Evening star., 1903-10-24
Regarding Divorce.


marriage that were discussed yesterday are
as follows:
Resolved, That the churchs attitude
toward the questions of marriage and
divorce, In order to protect the institutions
of Christian marriage and the Christian
family, would be a bold utterance of the
sacred and mystical character of carriage
based upon the primal reyelatio of it's
character as re-enacted by our Lords own
words-no more twain. but one flesh,
what, therefore, God hath Joined together
let no man put aSunder.'
Resolved, That in the alarming preva-
lence OF divorce ard of the rcmarriage of
divorced persons the bishops assembled
here declare their conviction that while the
sacraments of the church should not be de-
MED to the innocent party in divorce for
adultery remarked. the sanction of the
church should not be given to any remar-
rage after divorce for any cause arising
after marriage
Bishop Doane on Divorce.
Bishop Doane in his address of the uues-
ton of divorce and remarriage yesterday,
declared that the increase of divorces had
become a serious menace to the country
He took the ground that divorce with re-
marriage can be allowed by the church only
in the case of the innocent party to a di-
vorce granted for adultery.
Bishop Doane said that where there is
'the least doubt upon a question of this
vital Importance, moral, religious and So
cial. the act of mercy is 10 safeguard the
sanctlty of marriage against any possible
deSecraton.''
The following are some of the striking
conclusions of Bishop Doane's paper:
Ffrst-That the marriage relation being
at the foundation of the family, which is
the foundation of the state, is funda-
mental principle of all civilized and ma
tiOnal life
Second-That the alarming increase CT d.
vorce has become a serious threat to NOR
ality, deCency and social stability in this
country and this age.
Third-That the canon law of this church
today 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 effe It
or by the authority on which it rests, it is
not stringent enough.
Fifth-That there is absolute agreement
in this church upon the one fact-namely,
that divorce with remarriage can be pos
sibly tolerated only in the instance of
what is called the innocent party in a di-
vorce suit for adultery.
Sixth-That it is impossible for any one
to affirm that the language in the nine
teenth chapter of the Gospel according to
st. Matthew, on which this sole exception
is grounded. is absolutely certain either in
its authority or in it's Interpretation.
Record at Variance.
Seventh--That this record is not only diff
ferent from, but absolutely at variance
with, other statements of our Lord upon
this same subject, as recorded in the other
evangelists especially with our Lords ac-
ceptance of the original law of this p!im-
eval institution, namely. that the twain
are one fiesh," and that man may not put
asunder what Tod has Joined together
Eighth-That st. Pauls statement. in both
the epstle to the Corinthians and the epis-
tie to the Romans, clearly shows the posi-
ton of the apostolic church, and his own
aft,1ftn Obi nttr ord ocn1f
| that only death dissolves the marriage
bond.
Ninth--That for the first three hundred
years of the primitive church no 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.
marriage service of this church maintains
| the indissoluble sanctity of the marriage
bond.
TweIfth-That to call this a hardship does
not prove that 1t Is not right; and 1T is no
greater hardship than the necessary pro-
| hibition of divorce. with right to remarry,
for insa nifty or lifelong Imprisonment
| Last-That where there is any least doubt
upon question of this vital Importance.
| moral, religious and social, the act of
| mercy Is to safeguard the sanctity of mar
riage against any possible desecration, to
keep man or woman from the possibility of
| the sin of marriage otherwise than as
Gods word doth allow.
Yesterday Afternoons Session.
At the afternoon session of the confer
| ence papers were read by Bishop Tuttle of
| Missouri and the bishop of Huron on THE
| Discharge of the Parental Obligation as
| a sub-topic under the general subject of
"The Obligation Of the Church to Maintain
| the Christian Family in Its Integrity"
The bishop of Duluth, DR.. Morrison, read
| a paper on 1.-The Adaptation Of the
| Church's Methods to the Needs of the
Twentieth Century in Meeting Intellectual
| Difficulties" The bishop of New Hamp-
shire, DR.. Niles, and the bishop of Nova
| Scotia, DR.. Courtney, read papers on
Family Worship and the Observance of
| the Lords Day
Decision Postponed.
Bishop Coadjutor Mackay Smith of Penn
sylvania. formerly of this city, prevented.
| it is believed, the conference from taking
| a vote on the question Of divorce and re-
marriage. He said there must be two sides
| to the problem and that since both papers,
| the one by Bishop Doane and the other by
Bishop Sweatman of Toronto, had unfor-
| tunately been on the same side, he believed
| it unwise to have the bishCz 3Avote thus pre-
| maturely on the problerf TX vital to the
church. His remarks wt>E Lgreed to by
| the bishops, and no vote VI taken or the
| resolutions adopted.