Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-12
CLERGY DISCUSS
DIVORCE CANON
BISHOP JOHNSON APPROVES
CANADIAN RULING
REV. BAKER P. LEE DISSENTS
Recent Action by Which the Episcopal
Church Declines to Recognize Mar
.rlaee of Divorced Persons Finds
Favor In Los Angeles

Much discussion has been caused
among Episcopalians in all parts Of the
country by the decision of the general
synod of the Episcopal church of the
Dominion of Canada in regard to the
ruling on divorce and marriage.
Clergymen of the Episcopal church in
Los Angeles are not agreed on the
question.
According to the decision reached by
the Canadian synod at midnight Satur-
day no clergyman owing allegiance to
the church of England in Canada can
hereafter solemnize marriage between a
divorced person and another, so long
as the other party to the divorce IS
living.
The question is the same as that
which occupied the attention of clergy
men and lalty at the American synod
at Boston few months ago. Some of
the Los Angeles clergymen who were
delegates to that meeting think the
Canadian stand is the right one and
others disagree.
Bishop Joseph H. Johnson thinks the
decision of the general synod Of Canada
a great step toward the elimination Of
the divorce evil.
Bishop Johnson Approves
"I think the decision very wise one" ="
said he. IT do not believe at the
present time in the marriage of any
divorced person. The Canadian branch
of the Episcopal church has gone a
step further than the American and 1t
Is an excellent move"
Rev. R. Renison of Berkeley, who is
taking the place of Dean j. ]. Wilkins
of st. Pauls pro-cathedral during the
month of September, also commends
the Canadian church for taking what
he believes to be the Scriptural stand.
1.-THE Canadian church has taken the
true Scriptural ground, according to
my Interpretation of it," said he. Il
admire the churchmen for their effort
to better conditions. The law Is en-
tirely too lax on this subject and the
divorce evil is one that will be remedied
only by strong measures. The only
proper and safe thing is to prohibit the
marriage Of any perty to divorce.
Christ ordered that no divorced man or
woman should marry again while the
former partner lives, and that should
be final. 1 fear that it will not be pos
sible to have such an order carry in
the American church, as there is too
strong an opposition"
DR.. TreW for Reform
Rev. A. G. L. Trew, D. D., of All
Saints mission, Highland Park, was
delegate to the American convention Of
the church at Boston when the ques-
ton Of remarriage and divorce was dis
cussed during many sessions. At that
time DIR. Trew expressed regret that
the American church did not refuse to
allow the clergymen to solemnize the
marriage of any divorced person, and
he is another of the Los Angeles clergy
who commends the Canadian branch of
the church in it's action.
Anything which dissuades people
who have been divorced from remarry-
ing is good thing. If people realized
that they could not get a divorce and
marry they would be more quick to
make up the little quarrels and the
big ones would then be avoided. This
seems to me to be the only practical
method for stopping divorce.
"There is too much difference between
the law of the land and the law of the
church. After a marriage contract has
been made it cannot be dissolved. There
is a great difference between a legal
separation and an absolute dissolution
of the marriage tie. The church per-
mits the former but refuses to sanction
the latter. The position which the
Canadian branch of the church has
taken is the Scriptural stand.
Position of American Church
"The American church sanctions the
marriage of the innocent party but
makes permission to marry so difficult
to secure that there will probably never
be many applications"
Rev. Baker P. Lee Of Christ church
also attended the convention in Boston,
but his view of the question differs
from that of Dr. Trew.
"I believe the Canadian canon much
too rigid. 1t gives no protection to the
innocent party to a divorce" he said.
ST was in Boston, where for three weeks
they thrashed out this same question,
and I voted with the majority against
the stand which the Canadian brancn
of the church has taken.
"I consider the canon of the American
oburch nuite strong enough for all pur-