Evening star., 1952-05-28
Presbyterians Back
Delay in Remarrying
Of Divorced Persons
BY Cospor Names
Stcr Stoff corvasnoneIenf

-0~'N-F0'r~N'''
NEW YORK, May 28.-Persons
desiring to remarry in a Presby-
terian Church probably will have
to wait year after their divorce
despite technical loophole tend
ing to avoid this delay, action
taken at the general assembly
today indicated.
Last year overtures concerning
the remarriage Of divorced persons
were sent down to the 259 Presby-
teries of the Presbyterian Church
in the U. s. A.
Through what officials here to-
day called an "inadvertency," the
Presbyteries turned down an over
ture requiring divorced persons to-
wait year after their final decree
before being remarked in a Pres
byterian Church. The overture
was defeated. according to leaders
here. because technical details
overweighted the main idea. AS
the church law now stands, there
is no time restriction against the
remarriage Of divorced person.
Overtures Approved.
Sentiment against this omission
is very strong at the meeting here.
Though nothing now can be done
constitutionally to require di-
vorced persons to wait a year for
remarriage, overtures aimed atI
correcting this situation were
unanimously approved today. Ac-
cording to church procedure, AM
overture must be approved by al
majority Of the Presbyteries and
then returned to the General As
sembly for final action. This
means the following overtures will
be sent this year to the Presby-
teries and returned for approval
by the 1858 General Assembly be-
fore it can be official church law.
Three overtures passed today
were as follows:
/. A minister is asked to op-
pose haSty remarriages by refus-
ing to od1ciate "at the remarriage
OF a divorced person" unless "at
least one year has elapsed from
the date of the final decree grant
ing the divorce, except with the
approval of PreSbytery or its au-
thorized representative"
2. Ministers we're advised not
remarry "a member of any Chris
tian communion whose marriage
is known to the minister to be
prohibited by the laws of the
church in which such person
holds membership" But a pro-
vision was added allowing min
lister to remarry such a person If
he believes "his refusal would
work an injustice"
Consultations Advised.
8. Ministers were advised toI
consult with their sessions or with
their Presbytery in doubtful cases.
They were also advised to keep
written records of the evidence
in each case, with the decision of
the Presbytery being recorded.
Finally, a separate resolution
approved called on Presbyterian
ministers to observe the one-year
rule, 'in practice as heretofore.
pending action Of the Presby-
teries'' this year.
The meeting yesterday approved
Q vigorously worded resolution de-
nouncing the denial of "reli-
gious freedom to a Protestant re-
ligious minority in Colombia.
South America"
I'VE cannot keep silent about
the suffering Of our brethren" the
statement declared. "They have
been insulted, threatened, beaten,
jailed. Some have lost their lives;
others have been forced to attend
mass, have had their homes ran
sacked or burned, their churches
damaged or destroyed. The Evan
gelical Confederation Of Churches
in Colombia, representing II diff
ferent Protestant mission groups,
has issued two. documented re-
ports with details Of 46 cases of
persecution in Colombia between
December, 1851, and March 81,
1882"
Denial Of Rights Seen.
Declaring "this persecution"
was denial of human rights and
violated the principles of religious
freedom in the constitution Of
Colombia, the U. N. Charter and
the universal declaration Of hui
man rights. the resolution called
on the government Of Colombia
to restore religious freedom in
that country"
An amendent from the floor
asked that the statement be sent
to members Of the Catholic hier-
archy in the United States.