New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-24
HOT WORDS On DIVORCE.
.STIRS PRESBYTERI4NS.
Report AdOpted Prohibiting Minis
tcrs Marrying DiUorced Persons.

-CRAPI TO TIE tribune
Buffalo Nav Give are confronted by a
darnnine dev!lish, horrible condition. said the
Rev. Charles \. Dickey. of Philadelphia, this
afternoon in discussing the question of mar
riaee and divorce He was speaking specid
caliy on a resolution which the committee of
which lie IS chairman had prepared for the as
sembly. only one Of TIE five recommendations
caused a word Of dissent. The Presbyterians
voted to a TO enjoin ali ministers under the
care and authority Of the General Assembly to
refuse TO of9iciate ar q. wedding in the cases or
divorced persons. except those who had been
divorced on ground and for causes recog-
nized as ScripturaI in the standards of the
Presbyterian Church. DR.. Dickey's committee.
however. went further and asked the assembly
to adopt this recommendation:
Recognizing the unity which should exist be-
tween Christian churches. and believing that II
woulG be desirable and tend TO the increase OF a
spirit of Christian unity. we earnestly advise all
the ministers under the care and authority OF ms
any person persons whose marriage SUCH min
the laws OF the Church in which such person or
persons seeking TO be married may hold member
ship.
it was this recommendation that aroused the
extreme heat which reminded one of the old
time debates on heresy and revision in forme:
assemblies DR.. Minton, of Trenton y. j.. led
the opposition. He began by saying that he be-
lieved in the report a whole, but he also be-
leved in the doctrine of divorce. He contended
that Jesus Christ while limiting the grounds for
divorce. recognized that divorce at times was
proper. and this was the doctrine of the Pres
byterian Church. He added:
ia woman. wronEed BY her husband from whom
idety she herself being innocent, comes to me ana
asks that perform The marriage ceremony iro Ii
70 y own Church Tor instructions as TO my priv
leCa md shall 10 the rope OF rome
and receive his Instructions on this subject?
This statement was received with long ap-
plause. Dr.. AIInton continued:
The Roman Catholic Church does not recoGnize
terrain Church does Much as love the Presby.
terrain Church. would dlsresaTo this ac.io ~, % rac
ommendatisz-
Dr. Dickey was on his feet in moment de-
Tending the report and asking the assembly to
vote for the resolution, which, If not adopted
would imperil the unity which had characterized
the interchurch conference Then followed the
strong language with which this article begins
AS DR.. Dickey sat down President Patton OF
Princeton Theological Seminary arose and said;
This is not question 10 be settled by eloquence.
II Is serious question as serious any question.
which will come before US during this Assembly
mitee TO adopt In effect IS putting this Church In
position where she arrogates 10 hersSf Inc h au
standard now, the authority or Jesus ChTlst
tells us When divorce may be granted. in every
case Of marital infdeiity and wlitul deserton ana
1t recognizes the right of the innocent party 10
Mr. Moderator, this assembly has no right TO
modify the divorce law which Jesus Christ recog-
nized. You cannot make i more stringent; XgG
it, you may modify and modify until its effect viii
be entirely lost.
General Ralph Z. Prime. Of Yonkers, y. Y,
moved TO strike out the resolution under dis
cussion. and on a standing vote this was car
-, rba
was then adopted amended. and is as fol-
lows:
The General Assembly again enjons all ministers
under its care and authority to refuse TO perform
the marriage ceremony IN tho cases OF ginoIcei i
upon grounds and for causes recognized as Script
ural in the standards of the Church
f Inc aPpebe r eII inGnTsed nv the 1;enerai Assem-
bly, and commended TO the consideration OF all Our
instructed to issue II ia such form and to such e-
tent as may seem desirable and expedent. and II
is requested that it be read by pastors from tEcr
pnlpts on some appropriate sabbath. . -, -.
The stated clerk is hereby instructed to call the
the General Assembly regarding t4e marrlhGe or
divorced persons, and TO request the presbyteries
as may be required to secure the enforcement Cf
existing laws and obedience TO the lnjunctions Of
The committee on marriage and divorce Is hereby
representatives OF other churches I'm endcav0ring
10 obtain such ecclesiastical unity ana sucn state
national legislation may shield both church
and state from existing and impending pcrlls-
This carries the Endorsement of the appeal to
the Christian public TO which reference has been
made and the continuance of the committee 10
cooperate with other church representatives in
endeayoring to obtain such ecclesiastical unity.
such compliance with the laws now In force and
such State or national legislation may shield
both State and Church from existing and inn
pending evils.
DR.. Henry Dyke. Of Princeton University,
presented the report Of his committee on forms
and services. From 1000 churches the commit
tee has secured the form Of service in use in the
Sunday school and the church service. Dr. van
Dyke said In part:
a bewiIdering variety prevails IN the arrange
rneut Of the different parts OF the service II is
evidently difficult for the stranger within tho gates
Of of the Presbyterian churches 10 know when
to arise and when to sit down To meet this dit
fculty the order OF service is usually printed
from week 10 week, in the form Of L timetable,
and distributed IN the pews Sunday.
The order submitted for the administration
OF baptism 10 infants and for the morning ser
vice the Lords Day he said, were not specl-
mems of a required liturgy, but simply forms
which the committee hoped might be Eound
to be proper and healthful for voluntary use
in Presbyterian Churches.
FARMERS FoRENEN