New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-15
DIVORCE AMENDMENT LOST
CHANGE NOW IMPOSSIBLE.
DEPUTIES vote at Episcopal ConUen-
ton Stood 81 TO s..
ry7 TELEGRAPH 70 THE ru1BuxE.I

oct AE.-ALLeE q week 8 CeD1Le on the
s,voree question. the proposed amendment TO
=. canon OF the Protestant Episcopal Church
x,,bisding the remaTriage Of divorced persons
=, any clergyman Of that denomination was de-
s.,,es late this afternoon in the House Of Depu-
- Bv the vote passed to-day, the canon on
-o-r,age Of divorced persons remains as II IS
- as II has been for years-that is, clergyIuen
!, The Church are forbidden 10 marry the guilty
vartv where the divorce was granted on grounds
:, adultery but are permitted 10 marry the in
,o,ent party OF such a case While the House
!, Bishops may yet act on the question. il is
certain that no change VIII be made By the
presert convention.
The present law OF the Church. which has been
N operation since 1883. allows the remarriage
- the innocent person TO divorce granted for
,1sdelty At several conventions attempts have
he.n made 10 repeal this Law. and when a vote
vas taken to-day by the House OF Deputies. sit
.irp as d committee Of the whole on the Ques-
zion % reporting the proposed amendment 70
she house itself. the reformers we're successful
nv q vote of pa TO l9l. and this vote was re-
Varded as representing the actual strength OF
the conteucing forces. The final vote. however.
Uas taken BY 5ioceses and orders. and where a
diocese was evenly divided in sentiment its
strength was counted in the negative
The vote BY dioceses was: Clerical for the
amend rneTL. %. against. u. DIVIDED. ~
Lay vote for. %: against. "a; divided, G.
Practically the entire strength OF the Middle
Western States. the stronghold OF the High
Church party. declared for the proposed re-
firm but the Pacific States and q number OF the
Southern States voted against change OF the
present canon. The diocese OF New-York
opposed the amendment while that OF Penn
sylvania favored IL In ew-EngIand Vermont
New-Haupshire and Western Massachusetts,
voted for a change. as did the Law deputies
from Rhode Island. The clerical deputies from
Maine favored the amendment. but the votes
CT Connecticut and Massachusetts, were cast IN
the negative. The issue vas nor a party one
although the whole strength OF the High Church
forces was given TO the reform movement The
president Of the House OF Deputies. the Rev.
Dr. r 4. McKirn. of Washington. voted for the
old canon. although the clerical vote Of his
diocese supported the proposed change.
THE TEXT OF THE AMENDMENTS
The defeated amendment is as follows:
Resolved. the House OF Bishops coucurring.
That Title > Canon Is. Section ,, be amended so
10 read as follows:
NO minister shall solemnize marriage be-
tween any tWo persons unlsss By inquiry he shan
have satisfied himself that neither person has
been or is The husband or the wife OF any other
person then living. from whom he or she has
been divorced for any cause arising after mar
rage"
The second amendment which was tabled.
known as Section 3. is as follows
II any minister Of this Church shall have rea-
soma BILE cause doubt whether person de-
EiroUs OF being admitted 10 holy baptism or 10
conhEma ton, or 10 The holy communion has been
married otherwise than as the Word Of God aud
discipline Of tbs Church allow. such minister.
before receivinE such person to these ord nanccs
shall refer the case 70 the bishop for his cody
judgment thereupcn, provided. however, that no
minister shall in any case. refuse the sacra-
-nenrs 70 & penltent person in imminent danger
OF death. nor 10 any person who shall solmrly
sver thar be or she was the innocent party IN z
divorce for the cause OF adultery.
The third amendraeat also tabled. which is
Section ". is follows:
Il any question SHAH arise under Section III OF
this canon IN a diocese or missionary iurisdic-
Uon n WEich there IS nc bishop. such questions
shall Be referred 70 soue 5ishop 70 be designated
ny the standing committee. and the bishop to
Whom sdcn questions have been 50 referred shall
tnereupcn MAKE inquiry In such q manner
he Shnl deem eTpedient. and shall deliver his
judgment IL the premises
UNABLE TO DEFINE COMMUNICATE.
The attendance was rather light when the
House Of Deputies resumed its sessions to-day
The committee or the state OF the Church re-
ported that Il had been unable 70 define the
term ~cOnmunicant.' as requested by the Do
cese % Albany On the recommendation Of the
committee q special committee was appointed to
report 10 the next convention on the subject
4 proposition bearing on changing the name OF
the Church came before the house when the
committee on prayer book reported that II con-
eidered II nexpedient 70 strike the words Prot
estant Episcopal" from the title page Of the
prayer book. in view OF the fact that the Joint
commission appointed three years ago TO con-
slider change IN the name of the Church had
reported n favor OF making no change al this
time. The committees report was on a rssou-
ton 20 strike the two words from the praver
book introduced By the Rev B Talbot Rogers.
q Fond Gu Lac. Wis After the report Mr.
Rogers moved to-day that his resolution be
placed or the calendar. This action was or
dered and the matter viii be discussed later
The Rev DR.. Reese Alsop OF Brooklyn in
presenting the report OF a special committee %
consider requests for the OF the revised
version Of The Bible in churches. recommended
the use OF the Westminster Bible at morning
ane evening prayer. The report viii be dis
cussed later. The Rev. Arthur Lawrence. Of
Etockbridge, Mass. read a resolution as me-
mortal 70 the late Rev. DR.. John s. Lindsay
rector OF 81. PauFs Boston. and chairman OF
The San Francisco convention. The memorial
was entered IN the minutes OF the house.
The house adopted a resolution appointing a
committee. consisting OF two bishops two cleri-
cal and two lay deputies. 70 petition State legis-
latures In the interes, OF reforming the divorce
laws The resolution is subject TO concurrence
by the House Of Bishops. An attempt was
made 10 have the committee OF the whole which
Is considering amendments TO the on d.
Fonce' take a vote by noon to-day. The chair
man OF the committee on canons. the Rev. DR..
z. p Davenport. OF Memphis. Tenn. who was
u charge Of the amendment. protested against
shutting OF debate. but II was decided. 233 TO