The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-22
MINISTERS FAVOR
DIVORCE CANON
SPECIAL SERMON ON DIVORCE
WILL BE PREACHED BY REV.
CHARLES H. STRONG.

Gins Done No Harm" Was His Com
ment on Action of the General
COnventiOn-The Duty of the state
and the Church on the Subject of
DivOrce-ReV. RObb White FavOrH
the New Canon Because it Does
Away With "UnseemIy Haste" and
Gives Opportunity for Investiga-
TONS on the Part of the Clergy
man-Rev. Gilbert A. Ottman Fa-
vOrs the Requiring of Proof From
Court Records.
The announcement that the Episco-
pal General Convention. now in ses-
sion in Boston, had adopted COM
promise canon on the divorce question
was read with interest yesterday by
Fpscopalians. AS stated in the
Morning News the canon permits the
remarriage of the divorced person, if
innocent, in cases where inf
deity has been the ground of divorce,
the parties cannot remarry in less than
a years time.
Proof Of innocence must be fur
nshed by the court records. Hereto
fore this has not been the case,
though several dioceses have report
ed that their ministers required such
proof Under the new law, however,
there is no option left, and proof must
be submitted.
The clergy of Savannah look
upon the new canon with favor.
nh
quiring of a year to elapse before the
innocent party to a divorce can re-
marry will tend to do away with amy
unseemly haste" and will also allow
the clergyman to investigate the first
marriage. the causes of divorce, the
character of the parties, and also to
consult with the bishop.
The necessity of producing the
court records on the divorce is also
looked upon with favor. 1t protects
the clergyman and does away with
any doubts that he may hold as to
his right to remarry the innocent
party. In other respects the law is
practically the same as heretofore,
recognizing as the only ground of di-
vorce infidelity. This is the only
ground they unanimously assert, that
is recognized by the Scriptures, quot
ing in support of their claim the
words of Christ as given in the nine
tenth chapter of Matthew.
Rev. RObb whites Opinion.
Rev. Robb White. rector Of Christ
Church, when asked about the canon
and his opinion of it, said
II am fairly well satisfied with the
canon. 1t does away with all unseem-
~ haste in the matter of remarriage.
Il also gives the clergyman an oppor-
tunity to fully investigate the case, ana
10 discuss the matter with his bishop.
Heretofore we just took the word OF
the parties in the great majority OF
CHses. and now the court records must
be adduced in proof of the assertion
OF the party desiring to remarry.
Then, too, 1t makes more clear the
attitude Of the church on the great
question of divorce and remarriage. 1t
allows divorce on one ground alone,
that OF infldelity, and shows by its en-
tire tendency that the sentiment is
generally against remarriage, espe-
cially with undue haste. l am very
well satisfied with the new canon.
True Grounds of Divorce.
Rev. Gilbert A. Ottman, rector of
St. Paurs Church, said when asked
for the expression Of an opinion:
II like it especially because it re-
quires the bringing in of the court
records. 1t will also tend to bring out
the true cause of many of our divorces,
infdelity. OF all the many divorce
libels that are filed, few of the APP
plicants, especially if they be wom-
On, allege infdelity as the ground.
though I believe that that is really the
great cause. 1t will tend to make this
the real charge, become apparent.
Then too, even if the new canon is
TO have no effect outside of the MEM
bers of the Episcopal church, yet the
agitation on the question of divorce
has been for the best. II it begins
the movement for a uniform divorce
faw throughout the entire country the
results will be an inestimable benefit"
Discussed in Sermon.
Rev. Charles H. Strong. rector of
81. Johns Church said that it is
question of such Importance that he
could not answer it in brief. In
speaking of the subject he said
The divorce evil is striking at the
very foundation of the home and is
question not to be treated lightly and
with few passing sentences. l shall
discuss Il in detail in a future SER
mon, when I will have the opportu-
nifty Of treating 1t from all sides.
However. it is safe to say that the
rev canon viii do no HARM be-
leve that It is the duty of the church
to educate the masses up to higher
plane Of morals. The states are the
authorities that make the laws. II
the states pass uniform laws on the
subject and the church does its best
to educate the people up to higher