The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-10-21
AsroR.FoRcE MARRIAGE FEE
Presbyterian Synod Told That $780,
600 was Offered Newport Pastor

WV wac Oi~ANA fNN"fNf 1850
Auburn. Oct. 2O.-No insignificant
sum was offered to representative
of the Presbyterian church, such as
was offered to the Blacksmith Parson
of Rhode Island, who said that $1,000
was to be the Astor-Force marriage
fee last summer. This developed in
the course of warm debate before
the Presbyterian Synod of New York
today when a resolution calling upon
Congress to enact uniform divorce
laws was introduced. Interrupting
the debate the moderator the Rev
Martin d. Kneeland, d. d., of Bos-
ton, saidH
This divorce evil is assuming
alarming proportions in New Eng
land, where our laws are not so rigid
as in New York state But / am
pleased to say that / know one New
England Presbyterian pastor who
was approached by Col Aston and
asked to perform the ceremony with
Miss Force. which created so much
comment last summer. He received
an agent of Mr. Aston direct, who
said TO him: 1t will be worth 100000
to you to perform the ceremony The
clergyman replied: You have not
money enough to get me to perform
that marriage. The name OF that
clergyman is the Rev. ]. n Sproul of
the Presbyterian church at Newport,
X. |. | mention this because | think
it is something of which Presbyteri-
ans should be proud.
The statement evoked long APP
plause, but it did not stem the oppo-
sition to the resolution, which was
led by Gen Ralph E. Prime, lay
delegate from Yonkers, who said
81 am opposed to this resolution
fayoring the uniform divorce law.
The trouble is that men and women
slip into other states to contract M
scriptural marriages From New
York to North Carolina the only
ground for divorce is the scriptural
one. If a uniform divorce law were
enacted the States with lower stand
4, ards would win out If congress
adopts uniform divorce law, New
York will have six or seven unscrip-
tural grounds imposed upon her. My
remedy is Let congress pass a law
making it crime for men and wom-
en- to violate the law of the state of
their residence or violate the decree
of the court which forbids them to
remarry,
He was endorsed by Elder Thomas
Dransfied the city clerk of Roches.
ter, who said From an experience
in issuing about 5000 marriage licen.
ses | agree with Gen. Prime We
should take no step to invalidate the
present New York law | insist upon
having the court decree of divorce
before me before | issue a license to
a divorced person who wants to re-
marry"
The resolution was defeated and
Gen. Prime was appointed head Of
the committee to draft new resolu-
ton against a uniform divorce law
The judiciary committee rejected
the application of the Rev Edward
Eels. ID. D., of Boston to be transfer
red to the Presbytery of Worcester.
One reason given was because OF
doctrinal opinions held by DR.. Eels."
The committee declined to amplify
this reason and DR. Eels filed an ap.
peal to the General Assembly.
The states OF Maine, New Hamp
shire, Vermont. Massachusetts,
Rhode Island and Connecticut for
mally withdrew from the Synod of
New York with the consent of the
synod and under the name of Synod
of New England will ask confirma.
ton of the General Assembly as a
separate body.
The arbitration treaties negotiated
by President Taft with France and
Great Britain were Endorsed.