A SCOTCH MARRIAGE. I . 1

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 951, 19 October 1910, Page 7

A SCOTCH MARRIAGE.

VICARS WITH TWO WIVES. TO BE DEPRIVED OP 'PSEEEEtMENT. By Telegraph—Presa Association—Copyright London, October 17. " The Rot.. E. C. Hudson, Vkar of Sutton Cheney, Leicestershire, has been deprived of his preferments and emoluments in consequence of !his action- in contracting a marriage, after tho Scotch fashion, while his wife was still living. In describing the trouble caused in the Church of England by the action of the Rov. E. C. Hudsba, a London journalist recently said:—"This unconscionable Leicestershire parson has done somethingout of the orainarj, and it is precisely that which tho Churh does not do half often enough. Moreover, the Hot. E. C. Hudson has been inhibited by his Bishop for' the misdeed, and there is many a man who, rather than chance his Bishop's displeasure, goes on dully compounding with his conscience. To that extent Mr. Hudson has our salutations: The trouble is of tho matrimonial kind. Mr. Hudson's wife loft him five years ago, and left him, too, with a baby boy one year old to look after. Mr. Hudson suffered the disability until last month, when,.taking tho lew into his own hands, ha married in Scotch fashion, in the presence of three witnesses, a l?rench lady, which marriage ] ho declares in a letter to the Bishop to ' be as scriptural, honourable, and moral I as any wedding taken by a dozen priests and bishops in a cathedral." Nono the i less, ho was duly inhibited and forbidden his church. On Sunday last, however, ho openly defied the Bishop, and conducted service in the presence of - a congregation come from all parts to watch developments. His local congregation has deserted him—largely, he says, because ho voted for the Government candidate at the last election—and with them lus ohurch officers. .However, his son, now six years old, set himself to some of tho details of the servico, and though there was no organist at hand, there was a newspaper man, and he volunteered to watch over the destinies of thevmnsic. Strange consequences are reported—how no one recognised any tune the newspaper man played, and how, by virtue of a strong voice, he sang when in doubt as to what he ought to playj how tho congregation, joined in lustily; how they broke into applause during the vicar's sermon on marriage, and especially at his argument for oomnon sense against Church regulations; and how at the end thoy gathered in the ohurchyard and gave the vicar and his B?n a rousing cheer." The Peterborough Consistory Court recently found Mr. Hudson guilty of immorality.