CHURCH AND DIVORCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 7

CHURCH AND DIVORCE.

//ARCHBISHOP!OF CANTERBURY'S; •V^:;; :^.y;^7;; "^;^mTODE. ; -=' x /;. v;^':,;;.^y;(BT'TELEGKAPa—rnESS.ASSOC.iATIOtf—CpPtniOHT.)' ■ J - '& : :ii f- on d° n r February 9.' : '.The 'Archbishop of .Canterbury; has-' ordered tho ,vicar ,r of Charing;: Kent,/ -not to. refuse the;' Holy; Communion .to .a certain; married couple. The' woman; .who/had divorced: her former husband,;\yas an. innocent ; party in'the .divorce:; proceedings. .;.;'; ''■•;-;:'!■ •;.'. '■-'. :; ;. -; ;,; RESOLUTIONS /OF LAMBETH CON-! ■ ;FERENCE;';;;':«:; i V.-':.:;' ;i : ,:The' question'of divorce and remarriage. pecu-. pied'the attention of the recent Lambeth Conference;;/ there being considerable, diversity; of opinion 'among the; bishops .on certain aspects pi the • matter. The Conference decided to reaffirm the resolution: of the- Conference;of 1888, which declared that under, ho circumstances ought, the guilty party,, in-'the I .case ..of -a : divorce for misconduct. to. be regarded, during ; the 1 lifetime of the innocent '• party; ■' as a fit recipient of the; Massing of; the Church on marriage. That, recognising the ; .fact,that there always has been a 'difference 'of opinion in tho Church on the: question whether: our: Lord meant to-forbid marriage to the innocent party in a divorce for misconduct, the Conference recommends ; that,tUj;,'clergy should'not be instructed to . refuse; the gecraments' or otkor .'privileges of the Church ■ to' those who, under civil ■■- sanction, are thus married.' When an innocent person has, by means of a court of law,., divorced n.spouse for -misconduct, 'and desires _ to'; enter into ; another contract, of marriage,-: it'is :,undesirable: that isuch a; contract should receive the blessing of the Church. The last olause was 'only carned'by'B7 votes'to 84.