THE MARRIAGE SERVICE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1925, Page 3

THE MARRIAGE SERVICE

.1 >ROROSED ALTERATIONS

OMISSION OF “OBEY

Considerable public interest is shown in the proceedings of the House ol Clergy of the National Assembly ol the Church of England when it dealt on the revision stage with that part ol the Revised Prayer Book (Permissive Use) Measure relating to the marriage service. The majority of the occupants of the galleries were women, who followed with close attention the arguments for and against the retention of the word “obey” The decision of the House was the words “Wilt thou obey him, and serve him ?” should be retained in the espousal contract, hut that “obey’’ should be deleted from the marriage contract, and the words “and to serve” substituted. It was further agreed that word's used in the marriage contract should he the same in hot!) the ease of the bride and bridegroom. A proposal that the bride might give a ring to the bridegroom was under discussion when the House adjourned. It should be understood that the .amendments are all for alternative use if desired, and do not necessarily replace the existing Prayer Book form. A MOST BEAUTIFUL WORD.

Canon T. A. Lacey moved two. amendments, the first being that, in the question put to the woman, there should be substituted, “Wilt thou love him. comfort him?” for the “Milt thou obey him serve him?” The second amendment was that the same statement by the bride and bridegroom should constitute the marriage contract, and that for the “obey” the words “and to serve” should be substituted. In the English rituaL, he said, the contracts of espousal and marriage were not effected by-identical words used by the parties to'the marriage. The English ritual was the only one used 'in the Christian Church that had this variation of terms. If the divergence the effect of mutuality was marred. In the marriage contract lie proposed to take the form of contract used by the woman. The word “obey” was put into- the month of the woman. It was a most ! beautiful word—(laughter)— but it had to be changed if both parties were to use the same words. lii some things the wife took the lead and in other things the husband took the lead. Supposing a husband should choose to interfere with the nursery then the more fool would he be. —(laughter.) EQUAL MORAL PLATFORM. The Dean of Lincoln said that the supporters of the amendment were trying to put men and women on an equal, moral platform. They had to ask themselves whothei' the word ‘'obey’’ was of 'tbo slightest, use. There was the wife who was provoked by the very existence of the word to counteract it. They had also the kind of husband who asserted that he. would b e master, in his own house. They did not want to supply him with an argument from the marriage service. The Warden of Keble,deprecated the light attitude of the House when discussing a matter of a serious nature. Canon E. C. Baldwin (Ely) 'opposed the amendment, as he hold that tne husband was bead of the wile, just as .Christ was head of file Church. Really good women wore glad to be subordinate to their husbands. Canon I). Mno lea re (Salisbury) said the Dean of Lincoln bad thrown over St. Refer and St. Paul. In. a passage in Gibbon if was pointed out that as Roman women became more and. more (lie equals of their husbands public morality degenerated.

Dr. Harris Contended that if tliev were to give the family no head they were introducing the principle of anarchy. Dr. Wnggett (Oxford) maintained that authority was relative, and there was nothing degrading in the honourable position of obedience in the home. •Canon Guy Rogers (Chelmsford) repudiated the idea that those who were supporting the amendment were actuated merely by modernist ideas. The object of the revision was to meet tiie views of a very large number of people not represented in the House. The amendment of the espousal contract was defeated by .100 votes to 69. Oil account of hands being taken for the amendment of the marriage contract it was declared lust by one vote, the figures being 84 for to 85 against. A recount was demanded and allowed by the chairman, tlio Dean of York. The figures were then 80 for the amendment and 78 against, the amendment being carried. In the declaration, “With this ring T thee wed; with my body I thee worship . . ’’the weird “honour” was substituted for “worship.” A motion to. substitute “share” for “endow” was defeated. 'Onlion Liicey pointing out that the wo.rd ‘‘endow” had reference to the Church’s light for the rights of widows in relation to their husband’s property.