Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-24
UNIFORM MARRIAGE
LAWS ARE URGED
Church Deputies Also Debate
Question of Vagrant
CIergymen.

Runaway and unregulated marriages,
vagrant clergymen and the golfng pro-
clivities Of bishops held the attention of
the House of Deputies Of the Episcopal
Church today while the House Of Bish-
ops remained in executive session for
the election of missionary bishop.
Rev. DR.. George r. Dudley Of Wash
ington, secretary Of the commission on
home and family life, presented reso-
luton asking the clergy to urge upon
Federal and State authorities stricter
and more uniform marriage laws, which
would prevent the marriage of defec-
tives and place curb on hasty mar
riages.
Investigation has shown, the report
said, that such marriages have an i'm
portant bearing on the divorce problem
and on the problem of defective chill
dren.
Referred to Committee.
Dr. W. Sinclair Bowen of Washing
ton urged the necessity of taking as
much pains in caring for humans as arc
taken for cattle and sheep"
at is dreadful to realize how many
homes are broken from such hasty mar
riages," he said. The resolution was re-
ferred to the committee on the investi-
cation Of divorce.
The question of vagrant clergymen
came UP in connection with proposed
change in the canon law Of the church
which would enable bishop to Semove
from his list the name, Of a clergyman
who had been absent from the diocese
for two years The name would be
placed on special list kept by the
presiding bishop.
The deputies refused to concur ir
this change, which has been approved
by the bishops.
It was pointed out that the diocesan
bishop Is the only authority able tc
order the trial Of a clergyman under
canon law, and that q man whose
name had been removed from the do
cesar list would automatically be out
side any Jurisdiction which might try
him for church offenses. This type of
clergyman, said DR.. Wyatt Brown OF
Baltimore, is the one whose members
are most likely to commit offenses
which should be tried by church courts.
Change Is Refused.
The deputies also refused to concur
in a proposed change in the constitu-
ton of the church by which a .consti-
tutional majority of the House OF
Bishops would be majority Of all thoR
present, provided that at least two
thirds were present, rather than a ma
jority of al those entitled to vote.
A bishop. 1t was pointed out, retains
his vote all his life. although he m4y
resign from his diocese due to illness or
old age. Some Of these men are unable
to attend conventions, with the result
that they are considered as always vot-
ing in the negative on only questions
requiring a majority. Thus every such
vote In the House of Bishops starts
with handicap Of approximately &c
negative votes.
Dean George H. Powell of the Divin-
ity School of the Pacific, who led the
fight against this change, said that
part Of the trouble was due to bishops
playing golf when they should be at
tending sessions.
II don't see why we should be called
upon to enlarge the army Of Episcopal
golfers" declared Burton Mansfield OF
Connecticut ns2 rs
Bishop Is Praised.
The House of Bishops yesterday after
noon adopted resolution offered by
Right Rev. William A. Leonard, Bishop
Of Ohio, expressing to the bishop and
chapter of washington Cathedral the
appreciation Of that body for "the con-
struction Of washington Cathedral IS o
house Of prayer for all people and wit
ness to the Christian faith in the Capt.
tai Of the Nation" Bishop Leonard also
presented tentative design for q
church nag and seal.
The House Of Deputies yesterday aft
ernoon concurred IN the action Of the
bishops to invite the Northern and
Southern Methodist and the Northern
and Southern Presbyterian churches 10
form commissions on faith and order to
act in cooperation with the Episcopal
commission, looking toward eventual
unity.