The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-11-13
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
TO FIGHT DIVORCE
DR.. Dix Announces a Tire
less Crusade.
WILL WAGE WAR 30 YEARS
Plan Long Determined Upon Is TO
Abolish Remauiage in Communion
Of Divorced Persons.

NEW YORK. Nov. 12.-That a plan
70 abolish. In the Protestant Episcopal
+ Church, the renarriage OF divorced per-
sons has been IN long preparation. has
Just been made public BY the Rev. DR..
Morgan Dix.
Dr- DIX, In q statement made today.
/ says he believes the movement about
/ 10 be started win eventually succeed.
establishing IN the canonical laws OF
the church clause forbidding. under
any and all circumstances, the mar
! rage OF any divorced persons. Innocent
or guilty. by a clergyman Ia the Epls-
ccopal Church
The call 10 arms Of the clergy ana
the people arraigned IN opposition
against the present divorce conditions
Of this country has been sounded, and
tomorrow afternoon. IN the Chapel OF
ST. Agnes Church, West NInety-second
Street. a big mass meeting. at which
DR.. Dix himself viii preside. will be
held.
This is to be only the first Of a long
series OF meetings which forms the en-
I bryonic state OF a plan yet 70 be per
fected. but which vii include, II the
campaign Is continued with the energy
that has begun il, the complete win
ming over OF public sentiment which
will render IL possible at the next con-
ventiOn or the church 10 make the de-
sired radical change in the church laws
Will Fight Thirty Years.
But wen fight thirty years II neces-
sary." said DR.. Dix. We are going 70
get at the root OF this abOmination-"
The next general convention. which
will probably take place IN the South
win be in 1s07-three years from now.
Tomorrow afternoon. at o'clock. the
first big mass meeting viii DO held. The
Rev. Dr. William 7. Manning IS rector
OF st. Agnes. the church OF which the
late DR.. Bradley was the first pastor.
The church is IN a wealthy and FASH
ionable neighborhood. and the attitude
and the character Of the congregation at
tOmorrOW's meeting VIII be suggestively
indicative OF what the general recep-
ton OF the scheme for influencing the
public VIII prove.
That the clergymen concerned IN the
movement are not super1cially interest
ed f. more than evident, and no matter
how the people in general take 10 the
idea. the campaign undoubtedly cannot
Hash IN the pan. The feeling OF the az
erage Protestant Episcopal clergyman
against remarriage for divorced persons.
which once bid fair 10 die down. has
been fermenting siLpe the compromise
canon was adopted at the Boston con-
ventiOn. and an astonishing number Of
acceDtances from ministers in distant
cites in response 10 the invitations sent
out for tomorrow's meeting have been
received.
Dr.. Manning InstigatoT.
II is DR.. Manning. OF ST. Agnes Chap
e. who instigated the meeting He
disapprOved the adoption OF the com
promising law ar the Boston convention
and submitted his plan 10 DR.. Dix. who
is rector OF the whole Trinity parish, OF
which st. Agnes is a part.
DR.. Dix, who Is radically opposed 20
the remarriage of divorced persons. con-
sented 10 the holding OF the meeting
and VIII preside tomorrow. lie viii not
preach. but he said today that he would
do 50 very shortly.
THE plan is not entirely formulated
yet" he said this morning. and 1 can't
say whether or not mass meetings viii
be held in other churches. Nor do I
know that this viii bear fruit at the end
of three years and cause reform at the
next convention. But eventually II viii
90 So"
Meantime. doing all Within the limit
Of his own administrative powers, DR..
Dix. in agreement witt all Of the rectors
in his big Trinity parish. has decided
that the churches under his control shall
cake the radical stand withou. waiting
for compelling canonicaI law, and here
after no divorced person can be mar
ried In Trinity parish Of New York
city.
DR.. Dix Condemns It.
DR.. Dix IS vehement in his condemna-
tion of the present condition Of divorce
affairs in the Uni "a Suites.
1T is the worst abomination in the
country today" ne said In his home.
p West Twenty-hfth Street. this morn
ms. and threatens TO bring Us 10 ruin
Us the movement theoretically found
ed on the higher sacramental view OF
marriage" he was asked. and on the
principle that marriage is not affected
by divorce. and never ceases to exist"
Yes" DR.. Dix answered, 1T tends
toward that. I believe in divorce-that Is.
in the separation Of persons who can
not live together. But until one Of
them dies. the woman has a husband
and the man has "a wife. and neither
should remarry."
The recent adoption in the Boston con-
yenrion Of the much disapproved canon
has been condemned because. though
specific enough in expression and inter-
probation. il Is of nature indefinite. Civ
ing the clergy license for the use OF
individual discretion. In execution OF
the law as it now stands il is ontional
with a clergyman whether he does OF
does not sanction Il union In which.
after being divorced q year. an innocent
party 10 divorce seeks remarriage
AT t0rnOrrow's meeting there viii De
present the Right Rev DR. David II.
Greer Bishop CoadjutOr 20 Bishop Pot
ter and he viii deliver the principal adj
dress.