MARRIAGE. [It were to be desired, that the knot of matrimony, in a Legal point of view should be made by some Civil Officer, or Magistrate appointed for this object; and that a complete system of Registration of Marriages should be adopted for the British Empire. This register should also be printed at the close of fixed periods, and a copy of it should be sent to every Parish, and there carefully filed, or bound up in a book. Several Public Functionaries should also be furnished with copies, and be obliged to keep it with all due care. It should likewise be printed in a convenient and cheap form for sale, in order that any one might easily procure it. But though the Legal part of matrimony should be thus arranged, we must still consider that Marriage is a Religious as well as a Political Institution; and all persons who fear God, and know the salvation of Christ, will desire to have this New Relationship duly celebrated by a Minister of Jesus Christ, the man on whom they attend for spiritual instruction, and in the company of their relatives, friends, and acquaintances. For the celebration of it in this way the Service here given is arranged. Special and ample arrangements should me made in the Publishing of Banns. It does not seem sufficient to do this only in the church or churches to which the parties belong, for the changes in the state of society about to take place as indicated by this publication may affect other and more distant parts of the community, and should therefore be duly known wherever the public is affected by the results. It would be better to have marriages celebrated only on Week Days, giving intimation in the church on the Sunday preceding, naming the day and hour, and the parties to be united.] [The Assembly seated.] Minister. Let us read the Instructions given in Holy Scripture respecting this Institution. And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him a help meet for him. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl H of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof: and the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her to the man. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.-[Genesis, 2: 18, 20-24.] Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.[Hebrews, 13: 4.] The woman who hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then, if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man.-[Romans, 7: 2, 3.] The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord.-[ Corinthians, 7: 39.] And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and whoso marrieth her who is put away, doth commit adultery.— [Matthew, 19: 9.] But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.-[1 Corinthians, 11: 3.] Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church, is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.-Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and let the wife see that she reverence her husband.-[Ephesians, 5: 22-33.] Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit, in the Lord.-Husbands love your wives, and be not bitter against them.- [Colossians, 3: 18, 19.] Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him lord, whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.-Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.-[1 Peter, 3: 1-7.] [All standing.] Minister. [Addressing himself to the Man.]— What is your Name? The Man.-My Name is A. B. Minister. Have you any other Name? Minister. [Addressing himself to the Woman.]— What is your Name? The Woman. My Name is C. D. Minister. Have you any other Name? [When these questions have been put and answered, the Man will take the Woman's Right Hand with his Right Hand.] Minister. [Addressing himself to the Man.]--Do you A. B. take C. D. the Woman whose right hand you now hold in yours, to be your Wife, according to the laws of marriage in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The Man.-I do. Minister.-[Addressing himself to the Woman.]— Do you C. D. take A. B. the Man whose right hand you now hold in yours, to be your Husband, according to the laws of marriage in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The Woman.—I do. [Here the Ring should be put on.] It would be well to have an Enactment of the Legislature, designating the Crime, and the Punishment, of Falsifying Names in the Marriage Contract and Ceremony. Minister.-You A. B. and C. D. have now in the Presence of Almighty God, and in the sight and hearing of all now assembled in this place, you have declared yourselves Husband and Wife, from this time, and as long as both of you shall be in life. God therefore has joined you together in one in this ordinance, and let not man put you assunder. May God Almighty give grace to both of you to live according to his Holy Instructions which have at this time been read in your hearing: And may you enjoy great happiness together in this Union. [Let the Minister here give an Address on the duties of Married Life.] Minister.-Let us Pray. [All kneel.] Minister.-O God, thou art the Creator of this world, and the arranger of all its concerns. Thou hast created mankind, male and female; and thou hast appointed that the man should leave his father and his mother, and should cleave unto his wife, and that thenceforth they two should be one. Be pleased therefore, O God our Creator to look in kindness and love upon these two persons now in thy presence who have at this time been united together according to thy holy institution. Grant unto them, O Lord, thy rich and abundant blessing in this their union, and may it prove to them, for their temporal, their spiritual, and their eternal welfare. Assembly.-O God, the Creator and Legislator of the Universe, be pleased to bless these two persons now united together according to thy holy appointment, and make them to each other, a present, and an everlasting blessing. Minister. Almighty Father, grant unto these two now formed into one thy Holy Spirit to teach them the precepts of thy word respecting their duties in |