"OBEY" IN THE MARRIAGE SERVICE.

Evening Star, Issue 6481, 24 December 1883, Page 4

"OBEY" IN THE MARRIAGE SERVICE.

In praetice the word " obey," as employed in the marriage service, is perhaps already obsolete, for what woman in repeating the words ever intends to act according to her vow? Suoh things belong to the past, and the enlightened woman of to-day knows too well on whom, if there can be any talk of obeying, will fall that duty. The day is not very far off when the word will be altogether dismissed from a vow each word of which was once considered most weighty. America, of course, leads the way. This is the testimony of several Boston clergymen, whose opinions on the subject are collated as follows by the ' New York Daily Tribune' : No. 1 said; "I always leave out the word 'obey unless the bride or groom request it," No. 2 said : " The obligation is absolutely equivalent upon both man and wife. I omit tho word 'obey' because it has no binding force in practice " No. 4 : "I never used the word ' obey,' and never intend to use it. I can see no reason why tho wife should obey the husband any more than the husband the wife." No. C : "I never used the word, and think it is not customary in the Protestant churchos of to-day. I have never been asked to use the word, but frequently haye been requested to leavo it out of the service." jJq.Y? " J say 'obey in, love,' whjeh. thereby roba it of'all objection.'' These clergymen and others expressing similar opinions represented all the leading Protestant denominations. A majority were against the use of the word. In England the American example has already found imitators, who plead that after all they are only adjusting formula to fact, ' Pall Mall Gazette.