AMENDING THE SERVICE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8314, 1 March 1912, Page 6

AMENDING THE SERVICE.

As a result'of the publicity given to ■fell© foregoing marriage, it is said that there is some prospect of the word "obey" being struck out of the marriage service of the Church of England. The matter was discussed m the Lower House of Convocation at Canterbury, and a resolution was passed _ia favour of revising the marriage service m this respect. It was also agreed to revise the collect used m the marriage- service asking for children for those who are ■being married. A.' committee that considered the matter proposed to substitute the following words: —"Bestow, we beseech Thee, upon these two persons the heritage .'and gift of children." It is just possible, if the parties to' the marriage were asked individually and Audibly to join m this prayer, that some "new women " would object to it snore strenuously than, they do to the vow of obedience. Yet, m view of the growth of preventive practices among women of. ail classes, it would seem that something is required to impress upon ./•hem' tlVat'the object of matrimony is not personal ease or comfort, or the obtaining of a livelihood, and that married couples who deliberately set themselves to evade the primal command to "be fruitful and multiply" are guilty of a much more heinous sin than disobedience of the vow to love and honour each other.