Lehre und Wehre St. Louis, Missouri — Januar 1913, Seite 40

German transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

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40 Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches.

VV. Despotie, which has just been decided by the Court of Review in the
Province of Quebee. JFapoleon Tremblay was married to Malvena Des-
potie on October 25, 1904. After living together for eight vears, her hus-
band discovered that one hundred years ago the progenitors of himself and
his wife were first cousins. He traced their lineage to the present day,
and was able to adduce évidence to show. that the woman hom he had
married was his fourth cousin. They were both ignorant of this fact at
the time of tueir marriage. It could be remedied to-day by the payment.
of 55.00 for a dispensation. But the husband wanted to get rid of his
wife, so he refused to pay the 85.00, and demanded as a right the annul⸗
ment of his marriage. This was given him upon the ground rhat the
marriage of fourth cousins is prohibited by the laus of the Roman Cath-
olie Church in Quebec. And what is more deplorable, the civil courts
of that province have just confirmed the decision of the ecclesiastical
court. We will carry the judgment of our readers when we say that no
divorce court in the world would enable à man to escape the obligations
which he assumed at marriage, and cast his wife adrift upon such à plea
as that which has been successful in the tribunal or a church which
claims to be the chief defense of the sanctity of the home. We venture
the assertion that it is practically impossible for two persons to be mar-
ried in the Province of Quebec who cannot be separated by the ecelesias-
tical law of that province, if they are able to pay the cost of the action.
So far from the Roman Church discouraging divorces, its eanons provide
theé easiest and cheapest divorces that can be had anywhere in the world.
It is of the utmost importance that facts like these should be known to
Protestants. It is only bey such knowledge tbat therv can fairly estimate
the preétensions of the Roman institution. There is something so immoral
and unchristian about the whole transaction that it must eseite the re-
pugnance of every fair-minded man and woman, réegardless of their ereed.
It seems most extraordinary that the leaders of a church which exercises
absolute control over the people should facilitate such separations, and
it is only by the most explicit evidence that the aveérage eitizen can be
brought to believe it possible. It proves beyond à doubt that in this par-
ticular at least the claim of the Roman Church to be a deéfender of the
home is entirely without substantial foundation.“ F. B.

In bezug auf die Heransforderung eines Dr. Cummings von Williams⸗
port, Pa., von dem wir in der vorigen Nummer berichteten, daß er 810,000
zu Pfande setzte, wenn der Nengce die Wahrheit seiner Behauptungen dar⸗
tun könne, meldet jetzt der Vengee durch mehrere Nummern, daß aus⸗
gesandte Briefe den Herrn Doktor nicht zu Hause finden. Sonderbar! Oder
auch nicht. — Die vielen Zusendungen, die an uns in dieser Sache ergangen
sind, zeigen, daß viele Leute das Resultat der Geschichte mit Spannung
abgewartet haben. E. P.

II. Ausland.

Ein Liberaler gegen Luthers Kleinen Katechismus. In dem „Schles⸗
wig⸗holsteinischen Kirchenblatt“, das doch sonst nicht mit den Freunden der
evangelischen Freiheit Hand in Hand geht, veröffentlichte kürzlich P. Leh⸗
mann (Hamberge, Holstein) einen Artikel, der die größte Beunruhigung
und das größte Argernis in allen kirchlichen Kreisen erregt hat, weil er
sich in der schärfsten Weise gegen den Kleinen Katechismus Luthers wendet

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