El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-31
MIKES PLEA FOR
EUGEHIC MARRIAGE
Governor Baldwin's Address
Is Closing Feature of Con
gregatiOnal Council.

Kansas City, No, Oct 31.-A plea for
eugenic marriages by governor simeon
z. Baldwin, of Connecticut, ana an ad-
dress by Rev. Newell Dwight Hills, of
Brooklyn, n. Y, on the new social OBJ
legation for the church, brought to an
end the 18th trienniaI council of the
Congregational churches IN the United
States.
The council is regarded as one of the
most important in the church's his
tory. 1t adopted a new constitution.
appointed a general secretary with en-
larged advisory powers, brought the
eight church societies directly under
the guidance of the council and pro-
Yided for biennial meetings.
Governor Simeon E. Baldwin. of Con-
necticut, urged the enactment by the
various states of legislation which viii
email bic ministers of religion to deter
mine whether or not parties to the
marriage contract are fit before they
perform the ceremony He thought It
time that ministers ceased to marry
couples without any knowledge of their
fitness, but he did not believe that in
order to prevent such marriages the
church should attempt to influence leg
islation. He thought that in this re-
spect the Roman Catholic church had
the right idea.
1T contents itself mainly with look
ing after the individual" ne said, and
in laying down rules for its own mem
bers, as to matter of religion; not IN
=
govern the conduct of others
1T does not seem to me the duty OF
the churches, as such, or of their mem
bers, as such, to urge upon legislatures
the Improvement of our marriage laws.
The efforts of the church for the bet
terment of society are to be accom-
plished through its influence in the
formation and reformation of indiyi-
dual character 1t has often been
wrong in trying to extend, in this di-
rectiOn or in that, the domain of stat
ute law. In one generation it has not
infrequently thus built up what in the
next generation it has striven to pull
down"
Ministers should Investigate.
After quoting statistics and re-
viewing the awful consequences or
marriage between persons wholly unit
to bring healthy children into the
world, the speaker said that some
method ought to be devised whereby
the minister can learn of those cond1-
lions, and refusing to perform the
ceremony inform the parents of either
party of the danger
1.-The minister can hardly himself in
stitute or direct an inquiry, said gov
ernOr Baldwin. He can, however. de-
cline to perform the ceremony unless
he personally knows the parties we'll
or is satisfied that the woman OF her
friends have made a proper investiga-
ton Certainly he should never per-
form it 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:
TT often happens that a hasty mar
rage is agreed on. in a state where
previous notice of some days is re-
quired and has not. perhaps cannot, be
given. A trip to another state, in
such a case. ought not, ordinarily, to be
suffered to work an evasion Of the
home law.
Ministers Have Free Hands.
1.-THE Protestant churches, in refus-
ing to recognize marriage as a sacra-
ment, have left their ministers a free