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Show How VfcndcrfcHt Stol3 a March. ' The Vanderbilt-Rutherford marriage is becoming becom-ing a burning question in high church circles. The Rev. Mr. Hadden, the Episcopal minister who married mar-ried the, couple at a church in London, not only flatly refused to see any newspaper man or to give out any statement whatever, but he has contemptuously contemptu-ously ignored a request addressed to him by the Bishop of London for an explanation of his action. Failing to get at the Rev, Mr. Hadden, whom the bishop is quite powerless to punish except by boycotting boy-cotting his church, the high church party is directing direct-ing its ire against Henry White, Secretary of the United 'States embassy. The minister who performed per-formed this marriage ceremony violated one of the most important rules of the Episcopal church. Both Mr. ( Vanderbilt and Mrs. Rutherford are divorcees. The Rev. Mr. Hadden knew this and he was also fully posted as to the prominence of the contracting contract-ing parties. Yet he married them in the face of his church's prohibition. Such ministers as this Lon- don divine are a disgrace to any church. Charges should be preferred against him and he should be stripped of the cloth which he has so signally disgraced. dis-graced. The Church Times says: iCSo one came out of the business with credit. The vicar was perfectly per-fectly aware of contravening his diocesan's injunctions. injunc-tions. The first secretary of the American embassy went out of his way to show his contempt for the whole Church of England, and the Primate and Bishop of London in particular. The noble Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, who were also present, pres-ent, set an example which society will not be slow to follow. All of them appeared toenjoy the fun of stealing a march on those who certainly have, availed themselves of the right to state a just impediment im-pediment why the proceedings should not go for ward." In thejsame paper appears a letter signed "A Disgusted M. P.," in which he sajs: "The astonishment as-tonishment and disgust are manifest and manifold, as, not many weeks ago, another rich American on the same errand was told by the officials at the American embassy that no license could be obtained." ob-tained." But Mr, Vanderbilt and the Rev. Mr. nad-den nad-den take refuge behind the legal status of the case. Newton Crane, a leading American lawyer, who arranged ar-ranged the marriage ceremony, said: :Mr. Vanderbilt Vander-bilt does not intend to take any notice of these protests, pro-tests, which are purely a matter of conscience with certain members of the established church. It is absurd for Father Black to say that any question of the legality of the ceremony is involved. Every requirement re-quirement of the law was scrupulously complied with and the church doors being closed was of no account whatever. We could have compelled the counselor of the diocese, Dr. Tristram, to issue a license, li-cense, if it had been refused, and he recognized that fact. We could not compel any clergyman to perform per-form the ceremony. Mr. Hadden did it as an act of courtesy." Both the Episcopal and Roman Catholic Cath-olic churches are conducting a splendid campaign against the divorce evil, and it is indeed a pity that snob conscienceless ministers as the Rpt. Mr. TTnrll den bob up "every now and then to tear down the barrier which these two great religious organizations organiza-tions are erecting around the home. |