MISTAKE AT A WEDDING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 258, 31 October 1877, Page 4

MISTAKE AT A WEDDING.

Th^i R>sv Mr Caldcr of WaikfUo recently delivered a lecture oa " Church work in the country districts," from which we extract the following : — You may happen to know that the Presbyterian matrimonial ceremony ia a much shorter and leaa imposiug one than our own. Well a certain Churchman, net a thousand miles from Hamihon, wished to got married very quietly, so aeked a Presbyterian batchelor friemJ to kelp him in this terrible emergency, who, nothing loth, promisad to see (ha tragedy through to tho bitter end. At the appointed hour, the bride-slect with her maid, and tho poor man and bis much -enduring friend presented themselves, and the ceremony waa proceeded with to the ea>t of the first part, after the blessing which follows tha giving of their troth, when the minister turns from the people and going to to ihe Lord's table says a psalm. This I proceeded to do, when my attention waa attracted to a scufila, and turning round, I discovered the maoh-enduriag frien-J conceived that tbe bitier end had come, and, the couple lining been duly blessed, hie time of

reward had arrived, which he proceeded to take. The newly pledged husband, a Churchman, was mildly remonstrating, when I called the company to order, " What nre you doing, air?" considerably to tho astonishment of the embracer-elect. However, we managed to get over the service quietly and it was not until 1 had entered the names in the names in the Vestry, when he said in a tone of a man who had n real grievance, " Well, it is time now Parson ?" and on my replyiug tliat my part waa finished, it is needless to observe that he made up for lost time and embraced the opportunity and the damsel with a will. Well, you'^ might think he would be careful nest Itime he tried a Church function, but no ! It waa not ,very long after this he; came to me, aaying, ''I am going to; be godfather to so-and-ao'a child; will! you explain the service tome?" Which! of course, I did gladly, and shewed! him that he would not have to say any-: thiug till 1 asked the question, *'Ide-j mand, therefore &a., and I told him I would cough slightly, to warn him.: Well when I coughed gently to remind I him that 1 was going to ask the question he astonished me somewhat by shouting, "I demand therefore, dest tbou — " when I stopped him by a frown, aod coaxingly demanded of him but alas! he was so clean stumped he could hardly answer ; and he afterwards told me he never knew such trouble as there waa to be married and christened at the English Church.