The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-06-24

city In September. 1899. Bishop Potter
said Ia his opening address:
"Our general convention. at It's last ses-
sion. gave, ak you know, considerable at
tention TO the proposed amendments OF
our very inadequate canon Gas II seems
10 mel OF marriage and divorce
''its councils were. as you are aware. d.
Ytded upon tae question whether that can
on could best be amended by Withdrawing
from a all authorization OF remarriage.
whether under the sanction OF our Lords
words IN st. Matthew xix, 8. or other
wise by making more stringent the con-
ditions under which it would be compe-
tent for the ordinary 60 sanction with
the authority OF these words the remar-
riage OF the innocent party 20 divorce
i need not reopen that discussion here.
THE church Will doubtless always be
divided as TO the authority Of these words
of Holy Scripture TO which / have re-
ferred and no less divided as TO the meas
ure OF discretion which IL is wise 10 vest
in the ordinary.
but. meantime, the whole subject has
gained a new aspect from events 10 which
/ need not more particularly refer here.
which have undoubtedly awakened I'm all
soper-minded Christian people a profound
sense OF alarm; and the consensus OF opin-
ion among them as 20 the necessity OF
legislation which shall prohibit the re-
marriage OF divorced persons, under any
ened and deepened.
THE ONLY SAFE COURSE"
II am by no means sure that such a
conclusion is not the wisest that We may
reach at present for undoubtedly it must
be owned that In the face Of such a dan
ger as threste us, the only safe course
must be TO prohibit absolutely that which.
while it might be permissible Ia we could
always be sure that IL had a Scriptural
justification for IL is only wrong and
evil when that justification, existing In
fact, exists only because il has been
fraudulently obtained
Here the judgments OF eminent publi-
clsts and legal authorities concur and
some OF them OF foremost rank as jurists
and churchmen have agreed i'm the opinion
that the only safe canon, I'm view of the
tendencies painfully evident among us.
is one I'm which the church refuses re-
marriage TO persons divorced for any
cause arising after marriage, absolutely
and universally.
But, however much we may safeguard
the solemnization OF holy matrimony, we
must no less lift up and safeguard the
approaches TO IT, No legislation, wheth-
er ecclesiastical or civil. which touches
only the terms and conditions OF the con-
tract itself. will do a work which must
needs be done before II is entered into.
To-day a man and a woman-a boy and
a girl, indeed 90 all intends and pur-
poses-may walk into the study OF priest
In this diocese and be married out OF hand
whlthout license from the state or
warning from the church, or any other
preliminary. IN fact. than such as con-
sists iu-must ! say 1.-THE sometimes
very Indifferent discretion OF the minister.
believe me- no canon OF marriage
which does not reach back good way
IN a precautionary discretion will be here
OF any substantial avail and if we are
aiming, az hope we may. 20 set a high
or standard here, I hope IL may be wide
enough at It's base 20 include aspects of
this whole subject which I'M our current
discussions OF II are largely overlooked