Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-10
LIMIT DIVORCE.
Important Action of House of
Bishops at Episcopal
Convention.
ACTION NOT COMPLETE.
pected in the House Of Deputies
More Discussion Expected on
Discipline of People Marry-l
ing After Divorce.

| San Francisco, Oct. 9.--Thc action OF
NSrcatost importance taken to-day by tho
trionnial Episcopal convention was tn
adoption by the house of bishops by a
vote of 81 to q, of canon 80. which relates
to solemnization of marriage. All OF its
provisions had previously been argued. cx
ceit those contained in section 4, which
forbade the marriage of persons divorce
fer any cause not existing before mar
riaEe.
II or any cause not existing before mar
rage is understood to refer to such
causes as insanity, inability to eXecUte :,
contract, the existence OF living wife
or husband or like reasons which practi-
tally render the marriage null and void.
rms section has been IL bore OF corten-
ton, strong element in the church hold
Ing that the remarriage of the innocent
party TO divorce. granted on the ground of
inlldelity should not be fCrbidien The
bishops have refused to accept this view
of the matter.
Thc question is by no means settled as
the whole subject is now to came lp in
the house of deputies, where IL is eXpect-
ed to cause Il protracted debate. The
canon, as finally passed by the houat Of
bishops, reads
Canon 3ti-of the sOlemnizatlon of mat.
limony.
1.-THE solcmnization of rnatrimony in
this church, in which the mutual consent
CT each party entering into this Statt Of
HE Is given il the presence of a minister
Who having pronounced in the name OF
the Holy Trinity to be man and wife. in
VckeS the DIVINE Blessing upon their
union.
''2-The requirements of the laws of the
state regarding the conditions for the civil
contract OF marriage shall in all cases he
carefully observed before the marriage is
solemnzed
No person shall solemnize the mar
rage OF any person who is d minor unGer
the law of the place of marriage, unless
lhe parent or guardian OF such minor is
present and Conscnting or shall have Civ
en- written consent to the marriage or is
permanently resident in a foreign country.
40 minister shall solemniZe Il marriage
except in the presence of at least two wit
hesses, the minister or the witnesses being
personally acquainted with the parties
Every minister shall, without delay. for.
maily record in the proper register the
name. age and residence of each party
Such record shall be signed by the min
lister who performed the ceremony and If
practicable by the married parties, and
pN AT least two witnesses of the marriage.
'i-No minister shall solemnize a mar
rage between any two persons unless,
nor, until by inquiry, he shall have salts
hrd hlmSeif that neither person has been
or Is the husband. or the wife Of any other
person then living; unless the former mar
rage was annulled by a decree of some
clNil court of competent jurisdiction for
cause existing before such former mar.
riage'
The bishops bave yet to consider canon
u" providing FOR the discipline of perso
after having been divorced This
also VIII cause lively discussion.
another important feature of the work
OF the house of bishops to-day was the APP
polhtment OF committee of five, to act
with similar committees of priests and
laymen. constituting "a Joint committees of
hlteen to consider the proposed change in
the name of the church. The committee
mas no power to act, but is to report it's
findings ut the next general convention to
be hcId in ostOn in 1904.
The house of deputies adopted the report
ot the Joint committee on marginal read
lngs after agreeing to an amendment elm
mating those readings which are original
with the committee.
The vote on the main proposition as
amended was:
Clerical-Ayc, %; dioceses, nay, g. diyi- |
lcnd. l.
1-ay-Aye. i5; diocesese, nay G; dividend .. |
The report, as amended will go back to
the house of bishops for action on the
amendment.
The house of deputies tomorrow will
take up the canon on marriage and di-
torce.
Both houses unanimously selected Ros-
ton as tho place for holding the next tri-
'nnial convention.
general reception to the delegates was
given tonight at the Mark Hopkins msti-
uthe of Art 1t was largely attended and
/" as one of the most brilliant social func-
ions ever held in this city.
The headquarters of the women's aux
liary was thronged all day with strangers
md residents of the CITY many of whom f