CHURCH AND MARRIAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 34, 9 February 1935, Page 17

CHURCH AND MARRIAGE

NEW LAW SUGGESTED

(From -.fir he- Post's;; ■ Representative.) ;;■;■■.:;..; C{' LONDON;: Jahuary*:i2.'.'. A sqlutip'ii/fbr,,' >vhat; is regarded 'by some people as' one of, the'; most cphfusmg.anom'aUes^in.the British liw..is to ,be put'forward at the spring ■ session:"pf:,the; Church ' Assembly -hext month. is .a proposed' new marriage contract vf6r" all. who. are;ipt members Qf.the^Ghurch of.'England//. It is . suggested.'that'the.ChurcK■ Assenibly fmay; find "in the'; prpposal<a means.tp.QYercpme;. the; presettt .state of affairs whereby .tjve only recognised marriage law; is that r of,the.i'Ghurchi though -the Church doe^,not;recogn;.s6 the diyprce ;laws. of the.State. /-■ ■' ■;; The, Rev.-C. jE.yDbuglas, one of the Proctors ;'in Cpnvpcatipa lfor. the Diocese of .Sputhwark; ■ will-move:: '■ s . "Thatiwhereas since the.end;6f ;thq seventeenth;century.statutes have .beeiii passed •releasirig his; Majestyfs English subjects^.frbm: sundry obligations-at-tached .to* mepibership of the national Church,;''« ■;;;W-''-?■.'•. '■•''' '.::--\-: v,■'■ ■ l-J-C ■ "The ■; National ■. o£ •'.. the Church.. o£ .England is:;6f! opinion that the principle of granting: exceptions to^ the 'laws'-ecclesiastical,.!"While cpiir' venierit:fin :}. former '.times. in.:;,matters relating td.ireedom Pf conscience,' cahr not today- conveniently-.be applied' to' regulations y concerning v public ■."morality, and that if it; be desired to relax the established^,' Christian discipline with regard-to marriage,: legislation should be of- a -positive rather trail of a negative character; that is to' say, a'• secular matrimonial Jaw should fbe enacted legalising a hew form of ntarriage contract- fpr those ■ who are: not members' ofithe Churcb.of England." '