THE WORD "OBEY"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17145, 30 December 1929, Page 5

THE WORD "OBEY"

CLERGYMAN'S EXPERIENCE A. olergyn.au who has a large workingclass parish, wiites "Onlooker" in the Daily Mail, tells mo that the "fashionable" request to omit the word "obey" from the marriage service is now being ir.ade by quite a number of humbly situated brides who come to be married at his church. Tho latest to object to making the promise of obedience has been, "a very ample and rather alarmingly masterful widow of some 60 summers," who led to the altar a timid-looking little man of 6b. All went well until the fateful word was reached; then the bride "jibbed." "Have I got to say 'obey'?" she asked, a mutinous gleam in her eyes, "Cer tainlv," the clergyman told her. "Then I just won't!" "she declared—and she shot a "speak-if-you-dare" look at the bridegroom, who bowed his head and shuffled uneasily. "Very well," said the clergyman. "If you refuse, the service cannot go on. I will give you five minutes in which to make up your mind about it." And be returned to the vestry. Four minutes and a half later ho was summoned back. "I'll say it then," tho bride promised; and she did, though tho word seemed to stick in her throat like a, fish-bone. But she was not l>eaten. Signing the registrar in the vestry after the ceremony, sho turned to my friend and observed: "You know 1 said 'obey'? Well, I didn't mean it — so there !" ! The little new husband positively [winced at the threat in her tone. "Shall iwe be going, now, dear?" ho queried meekly.