The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-18
DISCUSSED IN LOWER HOUSE OF THE
EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.
DIR. HUNTINGTONS AMENDMENT
To Except the Innocent, Party in Ger
tain Cases Argued With Great Earn
estness on Both SIdes-R. ii. Battle.
of North Carolina, Advocates the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES three Amend
ed and Adopted-Mfssionary Bishops
Nominated by the House of Bishops.

a francisco, october 1.-THE house
of deputies on assembling to day went
into committee of the whole on the
marriage and divorce canon. An at
tempt to strike out a requirement of
Section 3, that in recording a marriage
the clergy shall state the ages of the
parties, was defeated. A requirement
that, when practicable, the parish reg
lister record shall be signed by the
married parties and the witnesses was,
after much objection, retained.
Section 3 was then adopted as
a whole. This brought the argu-
ment to Article 4, already adopted by
the bishops, which forbids the marriage
of persons divorced for cause not ex-
listing before their former marriages.
practical bar to the re-marriage of di-
yorced persons by the Episcopal
church.
Mr.. Lewis, of Pennsylvania, rose to
correct a misrepresentation of the public
report Of his canon. He explained that
it does not propose to prevent any one
at all from being married. 1t proposes
only to forbid ministers Of the Episco-
pal church to marry any divorced per-
son whatever whose former husband
or wife is still living.
Rev. DR., Huntington offered an
amendment intended to except the in
nocent party to a divorce obtained for
the cause of adultery, when the fact
is made to ppear by certified record
from the court granting the divorce.
He supported his proposal by an APP
nna1 Tn tho nJfI0ni+y Sc T1-,,- Lit
which, he said. cannot be attacked ex-
ept by the assistance Of what is
known as the higher criticism" and
this could be fully answered if the need
arose.
Consideration of the Huntington
amendment was continued until after
recess, several vigorous addresses be-
ing made.
Richard H. Battle of North Carolina,
argued strongly for DR.. Huntington's
amendment as being in accordance
with the scripture and free from the
charge of impracticability.
Thomas g. Elder, of Virginia, urged
that evidence regarding divorce should
be sought for in the entire record,
rather than in the decree of the court
alone. which would not in every case
recite the ground Of the divorce. He
moved an amendment to that effect
and DR.. Huntington approved the
amendment.
Rev. DR.. Greer of New York, cited
the fact that more divorces are grant
ed in this country than in all the
countries Of Europe together.
John p. Thomas. Jr., of South Caro-
lima, where no divorces are allowed by
the state law, said the law of the
church. should correspond with the high
standard adopted by his state.
The house of bishops today nomina-
ted missionary bishops to be elected by
the house of deputies Is follows: Dis
trict of Hankow, Rev. James Addison
Ingle, now of Hankow; district Of the
Philippines. Rev. Charles H. Brunt.
now of st. Stephens. Boston; district of
Olympia, Rev. Fred William Kaetor,
now of Dubuque, Iowa; district of Por-
to Rico and adjacent islands, Rev. Will
liam Cabell Brown now connected with
the mission of Brazil; district of North
Dakota, Rev. Charles Campbell Pierce.
The house of bishops adopted the
eleventh and last amendment to the
constitution.