Evening journal., 1921-10-18
Elkton s Marriage MIL
BY the Rev. Robert Watt D. d. Superintendent of the Whining
District of the Wilmington M E. Conference.

Permit me to call attention to a
matter that concerns not only the
Christian Church. but which has a
vital bearing on public morality.
refer TO the disgraceful doings
in our neghboring town Of Elkton
relative to the marriage mill as
conducted with the cooperation OF
certain representatives Of the minis
try and the jitneuers, who. by their
own confession, have made the sa-
cred rite OF marriage a matter OF
barter, going to the extent Of a
combine among certain jitneuers
by which they 'boycotted' one OF
these marrying parsons and. in their
own language. "bargained with an
other marrying parson who agreed
to go them on a fifty-fifty basis. y
Unless one were conversant with
these facts they would be unbeliev-
able.
4 is a cause for regret that a
town hitherto free from any term OF
reproach should have become known
as a Gretna Green where all sorts
OF disgraceful things occur. As, for
example. the array OF yelling jitney
drivers, as soon as couples suspected
TO be matrimonially inclined leave
the train. who approach these
couples. making an unseemly scram-
Bile for trade to the annoyance of
those who desire to be united in
marriage and to the disgust OF all
those who chance to be witnesses of
these daily affairs.
so serious did these occurrences
become that the officers OF the Penn
syivania Railroad gave orders to ar
rest any OF these eager jitneuers, II
they trespassed on the railroad prop
erty. In some cases arrests were
made. II is a matter OF knowledge
that the clerk OF the court threat
ened to arrest these men II they in
vaded his once.
When one sees their frantic ef-
forts, their gesticulating vociferous
attempts to land the business for
their cars. disgust is the only word
which in any sense adequately de-
scribes ones feelings. AS one Of the
brakemen on the Maryland Division
said TO the writer only a few weeks
ago. This is a disgrace; something
ought to be done to put a stop TO it,
Not only so. but there is written
evidence to show that certain per-
sons who make specific inquiry for
a minister OF a particular denomina-
tion are mlsled by being taken I,
a man who is not in charge Of any
church, but who is in the business
, OF marrying people for what he gets
out Of It. In fact, were the wnole
story told It would sound Incredible
q Is worthy Of note that there is
not a single pastor OF any denom-
ination in charge OF a church in the
] town Of Elkton who is engaged In
/ the degrading practice Of 'commer.
cislizing the marriage ceremons. n
/ is only fair to these pastors and theii
respective denominations that thi
fact be made known.
And II Is matter susceptible q
Z proof that some OF these regula'
pastors have been offered the entir'
marrying business to use the com
mercial term employed by the jit
neuers, but these pastors hav
spurned the offers and informel
these jitney drivers that the spill
fee business would not be tolerated
not on any condition, neither direct
, ly nor indirectly. This Is the statu
, OF the 'Gretna Green business
Elkton today.
Not that some Of the regularl
p stationed pastors do not marry an
who go TO them properly creder
tialed, but there is nothing doing 1