The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-20
Marriage and Divorce Conference.


Marriage and Divorce Conference,
Last month conference Of appointed
representatives Of the Episcopal, Metho-
dist and Presbyterian Churches was held
In New York TO frame some plan for CON-
mon action on the subject Of marriage
and divorce. As a first step, they seem
to have undertaken to bring into the
movement other religious denomina-
tons, probably the Protestant Churches
generally, in order to limit the evils
which arise from the loose divorce laws
prevalent in the many States, and also
to secure adequately the enforcement Of
appropriate regulations a. to marriage,
both in Church and State
II the religious sentiment Of this coun-
try should frown on divorces obtained
under loose divorce laws and on the
marriage Of the divorced to new mates.
it might exert Q powerful deterrent in
fiuence. At present, social sentiment
backed by religious opinion and practice
tolerates and even encourages divorces
obtained for any cause allowed by any
State law. In the practice Of the society
Of fashion and in the social circles out
side Of 1t loose divorce laws are justi-
fed. New York people get their mar
riages dissolved by decree Of . court OF
South Dakota, for instance. and when
thereafter they make other marriages
society here gives them its approval.
Nor do they have any difficulty in finding
ministers to perform the new ceremony
for them. Only by the Roman Catholic
Church Is matrimony held to be an indis-
soluble sacrament. Only in the State Of
New York is there q single cause Of d.
vorce, with the exception Of South
Carolina, where there ID no divorce law.
In all the other States there are loose
divorce laws a. this conference de-
scribes them. though In some the loose
ness is greater than in others. Gener-
ally, however, wilful desertion. abandon
ment, is q sufficient cause, and II has been
held a. such BY Professionalism since the
days OF the Reformation.
II 10 hard to see, therefore, how the
Churches which are expected to join in
this conference to bring about uniformity
Of action by them a. to marriage and
divorce can agree on plan to that end.
The Episcopal Church recognizes only d.
vorce for adultery and forbids marriage
to any except the innocent party to q
suit for divorce for that cause. The
Westminster Confession, practically the
standard Of faith for all the Presbyterian
family of Churches and for the denomina-
tions known a. evangelical except
the Arminian Methodist, recites as a
sufficient cause such wilful desertion
as can no way be remedied by the Church
or civil Magistrate Actually, too, OF
the whole number Of divorces granted.
two-thirds are under loose divorce
laws, "'or for desertion, cruelty, drunken
ness and neglect to provide; and more
than four-fifths Of the whole are secured
by wives.
It is possible. as we have said, that II
the Churches represented in this confer
enoe should agree on a common policy
regarding divorce and, more especially.
they could exert q powerful
influence on social sentiment against
loose divorce laws; but inasmuch as
they differ % radically a. to what consti-
tutes such . law. how oan they get to-
gether? Can Professionalism be expected
to give up its acceptance Of the cause Of
desertion a Scriptural? Can Presby-
terrain and Baptist and Methodist minis |
tiers. for example, be expected to assist |
Episcopalians in enforcing the Episcopal |
canon forbidding divorce except for
and allowing remaniage to
The innocent party only, by refusing
10 marry TO new mates Episcopalians
for any other oause'
Moreover, Is II at all probable that the
loose divorce laws now prevailing in
ivory State, except two, will Be changed |
through the influence Of those disagree-
ING Churches? II b q very complicated
problem. for American public sentiment,
u manifestedln the legislation Of nearly