THE MARRIAGE LAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1920, Page 8

THE MARRIAGE LAWS.

STATEMENT BY ARCHDEACON MACMURKAY. Auckland, Monday. A statement regarding the proposed amendment to the New Zealand Marriage Law which is now before Parliament was made by the Anglican Bishop Commissary, Archdeacon G. MacMurray. In reply to the question as to the light in which he regarded the new clause inserted in the Bill in the Legislative Council, he said he regarded it with very great uneasiness. "I have no sympathy with the No Tenure Decree, nor with the spirit in which it is often administered; but, on the other hand, I regret the proposal to punish by fine or imprisonment a clergyman for teaching the doctrines of the Church. That Roman Catholic clergy would be so punished I have very little doubt, and I think it would be not only a wrong, but a blunder. It would be wrong, for it would infringe religious freedom,. "How would it affect the Anglican j Church? Would our clergy, if they taught their people the ideal of marriage as laid down in the marriage service, run the risk of fine or. imprisonment? To answer that," said Archdeacon Mac Murray, "one must ask what does the Church teach on the subject of matrimony? In no official statement of doctrine is marriage expressly termed a sacrament, but a careful study of the form for the solemnisation of matrimony shows, as the use of the word 'iolmenisation' in the • title indicates, that our Church places a very high ideal i of,, marriage before hor children, terms it 'holy matrimony,' 'an honorable estate.' It declares that the union between a Christian husband and wife is parallel with the mystical union betwixt Christ and His Church. It ia God's holy ordinance, and husband and wife vow before God mutual fidelity 'till Death us do part.' When the priest joins their hands together he says, 'Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.' -• To the churchman marriage is a legal contract, but it is a great deal more. It is not only a State ordinance, it is God's holy ordinance in which man and woman are joined together by God. Under that' ordinance man and woman are entrusted by the Creator with the most Creator-like function, that of ealling new lives into being; a function so tremendously responsible' that marriage should only be entered upon reverently, discreetly, adviscdlv, soberly, and in the fear of God."'

"It is wholly in tho interest of the State," added Archdeacon' Mac Murray, "that high ideals of marriage should be maintained; and to be maintained its principles must be taught. Whatever ?omes-, he must teach the truth, but the truth must be taught in love. It is the lack of love that so often discredits truth. Errors 'in doctrine and ,want of Christ-like charity in dealing with those who differ from us will never be remedied by penal legislation."