The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-25
DIVORCE ISSUE
IS ADJUSTED
Deputies Agree to the Canon
as Amended on Saturday
by the House of Bishops
EFFECTIVE AT ONCE
Innocent Party Allowed to
Remarry After One Year
Under Certain Conditions

BOSTON, Oct. 24.-An agreement On
the divorce question was reached to-
day by the House OF Bishops and the
/ House Of Deputies Of the Episcopal
General Convention after many DAYS
of discussion. That section OF thu
canon bearing directly on the remar-
riage Of divorced persons. which was
amended by the Bishops Saturday, as
sented to by the deputies to-day and
becomes effective at once, Is as fol-
lows:
No minister knowingly, after due Inquiry
snail solemnize the marriage OF any person
VINO has been OF Is the husband or the wife
OF any other person then living from whom
ne or she has been divorced for any CAUSE
arising after marriage But this canon shall
not be held to apply to the innocent party in
divorce for adultery; provided that before
the application for such renarriage a period
OF not less than one year shall have elapsed
after the granting Of such divorce. and that
satisfactory evidence touching the facts In tha
case, including a copy OF the courts decree
and record II practicable. with such proof
that the defendant personally served or
appeared in the action, be laid before the
thority, having taken advice thereon. shall
have declared in writing that In his iudg-
ment. the case Of the applicant conforms 10
the requirements OF this canon. and. provided
further. that 1t shall be within the discnetion
Of any minister to decline to solsmnize any
marriage.
L.
The Bishops adopted an amendment
to a section referring to the admin
istration Of sacraments. providing that
If a clergyman shall have reasonable
cause to doubt whether a person hav-
ing married otherwise than as the
word of God and discipline Of the Epis-
copal church allow" such clergyman
shall refer the matter TO the Bishop
before administering the sacrament
The deputies had made an exception
in favor of the innocent party di-
vorced" on the ground of adultery who
had remarked. but the Bishops struck
out the exception. Their action was
accepted by the house OF deputies to-
day.
Leading churchmen expressed the
opinion that the restrictions placed
upon the remarriage OF an innocent
party to a divorce are so stringent that
the remarriage Of divorced persons will
be rare in the church. 1t Is under
stood, however, that an attempt will
be made to have the next convention
specifically declare against remarriage
under any conditions
The house of deputies to-day re-
jected. after a long debate, resolu-
ton to strike out the words Protestant
Episcopal on the title page of the
common book Of prayer.
a PRESIDING BISHOP.
Both houses have appointed a joint
commission to consider the advisable
ity of selecting a presiding Bishop OF
the church. AS president the senior
Bishop occupies this position and it
is claimed that the duties are too
heavy for an aged diocesan The COM
mission will report to the next con-
vention.
Rev. Francis Taitt Of Chester, Pa.
was to-day elected assistant Bishop
of South Dakota. Many deputies left
for their homes tonight and the con-
ventiOn will adjourn finally tomorrow
In the house OF Bishops the Bishop
Of Dallas was chosen to prepare the
pastoral letter at the triennial conven-
ton in 1907, and the Bishop OF Cali
fornia and the Bishop Of Vermont were
selected to consult with the Bishop Of
Dallas in preparing the letter.
The report of a special committee
appointed early in the session to con-
slider the subject Of lynching was, with
almost unanimous consent, laid on the
table