Evening star., 1922-09-03
EPISCOPAL BISHOPS
BACK DIVORCE BAN
Individual Opinions Favor
|, :. .
Even Greater Restrictions
on Remarriage.
INNOCENT MAY REWED
Declaration of DR.. Grant Not Taken
INNOCENT MAY REWED
Declaration of DR.. Grant Not Taken
Seriously-Laymen More Strict
Even Than Clergy.
b. the Associated Press.

b. the Associated Press.
PORTLAND Greg. September =
Bishops of the Episcopal Church to-
day mingled discussion of matters TO
come before the general conventi"n
here next week with comment on
press dispatches carrying statement
by the Rev. DIR. Percy Stickney Grant,
rector of the Church of the Ascension
of New York city. on the divorce laws
of the church.
Bishop William T. Manning of New
York remarked: II see Grants been
breaking out again" He would make
no further comment on the situation
in reference to the Rev. DR.. Grant
than to say that his position was well
understood in New York.
Doubt Any Change.
IT is doubtful if the Episcopal cou-
veution will attempt to enact laws
laying a more rigid ban than now
exists in the church upon the Temar-
rfage of divorced persons, according
to an opinion of Bishop James Wise
of Kansas City, when questioned re-
garding the declaration of the Rev.
Or. Grant.
Also it is equally doubtful. in the
opinion Of Bishop Wise. that the con-
vention will adopt measures which
will make more liberal conditions for
divorced persons who wish to re
marry.
Only Innocent Can Rewed.
AT present the church permits
rumarriage after DIVORCE only TO
the innocent parties to whom divorce
fidelity he said. There is within
the church a group that favors max :
ing still more rigid restrictions and
forbidding marriage of any divorced
person. regardless.
In the past ten years this group
has shown considerable increase in
strength. though it is not strong
enough. to enforce it's position
Laymen Against Let-Down.
THE question came up at the last
ention-and will come up prob
ably at every convention indefinitely
but if the public thinks that it is
the clergy alone that is taking a
rigid stan7l on the matter. it should
he remembered that the laymen in
the house of deputies were. ii any
thing. more determined in their posi-
tion not to throw down the bars
than were the bishops.
IF the family is destroyed. civil
ization is broken down. The people
of the Episcopal Church. whether
lay or clerical. realize this and the
position the church is taking is a
position for great IDEAL.
Not Taken Seriously.
The declaration of DR.. Grant was
not taken very seriously by the most
Of the bishops present, if the current
. of conversation in the lobby of the
auditorium where the bishops are
holding informal conferences, could
be considered as an indication.
The general opinion seemed to be
that the convention will stand for no
relaxation in the marriage rules, and
that it may possibly swing rather in
the direction of more severity.
Bishop Thomas Frank Gailor of Ten
uessee. presiding at the meeting of
bishops, said:
Should Keep Word.
The canons should be made more
strict rather than loosened. When a
man and woman stand before God
and they take each other until Geath
do US part they should live up to their
word"
Bishop Irving Peake Johnson of Colo
rado remarked that DIR. Grant can
either play the game according to the
rules or not.
It's up to him. Personally | do rot
think the laws of the church will be
changed. l cannot express iiy personal
position too strongly. Conditions in the
country today are worse than they ever
were in Greece or Ancient Rome