South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-05-18
South Bend and MiShaWaka
Pastor will Not Recognize
Any But SCriptural Ground
For Divorce.
.DEPL0RE INDIFFERENCE
TO NATIONAL EVIL"
Association Goes on Record in
Favor of Uniform Marriage
Laws and Scores laXity OF
Civil Authorities.

south Send and Nishawaka pas
tors beIousin- Co Jhe Ministerial as
sociation win NOT marry divorced peo-
nie In the future. a resolution was
adopted at the meetng OF the assoc
citation Monday morning at the y. NJ.
q. A.. Dy which the pastors pat them
selves on record as being strongly
opposed TO divorces and agreed not 10
marry couples either OF whom had
been divorced.
The only excuse for "a separation II
this kind TO be recognized Dog the min
isterial association viii Doe i'm cases
where the seventh commandment has
been broken hE one OF the parties
The proposition was brought before
the ministers in "a paper reao by Rev.
A. r. Whiting of MiShaWaka. last
week
Here j. the Resolution.
Rev Charles a Decker OF this city
was appointed 90 draft resolution,
which follows.
Whereas. 1t is generally conced-
ed that the divorce evil Is one Of
the greatest problems confronting
the moral and religious forces ot
irfs country. ID is "a matter that
vitality effects the church as well as
the sacreduess of the marriage vow
and the integrity OF the home. And
il is our belief hat the time has
come when tbe ministers OF TINS
country should speak ont clearly on
this subject and govern themselNes
strictly iu accordance with SCRIP
tural teaching and usage.
''It is our Eelief. based upon sta-
tistics. that resort to the divorce
court is largely but a preliminary
measure having remarriage in
view And that the evil of divorce
would be lessened If the difficulties
leading 10 remarriage we lr-
creased
I'm view 81 the fact that marriage
is religious as well as "A civic mat
ter. and also IN view OF the well
known fact that most divorced peo-
pie seek the sanction OF the church
i'm an unholy remarrlage ~ seems
clear 10 us that the regulation and
Iessening Of this evil is largely IN
the control of the clergymen i'm this
country
Depiore Indifference.
"Tn order. therefore. that our
views on this matter may be clearly
understood. that we NAV properly
and conScientiOUslv discharge Our
obligations toward society. and that
we have uniform standard bv
which our practices in this particu-
lar shall be governed. be H. resolved
by the Ministerial association ~
South Bend and Misnawaka,
I'D That we deplore the indif-
ference that is generally manifested
on the subject ot marriage and de
Vorce And we believe that the
church should he speedily aroused
to deal --Ore aggreSsiVely and cour-
ageOuslv with the growing evil ~
divorce and remarriage
"f21 That we depl0re the laNity
with which this matter ie handled
hy our state authoritie~ We believe
that there should he uniform mar
riage and divorce laws enacted bv
the fedora government making it
impossibl for people who are de-
MED the privilege of remarriage in
one state 20 secure lt In another.
And we call upon our public Off
cials who have iu charge the grant
irs of marriage licenses 20 scruti-
nize the applications more carefully
and refuse tho privilege 60 those
VINO are not legally entitled 90 IT,
"itD That we recognize hut one
scriptural ground for divorce, that
which is set forth iu Matthew $50,
We do not believe that man has
Scriptural right fp pun away his
wife. or the wife ro put away her
husband. for any reason excepting
that of adulteT
"tfl Furthermore. that we 10
NOT recognize the ri-nt 90 ans di-
vorced person to rcmarrN. except q
such cases as when t7r divorced
person has found t necessary %
seek separation on the scriptural
ground Of adultery And that We
deny The r.Eht Of the guilty party
thus put away 10 reUarr2 under any
circumstances
Bind ACTIONS Accordingly
"l6l Believing that the fore-o-
ing conclusions are sound and n
accordance with the teaching ~ the
scriptures. we Therefore bind OUR
selves 10 govern our actions in reia-
tou % remarria-e. when called
Ipou 90 perform the marriage cert-
mony In harmony with the above
declarations
"t61 That it i- the sense ~ This
body that any meuber who know
grades his sacred office as "a minister
ri the gospel and sif es hIs coopera-
ton in promoting one ot The worst
evils ~ our times"
The resolution adopted hy The Fed
-ral council of churches of Indiana.
outlining the years policy ~ the come
mittee and featuring "a plan to hold
simultaneous eVangelistic campaigns
iu every church of the state Droba hiv
for month next fau. was considered
at the meeting and viii he tFSen uD az
q future meeting