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Protestant Churches Discuss
Rules on Divorce-Remarriage
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Br LOUIS CASSELS
Washington Ti'J A new
Tiew of a long-disputed Bible j
passage is leading some Protest
ant churches to modify their
rule on divorce and remarringe.
Tie trend is away from rigid
church laws and toward a policy
of treating each individual case
as a "problem for pastoral coun
seling. -
Two. Luthern groups the
United Lutheran Church and the
American Lutheran, Church
recently have liberalized their
rules to reflect the new policy.
Southern Presbyterian took a
step in the same direction by
giving local church committees
power to-decide, eligibility for
re-narriage.
There is vigorous debate on
the question in '.the Methodist
' and Episcopal churches and, sev
eral other denominations. .
Churchmen who favor the new
policy insist that it does not in
volve anjr watering-down of the
Christian teaching that marriage
is a lifelong union and that di
vorce is contrary to God's law.
They say it is simply a matter
of applying the spirit of the
whole Christian gospel, rattier
than the letter of a 'particular1
Bible passage, .to the human
tragedy of a broken marriage..
The opposite point of view
held by many Protestants as
well as Roman Catholics was
stated by Pope Pius XII. He
aid Jesus instituted clear and
specific "laws 1 of marriage"
Which the church "has no right I
to change "
The. doctrinal dispute centers
around Jesus' answer to the
Pharisees who asked his attitude
toward divorce. The answer, recorded-
in Matthew 19:9 of the
King James version of the Bible
was:
"Whosoever shall put away
his wife, except it be for fornica
tion, and shall marry another,
committeth adultery; and who
marrieth her which is put away
doth commit adultery."
On the basjs of this passage,
many Protestant -churches con
done divorce if a mate has been
unfaithful, and permit remar
riage in the church of the in
nocent party to a divorce grant
ed on grounds of adultery.
Modern biblical scholars, how
ever, have challenged the auth
enticity of the phrase "except
it be for fornication." They
point out that the gospels of
Mark, Luke and John recorded
Jesus' answer without the dis
puted phrase.
They also say it is Incon
ceivable that Jesus would de
liver a fundamental moral teach:
ing about the indissolubility of
marriage and then provide a
loophole.
Strict application of Jesus'
words as. recorded by Mark,
Luke and John, would mean
that a church could never ap
prove of divorce and remarriage
under any circumstances.
Catholic Stand
This is the stand which the
Catholic church has' taken. The
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Second Interest Series
Starts Sunday At Church '
"Paul's Letters to Local
Chufches" will be one of. the
interest groups at the second
series of the School of Christian
living at the First Methodist
church?
This group will be taught by
Dr. Raymond E. Balcomb.. min-.
ister of the church". Dr. Halcomb
C did graduate wo'rk in .this area
of ti Bibtej This interest group
o will ilneet in the Meeker Mem
oriaL. chapel at 5:30 p.m..
A, "second interest group will
led by ttie Rev. George A. Tro
" bough. "Family. Forum", and
O the firjt session will be called
"Bjrond the Vows." Thi inter
est group will meet in the li
brary, room 105. from 5:30 to
6:30 p.m. This will be a sharing
group experience. ,
' The Members class, led by
-the Re. Aiwa Gorbv. will meet
O in the Schweitzer room, number
102.
O The School of Christian Living
I planned for family participa-
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tion, with interest groups for
all ages. A nursery is provided,
and classes for kindergarten,
primary and junior age children
will be conducted. The Junior
High' MYF will also meet from
5:30 until 6:30 p.m. with Miss
Mary Vanderberg as counselor.
. Snack supper -will be held
from 6:30 until 7 p.m. and pro
vided by the Wesleyan Service
guilds. Following the snack sup
per.i Mr.' Trobough will conduct
the ."Inspiration Time" around
the supper tables, from 7 until
7:30 p.m."
CHHISTIAN WORKERS MEET
The young Christian' Workers
of Sacred Heart parish will meet
tonight at' 7:30 p.m. in the rec
tory of. the church. A .parish
directory of all organizations of
the "church ' is being ' prepared
by the group and a progress re
port will be given at. the meeting.
I absolute Catholic ban on divorce
applies only to marriages which
the church views as having been
"valid" in the first place. A
Catholic who marries outside
the church is regarded as hav
ing never been truly married
and a civil divorce terminating
such a marriage is no bar to a
subsequent church marriage.
