DIVORCE PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22578, 17 November 1936, Page 14

DIVORCE PROBLEMS

CHURCH ATTITUDE A PRESBYTERIAN VIEWPOINT CASES FOR RE-MARRIAGE Outstanding among tho committee reports to be presented to tho General Assembly ot tho Presbyterian Church mooting in Christchurch this week is ono on the subject of marriage and divorce. The convener of the special committee is the Rev. J. A. Allan, of Mount Eden. Tho committee concludes by suggesting three rules for the guidance of ministers in this matter as follows: In. tho case of divorce for insanity the sane party may be remarried; in the case of divorce for failure to comply with an order for the restitution of conjugal rights or for three years' separation neither party shall bo remarried; in the case of divorce for sexual vice, extreme cruelty, habitual drunkenness or desertion, as defined in the Act, only the innocent party shall be re-married. An} 7 person divorced on such grounds applying to a minister for re-inarriage shall, it is suggested, produce a sworn declaration to the effect that he was tho innocent party in such a divorce suit and that he has not been guilty of any conduct that would form legal grounds for a divorce; this declaration to be countersigned by the solicitor who acted for the applicant in the divorce proceedings to the effect that tho facts as stated in the declaration are to the best of .his knowledge and belief true. " The adoption of such a course," says Mr. Allan, " would enable the Church as a whole to take a definite stand on a definite policy, a policy in accordance with Scripture, with the traditional view of the Reformed Church, with the attitude of leading Presbyterian Churches in other lands, and with authoritative British opinion as represented by the Royal Commission of 1912." The committee recommends that the suggested rules be sent down to Presbyteries for the guidance of ministers.