New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-24
BISHOPS ON DIVORCE.


marriage after 1t between the parties who had
committed the sin enhances the horror of the
situation to-day"
The ipso facto difficulty the assertion that
unfaithfulness dssolves the bond of marriage,
the Bishop declared to mean that divorce is
needless, or marriage is merely the mating of
animals"
SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF DIVORCE.
In dealing with this question from the Script
ural point OF view. he said:
The whole question turns upon the right of re-
marriage after putting away. And the two
statements which st, Matthew records deal, one
merely with the subject of putting away with
out any reference to remarria ge-"Whoso
shall put away his wife, save for the cause Of
forncation, causeth her to commit adultery
while the other adds the expression and shall
marry another" The fact to be gathered from
the first is merely that our Lord allowed as the
sole cause of putting away one cause. but it
does not carry with ii the idea that the putting
away left either party free to remarry
l do not think that in the ordinary discussion
of the Scriptural presentation attention enough
is called to st. Paufs witness: And unto the
married 1 command vet not l. but the Lord let
not the wife depart from her husband But and
If she depart, let her remain unmarried. or be
reconciled to her husband and let not the hus-
band put away his wife" l Corinthians vii,
10 IL. in which he says distinctly. Not 1. but
the Lord" And 1t is applicable to what he
writes to the Roman Christians asserting a
well known Christian law: know ye not breth-
rem Gor L speak to them that know the law)
how that the law hath dominion over a man as
long as he iiveth? For the woman which hath
an husband is bound by the law to her husband
so long as he lveth: but if the husband be dead
she. is loosed from the law of her husband. So
then If, while her husband liveth. she be married
to another man, she shall be called an adui-
teress: but If her husband be dead. she is free
from the law; so that she is no adulteress,
though she be married to another man."-Ro-
mans, Vii. I. ). So that these two utterances,
both unmistakable in their meaning, not
Pauline Canons, but restatements and revela-
Ia ~ nIIr I,nr
had passed at that time into a well known law
OF the Church. to which the apostle could ap-
peal for the truth that only death dissolves the
marriage bond.
SACREDNESS OF MARRIAGE.
The following are some of the striking conclu-
sions Of Bishop Doane's paper:
F1rst-That the marriage relation. being at the
foundation Of the family. which is the founda-
lion Of the state, is fundamental principle OF
all civilized and national life.
Second-That the alarming increase of divorce
has become d serious threat to morality, decency
and social stability in this country and this age
Third-That the canon law of this Church to-
day sets a higher standard than is set by the
civil law of the States, or by the canon OF any
religious body, except the Church of England.
Fourth-That. judged either by its effect or
by the authority which il rests, IL is not
stringent enough
Fifth.That there is absolute agreement in this
Church upon the ole fact-namely, that divorce
with remarriage can be possibly tolerated only
in the one instance of what is called the inno-
cent party in divorce suit for adultery.
Sixth-That il is impossible for any one to
affirm that the language in the nineteenth chap
ter Of the Gospel according to St Matthew, on
which this sole exception is grounded, is abso-
lutely certain either in its authority or in its in
depreciation.
Seventh-That this record is not only differ
ent from but absolutely at variance with. other
statements OF Lord upon this same sub
iect as recorded in the other evangelsts, espe-
cally with our Lords acceptance of the original
law OF this primeval institution namely, that
the twain flesh and that man may
not put asunder what God has Joined together
Eighth-That st. Pauls statement in both
the Epistle to the Corinthians and the Epistle
the Romans clearly shows the position of
the Apostolic Church and his own definite
teaching from our Lord Himself that only
death dissolves the marriage bond.
Nihth-That for the first three hundred years
of the primitive Church such thing was
known as remarriage after divorce.
Tenth-That the Church of England. from the
time of the Norman Conquest to the present
DAY, forbids such remarriages by her canon
law.
Eleventh-That the whole spirit OF the mar
rage service of this Church maintains the indis-
soluble sanctity of the marriage bond.
Twelfth-That call this hardship does
not prove that IL is not right; and IL is no
greater hardship than the necessary prohibition
OF divorce. with right to remarry, for insanity or
lifelong Imprisonment.
Last-That where there is any least DOUBT
upon a question of this vital importance. moral,
religious and social. the act of mercy is TO safe
guard the sanctity OF marriage against any
possible desecration. 10 keep man or woman
from the possibility of the sin of a marriage
otherwise than Gods Word doth allow.
Notable declarations regarding divorce made
TO The Tribune correspondent to-day by leading
bishops attending the conference follow:
BISHOP POTTERs DECLARATION.
Bishop Potter Of New-York said:
There is = general trend in the Church at this
day toward greater rigidty in the enforcement
Of the marriage law. At the last convention
.bar u1pt To amend which
luits the marriage of the innocent person where
a divorce has been granted on the ground OF
adultery by fOrbidding remarriage on any
ground while both persons lived. That, however.
was lost in the House of Deputies. although II
passed in the House of Bishops.
1t must not be forgotten that the office used
in the Episcopal Church expressly says for
worse as well as for better" Divorce Is a
growing evil and the people must be educated 10
appreciate that the family Is a tounaation OF
the state. The increase of the divorce EVIL leads
TO certain unmistakable conclusions. It be
comes apparent that. while there Is n possibility
Of dissolving the marriage tie persons bound
nv rnatrin1oDv will be prone to let their thoughts
revert to that possibility whenever there ARISE
those moments Of. shall we say, incompatolhty.
which occur in almost every 1aflllly OH HoIe VI
less rare occasions.
was once greatly impressed with the opinion
expressed by f. ]. Phelps, one OF the ablest law
vers we have ever had. q man who should nave
been on the Supreme bench. Mr.. Phelps had long
been an earnest supporter of the position heId pE
tho F,nisropal Church. permitting the innocent
party TO marry, but he finally said TO me; Il
am convinced that so long as adultery IS recog-
nized as a valid ground for divorce. SO long will
adultery be committed for the very purpose OF
procuring divorce. That Is grave consldera-
ton and one that should not be overlooked.
The time may not yet be ripe for closer
drawing Of the lines. but on one point we are all
sgreedSthat is on the necessity Of uniform
divorce law throughout the United States That
is the first step 10 be taken. both with view to
-1ininizirg the evil and TO educating public
sentiment TO the high plane which must be our
goal 49,, -