WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 135, 16 September 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

I IWI4NTED-JBRIDES AND B2IDE- | GROOMS! HOW CHURCHES ADVERTISE FOR CUSTOM. 'A good deal has been heard lately in the Old Country respecting cheap marriages and the clerical competition tor fees, in several parts of London more than one church has placed '•matrimonial advertisements" on its walls. The following notice appears outside a well-known church in Waterloo road, London, S„'E.—St. John the Evangelist: Banns of marriages or weddings must be given to the verger in the church or at the Institute, Exton street. Fees payable: For banns, Is; marriage by license and certificate, £1 Is 4d; toy banns, 9s 7d. Twenty-four hours' notice must be given for weddingo.-HRev. E. G. Gordon, ALA., vicar. At Bermondsey, some time ago, a poster was issued by a clergyman, which reads thus: "Are you going to be married? Then we invite you to favor your own beauts (ful churcih of St. Crispin. It is the prettiest church for a wedding! It is to i your advantage to come." It was not so very long ago when the * vicar of a little Scottish church issued a poster setting forth the fact that ne was willing to unite loving couples at half the usual rates. As a further inducement he stated that he was prepared to accept the fees in weekly instalments from those in straitened circumstances. It appeared that the decrease in. the marriage rate was felt rather severely in the vicar's parish, I which is a poor one, and he resorted to advertisement in order to cope with the situation. •■ ■

I Church advertisement has reached a high attainment in America. The vicar of a church in Wisconsin some time ago covered the street hoardings with glaring posters (bearing letters over three inches in-height, which stated that men and women who attended church for afternoon service would be regaled with j free tea and cake. I A most remarkable scheme for drawi ing people to church was conceived and 1 carried through by the Rev. Dr. Carnes, the pastor of the Metl\pdist Church. of [ Jersey Shore, New Jersey, U.S.A. This gentleman had ladvertiseinents inserted in several newspapers stating that a wealthy man had 'handed him a large eum or money on condition that he distributed it among tJhe people who attended morning service at the church..' The result was that huge crowds- gathered outside the place of worship, and a score of police had to be engaged to keep order. The people who were fortunate enough to 'get into the building at each morning service were presented with 5 j cents apiece. I The British town of Holsworthy gives | awards to old maids and pretty girls : who attend its church regularly. Each year the oldest unmarried lady is rewarded with, the sum of as for going to church every Sunday, while the prettiest girl, who also shows her piety by attending church regularly, is given the interest on a sum of money left to the town 'by the Rev. Thomas Meyrick many years ago. Huntori, in Kent, was left a sum of money nearly a century and a-half ago by a Bishop of London, who was formerly rector oif its church, on condition that the interest thereon shpuld be awarded to the oldest inhabitants who were the most regular attendants at divine ser- : vice. Every year several pounds ahe divided among the inhabitants who are eligible to benefit by the charity.