Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-10-12
IN A ROW OVER DIVORCE.
churchmen Cannot Agree on What :
Preacher Ought to Do.

Churchn1en Cannot Agree on What
Preacher Ought to Do.
Boston, Oct. 12.-There now seems
to be little doubt that the Protestant
i Episcopal church of America will alter
it's canon relating to the marriage OF
divorced persons, SO that @ man or
woman divorced for any cause will MOI
be permitted to remarry thru the sac
red offices of an Episcopal clergy
man.
The general convention devoted two
hours to the discussion of this prob
lem yesterday, and while no agreement
was reached it heard a majority re-
port favoring revision of the canon
and applauded fervent addresses by
many delegates who asserted that the
hour had come for the church to OBJ
literate a Constantly growing menace
to society,""
Early in the discussion there devel-
oped general opposition to the pres
ent canon, which permits innocent
party of r ir divorced on the ground
of intidelity to be married again. tho
denying this privilege to the other
The minority, however, presented a
report. asking the convention 4'to leave
well enough alone" and only to
strengthen the canon by instructins
clergyrnen to look to the civil court
which sundered the marriage tie for
such facts concerning divorce as
were needed. BY this plan 1t was
held the minister would make no
blunder and the innocent party could
be recognized easily and given the
marriage vows.
The debate became so ardent that
delegates asserted the verses in St.
Matthew, dealing with divorce were
bv no means clear. In this chapter,
said certain Of the deputies, Christ took
a firm stand against diyorcing married
persons, and in reply to many ques-
tions denied the righteousness or wis
dom of the law OF Moses, which per-
mitted legal separation.
The chairman of the committee on
canon, Rev. DR.. f. P. Davenport, OF
Memphis, submitted the majority re-
port which recommended the following
amendments:
If any minister Of this church shall
have reasonable cause to doubt wheth-
er a person desirous of being admitted
to holy baptism or to holy confirmation
or to the holy communion has been
married otherwise than as the word OF
God and discipline of this church al
low. such minister before receiving
such person to these ordinances, shall
refer the case to the bishop for his
godly judgment thereupon; provided,
however, that no minister shall in any
case refuse the sacraments to a penl-
tent person in imminent danger OF
death, nor to any person who shall
solemnly aver that he, or she, was the
innocent party in a divorce for the
cause of inf1delity.
No minister shall solemnize a mar
riage between any two persons. unless
by inquiry, he shall have satisfied him
self that neither person has been or IS
the husband or the wife of any person
then living from whom he or she mas
been divorced for any cause arising at
ter marriage.
If any question shall arise under this
canon in diocese or millionary ]urls-
diction in which there is no blshop'
such question shall be referred TO some
bishop to be designated by the stand
ing committee, and the bishop to Whom
such questions have been referred shall
thereupon make inquiry in such man
ner as he shall deem expedient ana
shall deliver his judgment in the prem
:ses
The report was signed by Chairman
Davenport. Rev. DR.. j. Eccleston OF
Baltimore Rev. DR.. John Fulton. OF
Philadelphia, Rev. DR.. George Mee1.
Fiske, of Providence. D. b. LYMAN OF
Chicago, W. H. Lightner OF Mlnnesota'
F. L. Stetson, of New York. Chariss "
Saunders. Of Boston. and G. n. elaA-
ley and F. A Lewis OF Washington.
A minority report signed by Key. Dt'
J. Lewis Parks of New York. neN.
Henry S. Mast. of Cambridge. Mass
ind r. H. Battle. of Raleigh ~ -
was presented. 1t said
Questions touching the fact OF any