Some Protestants are moving
in the opposite direction. They
take the view that Jesus was
upholding a spiritual ideal the
permanence of the marriage un
ion rather than laying down
an inflexible "law" against di
vorce. Theologians who hold this
view assert that nowhere else
in the gospels is Jesus recorded
as "legislating." On the con
trary, they say, he taught that
God's overriding purpose is to
redeem men and that all moral
laws should be applied in the
light of His love, mercy and
forgiveness.
This viewpoint was expound
ed at some length in the state
ment on marriage adopted by
the United Lutheran church at
its convention in Harrisburg.
Pa., this month.
"Marriage," as ordained by
God, is a life-long indissoluble
union," the Lutherans said. ". . .
any breaking of the marriage
bond involves sin and suffering."
First Job Of Church
Therefore, the statement said,
the first job of the chiirch is
to try to hold marriage together
by extending its help to husbands
and wives" when they face dif
ficulties threatening their unity."
"Where, marriage failure and
divorce occur among Christian
people, the church should recog
nize its involvement in the fail
ure and seek to lead all concern
ed to repentance and forgive
ness." If the question of remarriage
of a divorced person arises,
Lutheran pastors "should make
their decisions on the particular
circumstances in each case."
They should be guided by the
principle that while "divorce
and remarriage do violate God's
order, nevertheless God in His
love does accept the sinners and
deals with them according to
his need." . .
The Lutheran stand doubtless
will have considerable impact
on some other denominations in
which there is lively debate on
the issue.
But it seems, evident that a
large body of Protestants) per
haps the majority, and the en
tire Roman Catholic communion
will hold fast to the traditional
view that Jesus made a very ex
plicit pronouncement on divorce
and that his followers have a
clear duty to obey it.
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L. G. "SHY"
,'JORTSILAflD
Ha Done A FINE JOB FOR US LET'S KEEP HIM
IN OFFICE To CONTINUE This Fine Public Service!
Taxitf for County Administration arc Low. Only .4 Milk This Year.
Tbit levy Voted on by th People. (Detention Home and Jackson
''County Museum.) Jackson County has no indebtedness. The mark
of an Efficient, Economically Operated County Government. No
Direct Levy for County Government.
Plans were submitted to the Juvenile Committee by Shy Morthland
and the architect and hav been accepted. Construction specifica
tions will be given to the contractors December 1st. Bids will bo
opened January 7th, and construction to begin-soon after.
Distribution oi $685,859.09 to county school districts to redeem their bonded indebtedness.
MAJOR PROJECTS COMPLETED
ROADS
Apple) Road .
Little Applegate RoadJ, vieg
Dead Indian Road a
Butte Fall Road
Surte Falls to Prospect toad
Meadows Rot4
South Fork Little. Butt Creek Rd.
Vjlley'Vrew fUf (Medford)
Foarhil! Road '
Eft Creek Road
Thomfjson Creak Road, paving
40 ateles of pavement
Savant Creek Road ped Rogue River area)
West Evans Creek paved. (Rogue Rirtr arej)(
Evans Creek Road (Rogue River area)
Coleman Creek Road .
McLajtgMin Drive paved
Modoc Road paved
Rogue River Drive
East Main Road n Htghway 66, Ashland Under
construction '
XREOSOTED TIMBER BRIDGE
1. Wagner Crc.li en Rapp Road
2. little Butte Cfeek
J. West Fork Foots Creek '
4. YjI Creek .
, r.
8.
: .
.
n.
12.
13.
14.
13.
IS.
17.
18.
19.
2t
BRIDGES
Reinforced Concrete) '.
I. Bear Creek at Hot Sprtnet
. 2. Bear Creek at talent
- 3. Bear Creek' on Table Rock
4. Bear -Creek on Uptoit Road
5. Beaver Creek
6. -Little Applefate River
- 7. Star Gulch
8. Ivana Croak on Meadows Road .
-. Red Blanket Creek
10. McNeil Creek Butte Falls Road
11. Neil- Creek -Dead Indian Road
1 2. 3. Jackson Creek' bridf.es '
13. 2 Griffin Creek bridges
14. Kanes Creek
15. -Snider Creek
14. Willow Creek
17. Dry Creek
18. Griffin' Creek Numerous
19. McKee Bride.
20. Tresham Lane Sams -Valley
STEEL BRIDGES
1. Steel Bridge Evans Creek it West Pork
2. Carberry Bridge Bridge
This Was Done Plus th Flood Damage Work
"Shy" serves all the people, county wide, regirdleit of their party
affiliations.
