Arguing in favor of the civil marriage bill now pending in the House of Delegates of the Maryland General Assembly, a number of clergymen, including Dr. Morris S. Lazaron, rabbi of the Madison Avenue Temple of Baltimore, appeared yesterday before the House Judiciary Committee.
The spiritual leaders said they felt the marriage contract was basically a civil instrument and that they saw no reason why persons with no religious convictions should be obliged to appear before a minister to be married. They urged passage of the measure as in line with separation of church and State and recalled that Maryland and West Virginia were the only two States in which a religious ceremony is required.
Only one opponent of the bill, sponsored by Delegates Emanuel Gorfine and Richard M. Baker appeared at the hearing.
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