Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-05-27
Presbyterians TO Hear
New Plan on Marriage
OF Divorced Persons
By Cospor Names
Stur Stuff cerrespendsnt

position on the remarriage Of di-
vorced persons will be submitted
Monday to the l63d General AS
sembly of the Presbyterian Church
in the United States of America.
The new proposals, advanced
by a 12-man special commission
on marriage and divorce, are an
outgrowth of the rejection last
year by Presbyteries of two over
lures on the question. These ov-
ertures were said by the Presby-
teries to be Impractical and too
mandatory"
According to the new proposals,
the ministers considering remar-
rying a divorced person would
still ascertain whether there is
penitence for past sin and failure,
and intention to enter, with the
help Of God, and through his
church, into a marriage Of love,
honor. forbearance and loyalty.
which will continue as long as
both shall live"
Committee Proposed.
The proposals also recommend
creation Of a committee, in each
presbytery, to advise a minister
"as to whether there are grounds
for marriage or remarriage in
keeping with the spirit and teach
ings of our Lord Jesus Christ"
1t also retails provision from
the earlier overtures that one
year must elapse from the date
of the final decree granting the
divorce" before a divorced per-
son could be remarked.
Appointment Of a committe, of
IS ministers and elders, to report
next year for action on a COM
plete revision of Chapter "a of
the Confession Of Faith will also
be brought before the assembly
on Monday.
Most important change here
would be in Section 2, Chapter "a,
which now reads, marriage. was
ordained for the mutual help of
husband and wife; for the in
crease Of mankind with a legiti-
mate issue, and of the church with
holy seed, and for the prevention
of uncleanness."
The revision would point out
that the church is concerned mot
only with the past guilt or inno-
cence of the parties to marriage"
but also with their present
penitence (where guilt has ex-
iSted), and with their understand
ing of marriage in the Lord :.
therefore, as breach of that holy
relation may occasion divorce on
grounds explicitly stated in Scrip
ture and implicit in the teachings
of Christ, the remarriage of a per-
son thus divorced is allowed when
sufficient penitence for sin and
failure is evidence, and a firm
purpose of and endeavor after
Christian marriage is demon
strated."
Differences Cited.
A sharp distinction between the
overture rejected and the new pro-
posal is that the Committee on
Christian Marriage would now
take up a case on the request of
minister. In the original overture
the minister would be required to
submit such case to the COM
mittee.
The $50 minister and lay coma
miSsioners today passed a record
budget of $18.950, 1854 for 1852. The
figure represents an overall in
crease Of $1.910,784 from the 1851
budget of $17,049.880.
Former Army Chaplain John K.
Borneman, now temporary min
lister of Eastminster Presbyterian
Church of Washington, was elected
executive secretary of the denomi-
nations Committee on Chaplains
today. Chaplain Borneman's du-
ties will be to process candidates
for the armed forces chaplaincy.
Chaplain Borneman received
three Silver Stars, two Bronze
Stars and two Purple Hearts in
the last war. He was a chaplain
for the 60th Coast Artillery at
Corregidor, when the war began,
was captured by the japanese and
was on the Bataan death march
After the war he returned to
Washington as supervising chap
lain for the Military District of
Washington, 1945-46. He retired
from service April, 1850, while at
Walter Reed Hospital as a result
Of wounds received in action.
The assembly voted today to
hold its 1852 meeting in New
York. An invitation to hold this
assembly had been extended last
year by the National Presbyterian
Church, but the tense interna-
tlonal situation and the possibility
that hotel rooms would not be
available if things became worse
led to a withdrawal of the bid.
United Presbyterions Strike
Resolution Opposing UNIT