The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-12
Moral Progress

have declined to enter into an agreement with
their brethren to demand of prospective hus-
bands medical certificate as prerequisite to
the performance of the marriage ceremony by
them, for the following reasons:
They do not believe that clergymen have a
moral right to bind themselves by contract
or rule faction regarding sanction in the
law of either church State.
/ The position of their brethren who entered
into the agreement they regard inquisitoria
in that 1t assumes every man to be guilty until
he proves his innocence.
In it's application 1t would be humilating and
offensive to the point of being insulting to pure
and clean men.
In it's effect preventing the marriage. OF
"a single tainted man 1t would be nil.
The certificates would be valueess because
such is the nature of the disease that it can
not always be discovered even by physicians.
The cost of the required certificates would
be drawback to the poor and insistence upon
1t by Episcopal ministers would lay the church
open to the charge of being rich mans
church.
In answer to these arguments, Rev. Russell
Bowie, rector of st. Pauls church. has pub
lished a lengthy statement in which he de-
clares that the issue Is moral and not merely
'ugenic' I'VE are trying says he Ito safe
guard marriage simply from one single loath-
some sort of disease, and we are seeking 10
do that not supremacy because of the physical
misery of the transmitted disease itself. but
still more because in striking at this disease
we are striking at the immortality which gives
it birth. 1t is moral issue we are fighting.
"A man and woman come to the church
may be tainted at that moment with some
shameful disease. the tragic results of which
he still does not foresee In her sweet and
trusting innocence. the girl is far more ignorant
still The church blesses that union, fraught
as 1t may be with seeds OF disaster. Because of
| it, the girl becomes in no long time woman
physically ruined, and with her purest ideals
shattered forever
| In short. Mr.. Bowie and his associates have
adopted this method of entering their solemn
protest against the double standard" of
morality of emphasizing the fact that personal
purity and chastity equally obligatory upon
both sexes The movement Is educational
1.-The double standard" says Mr.. Bowie. "is
in defiance of Gods eternal laws OF righteous
ness and purity. and some day the world-old
wrong shall be overthrown.'
1.-The time has come" he further declares
"for the church to take militant attitude, SO
unmistakkable that men cannot ignore It. When
men and young boys perceive that the church
grave and shameful thing that she will not,
| II she knows it. marry those who are thus
| tainted. boys and men can themselves be no
longer ignorant
That Is the most significant and far-reaching
statement have seen from any source on
this most important subject We can draw no
conclusion from Mr.. Bowies remarks other
than that the time Is coming when the church
will require of candidate for matrimony not
chastity at least, that the church will forbid
its ministers to perform the marriage ceremony
| In a where the candidate Is known to be
morally unc1ean 1t is a movement for social
purity and 1t will not recede
The time Is not ripe for measure 50 drastic,
but Mr.. Bowie is one OF the brainist young
men In the ministry and he has vision.
The step which he and his brother clergymen
have taken is long step in the direction in
dicated. 1t is small wonder that some Of the
clergymen are hating but believe that all
will eventually march up to the advanced posi-
ton where Mr.. Bowie has planted the banner of
chastity and that the movement will continue
to make progress until the height which this
gifted young prophet has seen In his vision
shall have been reached.-Newport News Press.