The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-06
THE VANDERBILT WEDDING.
Civil Law and Ecclesiastical Practice ~
TO the Marriage Of the Divorced.

| 70 the Marriage Of the divorced.
To THE EDIroR or The SuN-Sir: A
mighty effort has been made to create a
! scandal out OF the Vanderbilt wedding
Whereas. with the or ception Of Roman
Catholics and Episcopalians, ministers OF
religion are constantly performing such
marriages. without any protest or sense OF
| scandal
The discussion Of the Vanderbilt wedding
| In London makes pertinent some explana-
ton regarding the English Marriage law.
Years ago a marriage could not be per-
formed in England except by clergyman
OF the Established Church. and no divorce
could be granted except through the House
OF Lords. Clandestine marriages were
frequent. and clergymen imprisoned as
| debtors in the "Fleet" secured their liberty
by performing such marriages. In those
days any clergyman Episcopa!ly ordained
could celebrate wedding anywhere and
at any time
The scandals to religion we're so great that
Marriage act passed by the British Parla-
ment provided that marriages could only
be celebrated in England by licensed
clergyman of the Established Church, and
under the following conditions:
by lIt Vi Nne
OF marriage, in the parish church, imme-
diately after the reading Of the second les
son. These banns must be published in the
parish in which one or both of the parties
must reside for three Sundays. And the
banns must be published on three success
sive Sundays.
Secondly the Bishops license, which
can be obtained from Surrogate. who is
really the deputy of the ecclesiastical au-
thority. This license costs IS. 1t au-
thorizes any Clergyman to celebrate the
wedding in the parish church Of the district,
in which one OF the parties must reside
for three Sundays. The rector OF the
church ia obliged to perform wedding
unless some other clergyman is invited.
Third-A special license. obtaina BILE only
from the Archbishop of the province, le-
galzes a wedding celebrated in private
house. This license is very seldom given
and the fee is large.
Parliament, about fifty years ago, 1t be-
came necessary to change the law for the
relief of those incumbents OF parishes who
object TO marrying divorced persons Con-
sequently the rector or vicar OF churcn
can refuse to celebrate the wedding Of di
vorced persons, but he must allow any
clergyman duly ordained to perform the
ceremony In his churcn, 80 long as the
provisions of the act are complied WIN.
This was the case when MIR. Hadden,,
well-known socialstic clergyman, cele-
brated the Vanderbilt wedding.
William Crosswel Doane, Bishop of AL
bany has said that the Bishop OF London
was in no way responsible for the Wander
bit wedding, as the license was issued ny
issued by the Bishops Chancellor and
in the name and by the authority of the
Right Honorable and Right Reverend
Father in God Arthur Foley Wilmington
Ingram, doctor, in divinity: by the divine
permission Bishop and Metropolitan OF
the See of London"
Here is the real scandal-a scandal which
threatens the existence OF the national
Church. Bishop Ingram objects to the
marriage OF divorced persons. He reproves
actually refuses to enter church for con-
firmation or visitation in which such mar
riages have been celebrated. yet the law
of the State Church compels him to issue
license for such marriages. 1t Is here
that the importance of the Vanderbilt mol
divided over the Church Discipline act
now before the House Of Commons.
1t is very difficult to understand why
and Mrs Rutherfurd should make such per-
sist ent efforts to secure church wedding.
AS in America, 20 in England they could
have been married without religious
ceremony.
1t is not likely that either in England or
in America such marriages will be for
hidden by the civil law. II is true that an
attempt at prohibition is being made in the
United States but the law OF divorce which
has existed in England for at least fifty
years has never been opposed by public
opinion All that the clergy Of the Church
OF England demand is that such marriages
shall not be solemnized by the clergy; and
the Vanderbilt incident will certainly effect
some change in the Church law.
! could send you the names Of a dozen
poor ministers, with small pay and large
who have refused to marry di-
vorced persons when very large and
fee has been offered. and among
them, AN ANGLICAN CLERGYMAN.
New YORK, May4.