MARRIAGE SERVICE FOR DIVORCED PERSONS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 965, 30 July 1881, Page 3

MARRIAGE SERVICE FOR DIVORCED PERSONS.

As the very essence of matrimony lies in its absolute indissolubility (writes the Church Times), divines like Canon Fleming, who undertake to re-marry persons who have broken loose from the sacred tie, must be extremely puzzled how to do it.. -An American journal has come, to the rescue with the following amended service : — IT The persons to .be married anew to second partners being present, with suitable witnesses, it is well that the minister should briefly exhort them to the effect that marriage is a sacred business, and yet not so very serious after all; and shonld encourage them to be of good cheer, because mistakes are easily corrected. After which he may read in Hosea I, 2, “Go take unto thee a wife,” etc., etc., and 111, 13th, “Go yet love a woman beloved of her friend,” etc. Then he will do well to omit the customary invitation to any present to show “ just cause or impediment,” and proceed at once to show good reason why he has a right to be married, notwithstanding he has a wife living. *IT Then let the man answer thus, or to this effect: “ Here are tha papers, all fresh and regular, from the Court of County, Indiana. Cause :—lncompatibility of temper, and the assurances of Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, that they have been procured promptly and without publicity.” IT And the woman shall answer thus, or to the like effect: “Oh ! I’m all right. Divorce from the Superior Court of Connecticut, Chief Justice Park presiding. Cause: Conduct tending to defeat the object of the marriage relation.” 51 Then let the minister say : “ Who giveth the indemnity bond to the minister to secure him in case there should be any trouble growing out of this little affair ?” 51 And this question having been answered by the execution, then and there of a good and sufficient bond, let the persons take each other by the hand, aind let the minister say to the bridegroom, calling him by name:

“ You —'—, take this woman to be your more or less lawful wife, and you promise to render to her the duties that society expects of you in this relation until some incompatibiii y of temper arises, or until the present arrangement is regularly dissolved by the Divorce Courts. Thus you promise ; though if you don’t choose to keep your word, I do not see what in the world is going to be done about it.” Answer — “ With this understanding I do.” 5[ Then let the minister say to the bride : — “ You, , take this man to be, in a certain sense of the word, your lawful husband ; and you promise, having taken all necessary precaution to secure your property in your own right, to show a due respect to the conventionalities of society, until incompatibility or divorce shall part you ? You thus promise ? ” Answei — “ It strikes me as safe to do so.” . ■„/ “I pronounce you, then, in the sense in which the words are used in the statute, to be husband and wife; and, since your being joined together is in direct contravention of the law of God, there seems to be no obvious reason why man should not put you asunder at his own discretion.” 51 Prayer and benediction being manifestly inappropriate on such an occasion, the services may be concluded by the paying of a fee.