Part 10 (2/2)

(IV) What are its safeguards?

(I) WHAT IS IT FOR?

Marriage is, as we have seen, G.o.d's method of propagating the human race. It does this in two ways--by expansion, and by limitation. This is seen in the New Testament ordinance, ”one man for one woman”. It expands the race, but within due and disciplined limitations.

Expansion, without limitation, would produce quant.i.ty without quality, and would wreck the human race; limitation without expansion might produce quality without quant.i.ty, but would extinguish the human race.

Like every other gift of G.o.d, marriage is to be treated ”soberly, wisely, discretely,” and, like every other gift, it must be used with a due combination of freedom and restraint.

Hence, among other reasons, the marriage union between one man and one woman is {108} indissoluble. For marriage is not a mere union of sentiment; it is not a mere terminable contract between two persons, who have agreed to live together as long as they suit each other. It is an _organic_ not an emotional union; ”They twain shall be one flesh,” which nothing but death can divide. No law in Church or State can unmarry the legally married. A State may _declare_ the non-existence of the marriage union, just as it may _declare_ the non-existence of G.o.d: but such a declaration does not affect the fact, either in one case or the other.

In England the State does, in certain cases, declare that the life-long union is a temporary contract, and does permit ”this man” or ”this woman” to live with another man, or with another woman, and, if they choose, even to exchange husbands or wives. This is allowed by the Divorce Act of 1857,[2] ”when,” writes Bishop Stubbs, ”the calamitous legislation of 1857 inflicted on English Society and English morals {109} the most cruel blow that any conjunction of unrighteous influence could possibly have contrived”.[3]

The Church has made no such declaration. It rigidly forbids a husband or wife to marry again during the lifetime of either party. The Law of the Church remains the Law of the Church, overridden--but not repealed.

This has led to a conflict between Church and State in a country where they are, in theory though not in fact, united. But this is the fault of the State, not of the Church. It is a case in which a junior partner has acted without the consent of, or rather in direct opposition to, the senior partner. Historically and chronologically speaking, the Church (the senior partner) took the State (the junior partner) into partners.h.i.+p, and the State, in spite of all the benefits it has received from the Church, has taken all it could get, and has thrown the Church over to legalize sin. It has ignored its senior partner, and loosened the old historical bond between the two. This the Church cannot help, and this the State fully admits, legally absolving the Church from taking any part in its mock re-marriages.

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(II) WHAT IS ITS ESSENCE?

The essence of matrimony is ”mutual consent”. The essential part of the Sacrament consists in the words: ”I, M., take thee, N.,” etc.

Nothing else is essential, though much else is desirable. Thus, marriage in a church, however historical and desirable, is not _essential_ to the validity of a marriage. Marriage at a Registry Office (i.e. mutual consent in the presence of the Registrar) is every bit as legally indissoluble as marriage in a church. The not uncommon argument: ”I was only married in a Registry Office, and can therefore take advantage of the Divorce Act,” is fallacious _ab initio_.[4]

Why, then, be married in, and by the Church? Apart from the history and sentiment, for this reason. The Church is the ordained channel through which grace to keep the marriage vow is bestowed. A special and _guaranteed_ grace is {111} attached to a marriage sanctioned and blest by the Church. The Church, in the name of G.o.d, ”consecrates matrimony,” and from the earliest times has given its sanction and blessing to the mutual consent. We are reminded of this in the question: ”Who _giveth_ this woman to be married to this man?” In answer to the question, the Parent, or Guardian, presents the Bride to the Priest (the Church's representative), who, in turn, presents her to the Bridegroom, and blesses their union. In the Primitive Church, notice of marriage had to be given to the Bishop of the Diocese, or his representative,[5] in order that due inquiries might be made as to the fitness of the persons, and the Church's sanction given or withheld.

After this notice, a special service of _Betrothal_ (as well as the actual marriage service) was solemnized.

These two separate services are still marked off from each other in (though both forming a part of) our present marriage service. The first part of the service is held outside the chancel gates, and corresponds to the old service of _Betrothal_. Here, too, the actual ceremony of ”mutual consent” now takes place--that part of {112} the ceremony which would be equally valid in a Registry Office. Then follows the second part of the service, in which the Church gives her blessing upon the marriage. And because this part is, properly speaking, part of the Eucharistic Office, the Bride and Bridegroom now go to the Altar with the Priest, and there receive the Church's Benediction, and--ideally--their first Communion after marriage. So does the Church provide grace for her children that they may ”perform the vows they have made unto the King”. The late hour for modern weddings, and the consequent postponement[6] of Communion, has obscured much of the meaning of the service; but a nine o'clock wedding, in which the married couple receive the Holy Communion, followed by the wedding breakfast, is, happily, becoming more common, and is restoring to us one of the best of old English customs. It is easy enough to slight old religious forms and ceremonies; but is anyone one atom better, or happier for having neglected them?

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(III) WHOM IS IT FOR?

Marriage is for three cla.s.ses:--

(1) The unmarried--i.e. those who have never been married, or whose marriage is (legally) dissolved by death.

(2) The non-related--i.e. either by consanguinity (by blood), or affinity (by marriage).

(3) The full-aged.

(1) _The Unmarried_.

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