Prelude to Denver

One problem which will occupy the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church which meets in Denver this week is a proposed canon which would permit divorced persons to be married a second time by an Episcopal clergyman, a concession allowed at present only to the innocent party in a divorce for adultery (TIME, May 4). One astute, conservative Episcopal leader who will not be present to discuss this canon is Bishop William Thomas Manning of New York. He was resting under doctor's orders last week at Mt. Desert, seaside resort in Maine. He had not yet declared himself on the canon. To make his influence felt at the convention, last week was a good time to say something. To The Living Church (high-church) and The Southern Churchman (low-church) he wrote:

"The proposed new canon on marriage and divorce is a sign of the times. If the General Convention were to adopt a canon such as this, which rejects the plain teaching of our Lord Himself* the Protestant Episcopal Church would be confronted with the gravest crisis in history.

"This canon proposes a complete departure from the Christian, scriptural and prayer book ideal of marriage. . . .

"I do not for one moment believe that such a proposal, or anything resembling it, will be adopted by the General Convention. The amazing and shocking thing is that such a canon can be proposed by those who should be the upholders of Christian faith and morals."

P: To The Living Church also wrote Rev. Dr. Howard Chandler Robbins. professor at General Theological Seminary and long Bishop Manning's subordinate as dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Member of the commission which drew up the canon and hence at disagreement with Bishop Manning on this subject as well as others,/- he was defending it publicly for the first time. Said he:

"Am I wrong in thinking that an analogous situation exists in the case of war? The Church cannot acknowledge the righteousness of the war system any more than it can acknowledge the righteousness of divorce. . . . The pacifist has not only [our Lord's] sayings, but also His spirit and example in support of an uncompromising opposition to war.

"And yet when, in a world which is still only nominally Christian, resort is had to armed force, the Church does not look upon soldiers as murderers or deprive them of its sacraments . . . upon what principle, then, would the literalists ask the Church to bless a soldier going forth to kill the enemy whom Jesus bids him love, and deny its blessing to persons who, while properly debarred from the ecclesiastical solemnization of their marriage, have been remarried under civil sanctions after the case has been reviewed by an ecclesiastical court and found free from moral turpitude?"

* And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be jor fornication, and shall marry another, committing adultery; and whose married her which is put away doth commit adultery.--Matthew, 19:9.

/-Observers recalled that ''differences of opinion" with High Churchman Manning caused Low Churchman Robbins' resignation in 1929 (TIME, Jan. 14, Nov. 4, 1929). This spring Dr. Robbins and Very Rev. Milo Hudson Gates, present dean of the Cathedral, were candidates for election as deputies to this week's convention. A letter was circulated in the diocese urging that it was more proper to elect Dean Gates (friend of Bishop Manning) than parish-less Dr. Robbins. Dr. Robbins was elected.

By comparing War with Divorce, Dr. Robbins once more pinked his old adversary. Bishop Manning was a determined advocate of the World War, took part in the stirring "Battle of Karl Muck," which resulted in Conductor Muck of the Boston symphony being interned as a dangerous alien.

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