OPINIONS DIVIDED ON QUESTION OF DIVORCE
“That the Assembly appoint a special committee to examine the laws relating to marriage anil divorce and the effects of their administration and to consider also the moral and spiritual issues involved In the Increasing prevalence of divorce.”
This is the text of a clause from a report by the Public Questions Committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church adopted at the session in Wanganui last night. The Rev. P. G. Hughes (Wellington: convener of the Public Questions Committee, said that opinions inside I he Church were divided on this question. He did not think that a decision on such an important question could be reached by the Assemby in the limited time available. It should be given careful study by a special committee.
Mr. A. J. McEldowney (Christchurch) said that people engaged in social work, in particular, were alarmed at the ease with which divorce could be obtained and the attitude of some people toward marriage. He had known of a case where a man had two wives living and wanted to marry again A small child was known to ask what would happen when his father went to heaven and had all those wives there The mind of a child could* be disrupted by divorce.
The question of divorce was one of the most difficult which ministers had to decide, said the Rev F. Winton (Christchurch). He added that he would like to see the Church prepare young couples properly for marriage, and in cases of divorced persons about to marry again the Supreme Court should supply more information other than the bald statement that a marriage had been annulled. Mr. Winton added that it would be more helpful if the Registrar of the Supreme Court could supply some details of a person's divorce, so that a minister could determine whether this was a marriage which should be solemnised. “We don't marry people," Mr. Winton added. “They marry themselves. We simply call God's blessing on them." The report was adopted.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19461031.2.36
Bibliographic details
Wanganui Chronicle, 31 October 1946, Page 4
Word Count
340OPINIONS DIVIDED ON QUESTION OF DIVORCE Wanganui Chronicle, 31 October 1946, Page 4
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