The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-12
MARRIAGE OF THE Ds 1ORCED
  Question Discussed by
 EscOpalians.
  cHAkiE IN THE CANYONS IA Proposed Amendment is Warmly Debated. Members of Hoouse of Bishops Arrange to Give Archbishop of Canter-
 bury Loving Cup as Individuals.
cHAkiE IN THE CANYONS

6OelOns Oct- ll.--A ptOposeu ChhHSe in the canons of the Episcopal Church, whereby clergymen are forbidden to re- marry any person who has been divorc- ed. was discussed for two hours by the House of Deputies at today's session of the Episcopal General Convention. The House of Deputies was sitting as a committee of the whole and the con- alteration of the subject regarded as one of the most important to come be- fore the present convention. will be taken up from time to time until the matter is fianally disposed of The present canon on marriage permits the remarrfage of the innocent person in a divorce suit where infidenity is alleged. For some time there has been strong sentiment in the church that the clergy should not remarry even the innocent person.
 The Committee on canons of which Rev Dr. F. P. Davenport of Memphis, Tenn, Is chairman, presented an amend ment to the present canon. forbidding remarriage of any person who has been divorced. minority report permit ting the present canon to remain as 1t Is with the exception of an added pro- vision for the presentation of court evidence when an applicant for re- marriage appears before a clergyman, was submitted by Rev. Dr. J. Lewis Parks of New York and others.
 Speakers of the Day.
 Rev. Dr. Parks, R. H. Battle of Waters of Portland, Ore, spoke in be- half of the minority report, while the majority report was advocated by Rev. John Williams of Omaha; E. P Bailey of Chicago; Rev. Samuel Ringgold of Knoxville. Tenn. and C. H. Stanley of Washington, D. c. The Archbishop of Canterbury was present during the debate.
 The members of the House of Bishops in their individual capacity have ar ranged to present the Archbishop with . mammoth silver loving cup.
 Rev pr. Parks speaking for the minority. ffenters Of the committee, said the passage In the 18th chapter of St. Matthew touching upon marriage and divorce was uncertain. He thought the common conscience of America would never accept any such dictum as that presented In the majority report and said that if a man had an aduiter- ous spouse no legislation by the church would have any effect in preventing his remarriage if he so desired
 R. H. Battle of Raleigh, N. C., am other member of the committed thought that no civil court in America should adjudge any one to be divorced unless the cause appeared in the re- cords and declared that the breaking of VOW or covenant taken in the marriage ceremony by one of the prin- cipals frees the other. according to the practice of common law. He said there was nothing in the prayer book to pre- vent the remarriage of the innocent person.
 Rev. John Williams of Omaha. Neb, thought that if the deputy from North Carolina was correct in his argument as to the marriage vow. the church had laws as loose as those of South Da- kota.
 Two members announced that since the San Francisco convention three years ago they had been converted to the side of those who oppose the re- marriage of divorced persons. They were E. P. Bailey of Chicago and Rev. Dr.. Samuel Ringgold of Knoxville, Tenn. The church said Dr. Ringgoid has no power to unmarry and should have none to remarry any one. Requiring More Than Christ. Rev. B. B. Van Waters of Portland, Ore, in a fervent address, declared that the divorce reformers of the church were requiring more than Christ Him self required, and that such 8 canon as the majority report proposed would drive persons to other denominations. He advocated letting well enough alone"
 At this point the committee arose and was given permission to take up the matter later in the week.
 Right Rev Edwin c. Weed, Bishop of Florida, who has been confined to his hotel on account of an injury sus- tained in New York, appeared in the House of Bishops for the first time dur ] ing the convention today. The House of Bishops appointed Bishops Talbot of 1 Central Pennsylvania, Coleman of Del aware, Brewster of Connecticut. Lines of Newark and Coadjutor Bishops An derson of Chicago. Mackay-Smith of Pennsylvan nla, and Greer of New York as members of the unday School Com 1 mission.
 The House of Bishops voted in favor of consecrating a Bishop for Cuba. The l Cuban field is now under the super 1 vision of Right Rev. James H. Van l Burne. Bishop of Porto Rico. It Is un- derstood that if the House of Deputies endorses the action of the Bishops a diocesan Bishop for Cuba will be chosen at the present convention.
 l The House of Deputies and the House | of Bishops sitting as the Board of Mis- i stons during the late afternoon session of the convention. heard reports from the mission fields.