhere
to admit an yperson so suspended tC
! the holy communion, except, after due
] notice given to the clergyman con
= cerned. and with the written consent
of the biahop.'
This means practically excommuni
cation, and Is a severe penalty. Whei
asked as to it's effect if applied strict
ly in his own congregation. DIR. shor
said: well, our congregation is ex
, ceptionally good about attending wor
+ ship" However, he could recall
4 cases where the rule would apply, bul
q he did not believe seriously in inter
e fering with a mans business betweeI
e himself and his God, nor die he be
( iievs It part of a pastors duty t'
d keep books on his parishioners an'
> tally every time they attend or mis-
a service. The average member woul'
{ deem 1t impertinent if he were a7kei
0 for an excuse for his absence from
;, worship. and so this canon has com
+ into such general disuse that it ha
!. been forgotten. The same objection
; and more could be made to the Pre-
d posed divorce and marriage resolu
+ ton new beng discussed at San Fran
e cisco. and II, too, in DR.. Shorts est
& nation would become a dead lette
9 ifadopted.