The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-10-17
THE DIVORCE AMENDMENT.

The rejection OF the proposed
amendment OF the divorce canon IN
the general convention OF the Episco
pal church at Boston came as a sur
prise after the decisive vote in its ia.
vor in the house OF deputies, sitting
as committee of the whole. The dif.
ference was that In the committee
the preference OF each Individual dep.
uty was recorded, white In the con.
vention the vote was taken by do.
ceses and the negative was given the
advantage in having the vote of those
dioceses in which there ,was tie
counted In its favor.
This ecclesiastical body, represent
ing the Episcopal church in the Unit
ed States, Is modelled somewhat after
the American congress. 1t has two
houses, one composed Of all tho
bishops OF the church. and the other
OF deputies. lay and clerical, elected
by the various diocesan conventions
as their representatives.
IL is supposed that the house Of
bishops favors the proposed amend.
ment to the divorce canon, ..nd il
would have probably carried had the
vote in the house of deputies been IA.
vorable. A.
II Is worthy OF note that the amend
ment was defeated mainly through
the opposition OF the Southern do
ceses, where the divorce evil Is much
less notable than in the North Dir
Beard of Birmingham. Ala, and d
prominent clergyman from New Or
leans seem to have been conspicuous
among the opposition. The amend
ment was defeated mainly by the neg,
alive votes of the diocese of New Yorl;
the Southern diocese and those of the
Pacific slope. The attitude of the
Southern deputies is explained by the
fact that the question involved a d.
vision of high and low church parti-
sans, and the Southern deputies sided
mostly with the latter element.
The existing divorce canon. which
it was proposed to amend, permits the
re-marriage OF the innocent party
where divorce has been granted on
the ground of adultery. The amend
ment proposed to strike out this ex
ception and prohibit re-marriage mn,
der any conditions. while the former
husband or wife OF divorced person
is still alive. The amendment would
nave made the position of the Episco.
pal church In regard TO divorce edent-
zeal effect with that sof the Catholic
church. The Catholics regard mar
riage sacrament, and for that rea-
son recognize no dissolution of the
nuptial bond. The Episcopal church
recognizes only two sacraments, hap
tism and the Lords supper. but the re
fusal to recognize divorce for any
cause, although based on somewhat
different view, would have made the
practical effect of its position ON TINS
question the same as that the Catha
lies hold.
The agitation of this proposed
amendment grew primarily out of tn
large and increasing number of di.
vorces, observable mostly in the
Northern states. but 1t found its chief
support in the high church party. The
was mooted in the general
which assembled at San
Francisco three years ago, but did NOT
then reach a final vote, The matter
was then compromised by the passage
OF a resolution condemnatory of the
divorce evil and asking the coopera
ton of other Christian denominations
in active work for its suppression
Ii postponed the consideration OF the
until the present Boston
The failure of the
amendment in this convention does
not prevent its further agitation, but
for while. at least, whether or not
il is to be brought up again in the
which is to meet In Rich;
mond three years hence.-Nashyille
Banner.