Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-09
THE FAMILY.
ITS IMPORTANCE AND PERIL.
MARRIAGE CELEBRATION
In Europe-Another of Rev. DR.. Lloyd's
Interesting Articles on Divorces and
the Marriage Ceremony.


of divorces issued there, even in the
countries most given to divorce, We're not
nearly so great as in the United States.
Thus in 1881 Germany issued one divorce to
every II, 474 people. In 1880 France granted
one divorce to every IA, 356 people, while
Great Britain divorced one couple for every
s., 54 of her population. At the same time
(1SS0) the United States was issuing a
divorce to every 255l of her inhabitants and
the state of Texas was granting one to
every 2025 of hers This amazing difference
can only be accounted for in one of two
ways, either the laws governing the celebra-
ton of marriage and the granting of
divorces are much stricter in Europe than
in the United States, or else there is a much
higher regard for the sacredness of the
family relation with them than there is
withsus.
1t is quite probable ADMINISTRATION will
show that the healthier sentiment regard
ing marriage and divorce prevailing in Eu-
rope is largely explanatory of the differ
ences in the number of divorces granted;
but we are equally sure that the stricter
laws concerning these questions that OBJ
tain there, is also very important FACTOR
in lessening the number of applicants for
separation from the bonds of marriage. \
few quotations from the laws bearing on
marriage and divorce of some of the Euro
pean countries will not only be of interest to
US some of the weak points in our own
laws. We begin with England.
1.-The celebration of marriage in England
is wholly regulated by statute" says Com
missioner Wright. 1t is required ''either
the banns be published or license procured
from the proper ecclesiastical authority
preliminary to marriage" SIN case of pub
location of banns, seven days. notice must
be given to the clergyman, specifying the
names, residence and duration of resi-
dence of the parties. The banns must be
published on three successive Sundays, in
the church of the parish in which the par
ties dwell, or they may be published in
public chapel if authorized by the bishop.
If either party is under age, publication of
banns will be rendered nugatory, if the
parents or guardians OF the minor express
their objections thereto at the time of the
publication. If license is preferred rather
than the publication of bannS, before it can
be granted, an oath must be taken as to the
fact of residence, and if either of the par
ties is under age of parental consent.
''Such license is granted by the arch bishop
bishop or other authority for the celebra-
ton of the marriage within the church of
the parish, in which one OF the parties shall
have previously resided for fifteen days,
but special license may be GRANTED for its
celebration elsewhere. If the marriage is
not celebrated within three months after
license, banns must be republished or new
license issued before such marriage Can
take place In case of marriage solemniZed
by authority of certificate of the Superin-
tendent of registrar, without license, notice
must be given to the registrar of the dis
trIct where the parties have previously re-
sided for seven days, which notice is in
scribed in a marriage book open to the
inspection OF the public at all reasonable
times.
The notice must be accompanied by de-
claration as to absence of impediments,
and in case of minors as to parental COLI
sent, and must be posted conSpicuously in
the registrars Office for twenty-one days.
The issue of the certificate may be forbid
den by any person whose consent would be
necessary to ecclesiastical license. All
marriages must be solemnizeG between the
the hours of s a. m. and p. m, and there
must be at least two witnesses present.
The persons officiating, the parties married,
the registrar and the witnesses must all
sign the record of marriage, which record
is entered in the book of records of mar
riage.''
The laws of Germany are very similar to
those of England, and are possibly a trifle
strlcter. There all Legitimate children must
have the consent of their father to their
marriage if they are under the ages of
twenty-five and twerty-four respectively.
to age 10 both these particulars. But if
the father is dead, the consent of the
mother, and if minor Under twenty-one
years-that of the guardian also must be
obtained. If neither parent be living, then
the consent of the guardian alone is neces-
sary. These rules apply to illegitimate
children, except that in their cases the con-
sent of the father is not required.
Parents incompetent TO give or withhold
consent are held to be ciyilly dead. Adopted
children must have the consent of the
adopting father. In all these cases should
consent be refused by the person author
lied to give it appeal may be made to the
courts. Announcement must precede mar
riage. and must be made in the community
or communities where the parties live. If
a40af the parties is temporarily absent,
must be made where he or
she may be at that time; and if either of the
parties have removed within six months,
then also in the community where the par
ties last lived. The applicants must prove
the required facts of consent of parents or
others whose consent is a prerequisite to
marriage. Announcements must contain
the full names, the rank, profession or oc-
cupation and place of residence of the par
ties and their parents, and these announce
ments must be made by being posted in
prominent place for two weeks.
If one of the places where announcement
the required announcement must be accom-
plished through one insertion in a news
paper published and circulated in that coun-
try. Marriage cannot take place until two
weeks have expired after publication, and
the announcement is void if the marriage
does not take place within six months. Two
witnesses of legal age must be present at
the maria e. A minister who shall per-
form the ceremony before the certificate of
the civil officer is produced, shall be liable
to fine of 500 marks, or Imprisonment for
not less than three months. The dissolution
of every marriage whether by death or
divorced, every declaration of invalidity,
and of nullity, must be entered on the mar
gin of the original entry of the marriage.
The following is a summary of the laws
of France on the celebration of marriage:
A son under twenty-five and daughter
under twenty-one cannot marry without
the consent of the father and mother, or of
the father only if they disagree or of the
survivor, if one be dead. If both are dead,
grandfather and grandmother take their
place. A man after twenty-five and a
woman after twenty-one are still bound
formally to ask the consent of their parents
Until the age of thirty and twenty-five re-
spectively, this request must be repeated
twice, and after the third application par
ties are at liberty to marry without such
consent. Even after thirty. formal notice
must be served on the parents or grandpar-
ents one month before marriage.
If neither parents nor grandparents are
alive, parties under tweuty-one require the
consent of the family council. Before SOL
emulation of marriage banns are required
to be published on two distinct Sundays,
containing the names, occupations and DOM
iciles of the parties and their parents.
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