Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-08-30
His DREAM OF LOVE
FADED NOTED DIVINE
OBTAINS A DIVORCE
DR.. [. L. KNIGHT IS GRANTED
DECREE
Prominent TheoIoglan and Lecturer
says Revelation That Wife Had
No Affection for Him Nearly
Caused His Death

A story of constant devotion and un-
requited love on the part of man;
of cold indifference on the part of the
woman he loved and to whom he gave
his name nearly thirteen years ago,
was told yesterday in the superior
court by l.. l.. Knight, D. D., an emil
nent divine, once pastor of one OF the
leading churches in the nations CAPT
tai, graduate of Princeton Theological
seminary and well known as WrlteT
and lecturer.
Broken in health as : result of brood
ing over the loss of a supposed affec-
ton, and compelled to give up his work
in the service of the church, DR.. Knight
two and half years ago came to Los
Angeles, removing himself as far as
possible in his native land from the
scenes of his younger days-scenes
that called to his mind memories Oh
happy days, the passing of which has
left him heartbroken.
DIR. knight married Edith M. Knight
September A. 1905, in Atlanta, Ca. at
a time when he was an editorial writer
on the Atlanta Constitution, in which
work he vas employed for ten years
prior to his marriage. No children We're
born to them, but their domestic life
appeared to be a happy enc. The early
life of the man, during which were in
culcated in his mind the strong relig-
ious beliefs of his parents, led him
three years after the wedding cere-
mony to give up journalistic work ana
enter the Princeton theological sem
mary, and 1t was after finishing his
course of instruction at that institution
that the love he believed existed for
him in his wife's heart was discovered
to be a myth.
'When I returned from the seminary
to our home in Atlanta" said DR..
Knight, in telling his story, my wife
$40 70 q
While was absent she had lost both
her father and mother. She said she
had acted a false part and could not
longer lead a double life. Her time
henceforth must be given to the care OF
her younger brothers and sisters. Her
father and mother, she told me, wished
her to marry me, and she did so for
their sakes.
Decide to Separate
ST told her then If she did not love
me 1t was best that we should separate
and thereafter, while living for years IN
the same house, we did not live as man
and wife. My attitude toward her was
always one of entreaty and supplica-
ton, for | could not believe the love
she had expressed was entirely dead
IT was called to Washington to &C
cept call to the pastorate of the Cen
trail Presbyterian church, which place
had been offered me before left COLI
lege. l preached to crowded houses
and wrote daily to my wife, urging her
to Join me and aid me in my work.
'She came one day, but remained a
day only. They she returned 10 At
lanta. l went with her, entreating her
to come with me and take part in my
life work, but she refused. All my adj
Vances were met coldly, and on the
way back to Washington the excite
ment and enthusiasm of my labors
which had buoyed me up and the hopes
l had formed left me, and l collapsed"
DR.. Knight was taken to Altadena
and placed in a hospital. When he
emerged, a shadow of his old self. he
went to Johns Hopkins university,
where an eminent physician advised a
rest cure or a water voyage He
chose the latter. AID for weeks sailed
the ocean, trying 20 ease an ever pres
ent pain.
During that time.'' ne said, 'T wrote
everv day to my wife, pouring out my
affection like water-asking only for
word of love. She responded with
naught but commonplace.
"When I returned from the trip !
was troubled with insomnia and was
still broken in health. / thought
change In environment would help me
and came to Los Angeles. After COM
ing here wrote nearly every day to
my wife, entreating her to come u me.
Her only reply was that she had no
affection for me and could not come"
DR.. Knight asked for divorce on
the ground of cruelty and desertion. A
dercee was granted.