RE-ELECT L. Gr "SHY" NORTHLAND
. As Your Working County Commissioner
f Z ' jf "I Oaml Pd' Adv' Morthland for County Commissioner
T s It 4fV " I jfrnf Committee, Tom R.- Williams, Secy.
5 i . J . . . I
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Ms in rivil- -irr liiMi.iilirtiiilMiliiliMiliiTilM,ii(l'Miili,liiiiiiil ' .C J
The Rev. and Mrs. Ellmore. J. Gilstrap study pictures in a
recent issue of the Turner Memorial Home publication at their
home at 523 North Bartlett. They plan to live at Turner fol
lowing Mr. Gilstrap's retirement from the ministry this month.
The pastor of the Central Church of Christ and his wife helped
organized the Turner home in 1933 for retired ministers. Last
month the Medford Ministerial association voted Mr. Gilstrap
a life membership in the local group.
Rev. E. J. Gilstrap To Retire
After 45 Years In Ministry
The Rev. Ellmore J. Gilstrap
will preach his last sermon at
the Central Church of Christ,
Sunday, Nov. 11, when he will
retire after 45 years in the min
istry.
Rev. Mr. Gilstrap, who has
been pastor of the local church
for nearly four years, plans to
return to the Turner Memorial
home at Turner, Ore. next sum
mer to make his home. He, with
his wife, Mary, started the home
for retired ministers in 1933.
During his stay in- Medford,
the Central Church of Christ
has improved their church prop
erty, purchased a parsonage, and
has increased the church mem
bership by 75.
Mr. Gilstrap is a graduate of
the International Christian Bible
college, now the Minneapolis
Bible college, and was field sec
retary of Eugene Bible univer
sity, now Northwest Christian
college, for six years. Prior to
1933 he was Texas Christian
Missionary association's state
evangelist and has been pastor
of churches in Texas, Kansas,
Washington, and California.
In 1933 he led in organizing
and incorporating the Turner
Memorial home, a cottage home
cf homes for retired ministers
of Christian churches. He was
one of the trustees for the home
and was superintendent there
for 17 years. During that time
his wife was matron at the home.
Prior to Mr. Gilstrap's leaving
the home, the assets increased
to more than S125.000 and most
of the present buildings were
Gerald Dross Leaves
On 2-Year LDS Mission
Gerald Dross, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph Dross. Kings high
way, Medford, will leave Mon
day, Nov. 5, to fill a mission
for the Church of Christ of Lat
ter Day Saints among the Spanish-American
speaking people
with headquarters at San An
tonio, Texas.
Mr. Dross, a graduate of Med
ford High school, was a guest
at a testimonial given in his
honor at the Latter Day Saints
chapel, 648 South Ivy st., Sun
day, Oct. 28.
Bcfofe leaving on the mission
he attended Provo university in
Utah for two years.
Church Loyally Month
Starts At Eastwood
Eastwood Baptist church,
North Keene Way dr. at Ridge
way, has designated November
as church loyalty month. Every
family in the church fellowship
has heen invited to make reg
ular church attendance their
personal goal for the month.
This Sunday trie pastor, the
Rev. Richard M. Jones, will be
continuing his once a month
communion meditations on the
church covenant. The theme of
the sermon will be "A Closer
Walk." The chancel choir will
sing, "Lead Me, Lord" with E.
Ron Rice as baritone soloist.
The hand of fellowship will
be extended to new members
who have come into the church
during October.
The interesting series of dis
cussions on Christian Brass Tacks
will be continued in the evening
service at 7:30 p.m. "What is
Sin?" is the topic for discus
sion. The evening is ended with
an inspiration time.
built. In 1949 he became the
pastor of a church in Fowler,
Calif.
When the board of trustees
of the Turner Memorial home
learned that Mr. Gilstrap was
planning to retire they voted
to provide a home of the Gil
straps. The home is now partly
built and will be finished next
summer.
