MARRIAGE LAWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1921, Page 4

MARRIAGE LAWS.

BISHOP JUKIUS’S VIEWS. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 19. The divorce laws occupied a prominent position in Bishop Julius’s address to the Synod of the Christchurch Diocese yesterday. "It is the bouiiden duty of the Church,” he said, ‘‘to uphold the Christian ideal of marriage as the only possible standard of a perfect society. We must, steadily refuse to allow the sniiiction and blessing of the Church to the marriage of an.v divorced jiorsoii. unless and until the one exception of the innocent, party in a divorce for adultery is allowed by the Church of tin* province. Wo must also he free to hear full witness to the standard and teaching of Christ. When we come to deal with the world which is not Christ inn, and does not accept the Christian ideal, our difficulties increase. Certain considerations are worth nothing. Eirst that if Christendom is semi-heathen, the Church must take full share of tile reproach. Also that the State has problems of her own, which, ns things are. she cannot solve on Christian principles. The statistics of divorce in Eng lisli-speaking countries are very terrible. There is a turn of the tide ill the American States, and a reaction has set ill. New Zealand is still on the downward grade, and is fast, reducing tlm holy estate of matrimony to an unholy st ate of concubinage. GONE TOO FAR. It is refreshening to know that, m the opinion of Mr Massey, recent divorce legislation has gone too far. It is right and proper that this Synod of Churchmen and citizens should appeal tit Parlinment. hut we shall do yet more hv educating; public opinion, and training the young. "I must now call your attention to two sections of the Marriage Amendment Act. ltlg'u. IJmnemher, that, ill discussing them, we are not concerned with the epinons of those who introduced them, nor even with the words "f the Act itself. Seel ion .3 requires tliai the. oflieiat ing minister. having possession of a marriage register honk shall on the receipt of a cei l ile ate from tho Registrar-General that a pnrlieolar marriage registered therein has been dissolved, endorse oil the register tho particulars disclosed on the certificate. To pm it. in another way. A clergymen in whose conscientious i pinion such legal dissolution of a particu. lar marriage is a gross violation of the moral law, and directly contrary to the teaching of Christ, is required to enter a certiliea (o' of the dissolution oil the marriage hooks of a ('hristiati church. Such an endorsement is quite imm osNury. serves no legal purpose, is a i a use of great distress, and might not to ho required. CONTRARY TO Mtißti. i.\\y "Section 7 make, it a legal ofl'enoo. under penal: \ of e|u<>. <,, allege ,-n----luessly of by implication. that any ;s'i-s,ms l:i ulit 11 v niaii""J are not I nil v ami siillieiently married. The whole i 'ansa Is so loosely Worded [lull I lind 'i dilhmilt to know wlmi is meant hv it. I kll-u vmy well a ha! i- intended lo he men ut, hut that is not to *' point. It it m, ans lha I a uiairia'e

viMotioned by the Suite is a lawful anil sullicienl marriage according lo 1 lie laws of the Slate, ami that no"’., an shall say other" isr, ! ’>aie no quari' l " Till it. But many s'n h marriages nie «out i:av fo I lie moral law. n> -

it. and are cm (Min!- . ■ mb-**>:;.•«! t !k‘ 1 (*;ic!iin;; oi ( lirist. Such ;i iii:iri is therefore iinhiwful to a 11 m*i 11 ! »i• rof the Church, he w ill be put <>;;• of coiiiinuiiiiin with the ('hurt!' if !'.• co 11 1 1 : {i •l s it. ; 11 ! 1 1 l!.e pjie'. i> bound olfciicc under the Ac:. Por, in :i I • <*-r s ;. ! *s''i ! ion, :m execution U in iuvoiir of toi ins o' s \ i'-** in u-o it i'e line when the Act came into force. P.v implication. tlie:clo;c, in: now lot in e! -. t vice may he used which sets forth tl : Mini,- doci rile c s : n iage, is.>f nuiv Tliis may be liaimle*.-. enough at pie- " tit. Imi at any time it may liecome dr:onerous. In any ca-e i* is surely ‘he most perilous invasion upon the liberty <>f t'o subieri evci made by the Parliament of New /calami. lam convinced that unless the State narrows down the causes bn div<n e. ami cilia*! res-imls or amends ' 1 e ion-- . f the .Marriage Aim'iidiiiciil Vet to wlii-h I have referred, the acceptance < f universd civil maniage, followed, where ihis L sought, hv tlic ehnreh’s hcr.cd ict ion.

will !.av • to 1-e contemplated. TOO M»v rvy ••Put. wlmtever the State may do. the (’hureh must not fail to uphold the sanctity of marriage. Our theories are ex* olleu I. Our nun-lire is often shamefully had. IVi-oiis, unknown to the ' hutch, without ini|Ui:y. sometimes within the prohibited decrees. are married in haste, if not in Obs f'luiivh. then in that, where the vicar asks no Amain we perpelliate a perverse and antiquated system of surrogates and licenses, by which, mi payment of a fee, out people are encouraged In cv:idr the reasonable pieeautiou of publicity. If it is urged that the publication of banns idlers too little »e----ciirit v, we must sot ourselves 1o lind some heller way. As it is. the Church, which should hear 1 1 i•»h witness to the dignity of mart cure. is herselt the occasion of no little la\it v.”