CHURCH AND DIVORCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1921, Page 6

CHURCH AND DIVORCE.

PRESENT LAW CONDEMNED. REPEAL ADVOCATED. The amendment to the New Zealand marriage law granting divorce on the ground of three years’ separation was the subject of debate by the Auckland Diocesan Synod last week. A motion which expressed the synod’s hearty support of resolution 67 of the Lambeth Conference, upholding the principle of the indissolubility of marriage, and endorsed the memorial forwarded to Parliament by the Synod of Waiapu protesting against the continuance of the amended law, was made by the Rev. F. W. Young. He said that at present, in the eyes of the law, the marriage contract was a binding one for three years and as many days as was necessary' to obtain a divorce. The Prime Minister had acknowledged that Parliament had gone too far in altering the marriage law as it had done. The results of the weakening of the bonds of marriage was visible to all. The Rev. Gordon Bell, who seconded .the motion, said that many of those who attacked the Church for its opposition to the amended law did so on the ground that the Church was attempting to perpetuate ecclesisatical discipline and law. This was not the attitude the Church look up. He believed that the root motive behind the demand for easy divorce was the man’s demand for an easy code of marriage.

Canon P. T. Williams said that should the amended law not be withdrawn he would advise the Church to dissociate itself from civil marriages. All would then marry under civil law, and Church people would be allowed to come to the Church afterwards for its blessing. (Hear, hear.) Drastic steps were necessary, because the new law was only the beginning of an attack, which would now extend to the Church orphanages and schools. The Rev. W. E. Lusk suggested that the motion should go further, and in this the president, Dr. A. W. Averill, expressed his concurrence. Mr. Young then added to his motion a clause providing for the circulation of the resolution throughout the diocese with a view to obtaining signatures and its subsequent presentation to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Rev. Percival E. James said the mischief of divorce was frequently done before the marriage. Young people often entered into engagements with little thought. The clergy should speak earnestly to all such young people, and should exercise extreme carefulness before they gave their blessing. The Bishop said whatever Governments might say the Church had no right whatever to depart from its faith in the indissolubility of marriage.

The motion was earned unanimously.