After leaving Medford they
plan to visit their four daughters
in Fresno, Calif., Houston, Tex
as, Chicago, and Boise, Idaho.
One daughter and son-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Fowler,
formerly lived in Medford.
Friday. Rarembar I. IIS
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ttWFOIB (OSrOO) 8gLig,TJNE SEVEW
Phoenix Baptists
Have New Pastor
Starting Nov. 4
Phoenix New pastor of the
First Baptist church of Phoenix
is the Rev. Perry M. Johnson,
who will begin his duties there
Sunday, Nov. 4.
The Phoenix church was org
anized in August 1952 as a mis
sion project of Temple Baptist
church in Medford. Since its
organization the First Baptist
church has purchased property
on First and Rose sts. where it
is completing an auditorium
structure as part of a larger
building program.
The Rev. Mr. Johnson is also
part time chaplain with the
Veterans Administration Dom
iciliary at Camp White, a posi
tion he has herd since 1950.
Recently he served the First
Baptist church of Canyonville
as interim pastor.
Mr. Johnson is moderator of
the Siskiyou association of Bap
tist churches. Prior to coming
to Medford he was with the
Calvary Baptist church in Klam
ath Falls and was a former in
structor in New Testament Greek
and registrar at the Golden Gate
Southern Baptist Theological
seminary in Oakland.
His wife is the former Miss
Elaine DeVries of Phoenix. Their
son, Richard, is a third year
medical student at the University
of Oregon. The Rev. and Mrs.
Johnson are living in Medford
at 819 West Thirteenth st.
Unitarian Fellowship
Plans Sermon Reviews
The Unitarian Fellowship of
Medford and. Ashland will have
its next three meeting! based
on three Unitarian sermons of
the past. They are: "Unitarian
Christianity," by William Ellery
Channing; "The Divinity School
Address," by Ralph Waldo Em
erson; and "The Transient and
the Permanent in Christianity,"
by Theodore Parker.
Dr. Arthur Kreisman, profes
sor of literature at Southern
Oregon college, will lead the
three meetings. Copies of the
sermons in condensed form and
a commentary prepared by Dr.
Kreisman will be available.
The meeting oh the first ser
mon will be held at 8 p.m.,
Sunday, Nov. 4, at the Labor
Temple, 24V4 South Grape St.,
Medford. It is open to the pub
lic. The Fellowship meets the first
and third Sundays of each
month. Recently plans were
made to hold the first meeting
of each month in the Labor
Temple, Medford. The second
meeting of each month; on the
third Sunday, will be held in
the home of various members. '
TO SHOW FILM
The color film, "Ming May
of Malaya" will be shown at the
First Methodist church, Ashland,
Sunday, Nov. 4 at-6:30 p.m.-during
the world outlook institute
for the family.
WANTS
YOUR VOTE
' FORo0
1 US?' BH
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- - ..'.Vs'". '..
4. :C
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MAYOM
Tl n I. I,9i. i .
rumic mieresT vvisi r. ,'
Ba Mis rir$t (.onsidero- ... v. ae
tion Alwjys! ExiSerienc-
So
d Progressivt cLede?--hip.
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Vote "for Medfcord'ap Progress
VOTE FOR Siy.BY
8 Years" City Councilman, 3 Tears -esicljnt of Coun-
cil Chiraian ofo Rrfance,Police, Fire Committees, 9
Past President Junior Chamjaer ofoCommerce, Past
President oMedford Kiwani Clb, Merr Chamber
of Commerce, Medf(9r10Bujness Man for 16 years.
Cfayton W. Lewis, Campagm Onager Paid Pol. Adv. '
TP
The Rev. Harold Chalfant, mis
sionary field representative of
the International Church of the
Foursquare Gospel, will be guest
speaker Sunday, Nov. 4, at the
Foursquare .church, East Jack
son and Biddle rd. Mr. Chalfant,
who has spent more than 2Q
years preaching from South
America to Asia and Africa, will
illustrate his talk with slides.
He will.also have on exhibit .arti
facts from the many countries he
has visited.
KEEP A
WEATHER EYE
on the
Big Buys
You'll Find Here!
f MARKET 1
f 1202 North diversion I
V OPEN EVERY
ftjX NIGHT TIL J
MIDNIGHT
now you can COO
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