The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-22
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.
An Episcspalian Argues In Favor Of tho
Divorce Laws Called Loose"

AARAIA0E AND DIVORCE.
An Episespatian Argues In Favor Of the
Divorce Laws Called LOOSE"
To TIE EDITon OF TBg srS-Sir: Your
| editorial OF to-day on the Marriage and
Divorce Conference Of the Episcopal. Metho-
dist and Presbyterian churches suggests the
| thought that In all the able articles which
have appeared In THE SuN no mention has
| ever been made Of the fact that the Church
| Of England came within IN ace Of having
| loose law Of divorce in her canons
In 1882 Archbishop Cranmer was chief OF
| the commission which compiled the Re
formatio Lcgum Ecclesiasticarum" for the
government Of the Church Of England. These
| reformed canons provided that absolute
| divorce b allowed for adultery, desertion.
| long absence cruel treatment danger to life
| or health. and In each case remarriage was
| allowed by the Church to the innocent party.
The death Of Edward VI and the accession
OF Mary. With the consequent restoration OF
the Roman Catholic faith, alone prevented
these canons from being adopted as the law
Of the Anglican Church 1t must also be
borne To mind that at that time, and either
actually or universally until the creation of
the present divorce court In England. such
matters were entirely In the hands Of the
, ecclesiastical authorities unless we except
the some what rare and comparatively modern
Parliament.
The vieg Of divorce held by many of the
slsSssss and Hiss cRSseS ss :%1S p sR +:
scarcely to belong 70 the same Church. is
that sreat Of the FATTY h1 Is. 0R Epi.co
S Sss : sns Sss, SS q; osSy az
divorce are either laughed at or "G ressntsd.
70 tSeT modem DEE s dss. On 'e esis
subject. either by teaching or discipline now
~ 70 innSspcs siyil issislsiiop IL ths bop.
the word modern sdyisediy, for until the
gpissop. cSaroS saS idess s .nf e, me
;,hhs Roman disciSiins Of e1commTncstion foF
he Utmost limit was set in former yesss when
uncsnoniosily. divorced They might and
sonsi preferences, but such people were mar
ried by other r i ministers and went along IN
mHu s in good standing. regular '0n'-
the Catholic Church is the Cyprianio Hss Of
1eiopsd ' IN ali Prote.t.nais%. SVEN Z e.
ss such s.yp S
ent bodies. custodians Of the faith and Judges
own NIX IDEAS Of Tie sriptures How. ~" them s
With the right Of private Judgment still g
element in the Episcopal Church expect to
bring PrGtesstants at large around to it way
An element In. the Anglican Church has for
years been endea voring to substitute the
Roman Catholic canon for their own and
whatever. One. OF their stock. arguments
Is that such a law. u universally enforced.
;;aIe hs: found it ,Ssees.ary 70 rssa-
s eG ave # hi: 70
lords ;h q sSdSs NGs soS S5 TIE STAT court
divorces have not been allowed for any causes
whatever. we sometimes see men Of excellent
and sftuoSa women oe or driven
"a d Ss isam e sssS :1d bsS I'd
nSs S. felony w f husband %.t sis
sboy. quoted rom Prof %ooIssy. work
On Divor1,sIt .and he was Sertainly 70 friend
R NV so I'd es he Of
s ss e ssssIs S: s a &. &: ME NJ:
ss could rs%sds and public Snnicn ' Gia NOT as
New York has divorce statute. which, In
both its relief and it, penalty, is almost pre-
csely analogous to the present canon Of the
American Episcopal Church. How does II
does 4 work among the citizens Of New York;
No other State In the Union has been infiu-
enced In It's legislation BY New York. and her
own citizens easily eyade It by removing to
other jurisdictions where more liberal laws
Rage easy BY comparatively short Journey.
The principle Of divorce having been recog-
pied and incorporated into Protestant be-
lief throughout all comnrunions. the multi
y Fl bsg sbS,
mind can be brousht to weigh nicely the
fne distinctions Of the clergy as to just and
nnjnst causes: Al any rate the Amertcaa
seem likely that this will be reversed. That
II ie no new thing II shown. I think. by the
ecclesiastical Hesitation proposed and for
mulated by Cranmer and his associates $50
years ago which 40 nearly became the law
:, When one stops to think that the Greek
Church allows divorce for adultery and de-
sertion,. that the entire Protestant world has
since the Reformation held to the came
that IN
two causes. but others less serious and that
the Episcopal Church has tacitly recoRnized
other causes besides adultery by the dispense
tons practically IN use by various diooe:sns
testants are TO be broueh back 70 the catho-
lie rule OF an indissoluble MARRIAGE which II
the logical end all the Episcopalian efforts
tby the High Churchmen > have In view ulti-
present attitude agree With the canon gov
ernins MARRIAGE and divorce proposed By
Cranmer and his associates?
NrwARx, April 20. EPncorALiAn.