The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-10-31
DISCUSSES DUTY
OF MINISTERS
Governor Baldwin Makes a Plea
for Eugenic Marriage

Kansas CITY Mo. oct. GA plea
sor euRenic marriage was made In the
course OF an address on 1.-THE Respon-
sioililies of the Church Respectins
Marriages" delivered here today before
the National Council of Conversation
nj Churches by Governor Simeon T.
BALDWIN of Connecticut. The speaker
urged the enactment by the various
states OF legislation which will enable
ministers of religion TO determine
whether or not parties to the marriage
contract are TT before they perform
the ceremony. lie thought IL time
that ministers ceased 10 marry couples
without any knowledge OF their fit
ness, but he did not believe that I'm or
der To prevent such marriages the
church should attempt TO influence
lie islation He thought that in this
respect the Roman Catholic church
had tho right idea
1T contents itself mainly with look
ing after the individual" he said, "and
in laying down rules for its own mem
bers IS to matters OF religion, not in
trying 10 get them to work for rules
TO govern the conduct of others.
1T does not seem 10 me the duty OF
The churches as such, or OF their MEM
bers, "a such, 20 urge uron leglsla-
lures the Enforcement of our mar
rage laws. The efforts of the church
for the hettennont of society are 10
be ACCOMPLISHED through it's Influence
in the formation and reformation nf
individual character. It has often
been wrong in irvine To extend. In this
direction or IN that, The domain Of
statute law I'm one generation il has
not infrcouently thus built M what
N the newt generation IL has striven
to pull down"
WAT Ministers Can Do
After ouo'in@ statistics ana review
inc the awful consequences of mar
riaoe between nersors wholly unfit To
bring bealthv children into the world.
the sreakcr said that some method
onoht 70 no devised whereby the min
'ster can learn Of these conditions and
REFUSING to perform the ceremony. in
form the parents of either party Of
the DANCER.
"The minister can hardly himself
institute or direct an inquiry" said
Governor Baldwin. HE can. however.
decline TO perform the ceremony. UNI
less lie personally knows the parties
wen, OF is satisfied that the woman
or her friends have made a proper in
vestieation. Certainly he should never
perform II for those whom he knows To
be unfit to enter into the new rela-
ton"
Contrasting the practice in this re-
spect between ancient and modern
times, The speaker said:
ut often happens that hasty mar.
ri9ge Is agreed on In q state where Il
previous notice Of some days is re-
CURED and has not. perhaps cannot.
be given. \ trip IT, another state in
such case ought not ordinarily to be
suffered to work an evasion Of the
homo law.
The Protestant churches. in refus-
ms 10 recognize marriage as q sacra-
ment. have left their ministers a free
hand. as long AS they keep within
the law Of jurisdiction. Where either
party u divorce is, under the de-
rice Of the court, disqualified from
marry.r% again during the life of the
other, an attempt TO TO so, whether i'm
The state granting the divorce. or else.
where, ought not 20 be countenanced
Dy an, minister. a statute is of force
only in the state whore II is enacted
and therefore a marriage i'm a state
other than that where the JUDGMENT
was rendered, is. at common law. le-
sally valid. II is, however. something
contrary To that spirit of comfy and
mutual respect which should always
,horactcrizc the DEALINGS of the au-
horites of one jurisdiction with re-
yard 30 the orders of those of any
other 70 get all the facts, no min.
ster ought to marry a divorced per-
'on without first reading a copy of the
Lieutenant General Simon +. Buck