The San Francisco call., 1904-10-12
STRICT CANON
ON DIVORCE
Rule Refusing Remarriage
to All Persons Legally
Separated Is Proposed
LONG DEBATE FOLLOWS
Recommended at Episcopal
Conference That Law Be
Applied to Innocent Party

BOSTON. Oct. ia proposed change
in the canOns OF the Episcopal church.
whereby cIergymen are forbidden TO re-
marry any person who. has been di-
vorced. was discussed for two hours by
the house OF deputies al to-day's ses-
sion OF the Episcopal General Conven-
ton. The house OF deputies was sit
ting as committee OF the whole and
the consideration OF the subject. re-
garded as one OF the most important 10
come before the present convention,
viii be taken up from time 10 time un-
til the matter is finally disposed Of
The present canon on marriage permits
the remarriage OF the innocent person
in a divorce suit wherein infdelity is
alleged For some time there has been
a 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
amendment 10 the present canon, for
bidding remarriage Of any persons who
have been divorced. A minority report.
permitting the present canon 10 remain
as it is. with the exception OF an added
provision for the presentation OF court
evidence when an applicant for remar-
rage appears before a clergyman. was
submitted by Rev DR.. ]. Lewis Parks
OF New York and others
The Archbishop OF Canterbury was
present during the debate The mem
bers OF the House OF Bishops. in their
present 10 the Archbishop q mammoth
silver loving cup.
Rev Dr. Parks. speaking for the
minority mem beTs Of the committee. said
the passage in the nineteenth chapter
OF St Matthew. touching upon mar
rtage and divorce. was uncertain He
thought the common conscience Of
America would never accept any such
dictum as that presented in the ma
jority report and said that il a man
had an adulterous spouse no legisla-
ton by the church would have any ef-
feet in preventing his remarriage IL ne
so desired.
y. h Battle OF Raleigh. " c.. an
other member OF the committee.
thought that no civil court in America
should judge any one 10 be divorced
unless the cause appears in the records
and declared that the breaking OF
vow or covenant taken in the marriage
ceremony by one Of the principals frees
the other. according 10 the practice Of
common law He said there was moth
ing in the PRAYER book 10 prevent the
renarriage OF the innocent person
Rev John Williams OF Omaha
thought that IL 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 Dakota
Two members announced that since
the San Francisco convention three
years ago Ihsy had been converted 10
the side OF those who oppose the re-
marriage OF divorced persons They
were e P Bailey OF Chicago and Rev
Dr. Samuel RinggOId Of Knoxville
Tenn The church. said DR.. Ringgold
has no power TO unmarry and should
have none TO remarTy any one
Rev. g. B. Van Waters OF Portland
Or. in a fervent address declared that
the divorce refOrmers OF the church were
requiring more than Christ himself re-
Quired and that such q canon as the
majority report proposed would drive
persons 10 other denominations. He ad-
vOcated letting well enough alone"