Evening journal., 1913-10-10
QUESTION OF
DIVORCE UP
Memorials Dealing With Sub
ieCt Come Before The P. E.
Convention
LEGISLATION IS SOUGHT
THROUGHOUT COUNTRY

NEW YORK, Oct. 10. Questions Of
marriage and divorce were brought up
somewhat earlier than was anticipated
yesterday before the forty-fourth gen.
eral con, ention of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church. which was con, opcd ON
"Wednesday morning at .hc Cathedral Of
81 John the Divine, on Mornngsidc
! Heights.
These two subjects. in,ilved with many
problems for the Episcopal and other
churches a. we'll were introduced before
the House Of Deputies. meeting in tho
new synod hall Just before the close OF
the afternoon session. 1ncy were re-
ierred without delay to the proper com.
imittccs. which will report on them Ia
the general convention.
The particular marriage and divorce
lproblems that arc 10 be thresbod out by
the convention sprang mp out of q flood
! of memorial aud resolutions that wore
'unburdcned" on the House Of Deputies
/ from 4 until ) o'clock, when Francis A
, Lewis, of the ponnsyl,anit Diocese
ichairman of the committee ON dispatch
Of business. announced that the scsslnn
! had dispensed with is regular business
an hour sooner than was expected.
4 stir was created in the House of
Deputies when the Rev. DR.. James w
Ashton. Of Olcan. ~ y, introduced reso.
lutions. urging lhat memorial, pre-
scnted bv Tho Diocese Of Western New
York. and relating TO the mo temere
decree Of the Roman Catholic Church, he
referred TO a special committee ct three
clerical and two lay deputies 10 report
| back 10 the convention
"Nc Temere- Degree Opposed.
The memorial called tho attention
J 10 the me temere" degree promul'
gated by the Church Of Rome, in this
country. officially declaring that mar
riages between Catholics and non
Catholics we're valid only whom con
tracted before a parish priest under
the rules laid down by the church.
/ The memorlalists urged that the gen
eral convention should affirm that
The marriage tic should not be dealt
with other than as the Scriptures ana
the laws OF the country allow.
The resolutions presented by Or.
Ashton specified that special
commission Of five bishops, five pres
byters and five iaymon be ap-
pointed 10 consider and report 10 the
next General Convention on the whole
subject OF marriage. and especially on
The desirability Of an amendment TO
The Constitution Of tho United States,
enabling national legislation on mar
riaEe and divorce and on the
grounds OF assumed authority of tho
those marriages arc valid while arc
Church OF Rome 20 declare that only
those marriages arc valid which IRE
contracted according 10 the terms OF
ne temere degree so far as the opera
tion of said decree affects members ot
this communion who contract mixed
marriages
Frederick G. Morehouse Of MIL
waukee. introduced resolution point.
inc out that Canon 30. Section 4. pro
vided that any perEon married other
wise than as the Word Of God and the
decipline Of the church allowed
might be repelled from the sacra-
ments. while as yet The discipline Of
the Episcopal Church with respect 20
tho impedments Of matrimony was no
where officially stated by the church.
For Declaration On Divorce.
Therefore. in the resolution pre-
sented by him a petition was made.
"that. the House Of Bishops concur
ring. a ioint commission OF five bish-
ops. five presbyters and five laymen
be appointed to report to the next
General Convention suitable legisls-
tion whereby the discipline OF this
church relating to holy matrimony
shall be plainly set forth"