New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-17
BRIDES MUST
Still. "OBEY''
Episcopalians Put OFF
Change in Marriage
Service

St. Louis, Oct. 16.-Elimination or
the word "obey" from the marriage
service was recommended to-day in
minority report submitted by the JOINT
commission on common prayer 10 tho
House Of Deputies of the Protestant
Episcopal General Convention. II was
urged that the present injunction be-
ginning "Wilt thou obey him and serve
him 2, be changed to wilt thou love
him, comfort him. honor and keep him.
in sickness and in health, and forsaS-
;ng all others, keep thee only unto
him so long as ye shall liyeF
Two other changes in the marriage
service were suggested. 1t was pro
nosed to expunge the expression AS
Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully TO-
eethcr," etc, and substitute merely
diving faithfully together" 1t IS
pointed out that there is no reason why
Isaac and his wife should be regarded
as models when there were many other
husbands and wives equally faithfui'
Resides. the reference to those Blph-
cal personages is regarded as out OF
date.
Would Omit worldly Goods
The third change suggested is the
omission of the words land with All
nv worldly goods thee endoW ms
eXnr.ssion is relic of old Engllsh
law. under which the dover rights OF
women were guaranteed. The argu-
nent is advanced that to-day the dues-
tion involved is a civil one and to be
taken for granted.
All proposed changes in the MAJ.
,;.o. ceremony, the catechism and
the institution of clergymen were re-
ferred bv the House Of Deputies back
70 the commission on prayer book
These questions cannot be brought be-
fore the general convention again lot
three years. The commission, consist
;np Of seven bishops, seven clergymen
and seven laymen, under the chair-
manship of the Right Rev. Courtiand'
Whitehead, Bishop of Pittsburgh was
appointed at the 1913 convention TO
revise and enrich the Book OF Common
Prayer.
Among the changes recommended IN
the majority report is the shortening
OF the first five commandments IN the
communion service and the elimination
from the Good Friday prayer OF the
words "Have mercy upon all Jews,
Turks, infdels and heretics," it being
argued that mentioning the Jews and
Turks in connection with infdels is
disrespectful and inaccurate.
Changes in Commandments
The revised version of the five COM
mandments as proposed follows: !.
Thou shalt have no other Gods but
me. 2 Thou shalt not make unto thy
self any craven image, nor the likeness
Of anything that Is in the heaven above,
tnt ehItU ~ NHN
under the earth; thou shalt not bow
down 10 them nor worship them. 3.
Thou shalt not take the name Of the
Lord. thy God, in vain. 4. Remember
that thou keep holy the Sabbath Day.
3. Honor thy father and thy mother.
II was also proposed 20 add special
prayers for labor, for the army and
navy. for schools and colleges, for
state legislatures and for independence
Day.
Changes in the hymnal recommended
were: The elimination Of the Amen"
at the conclusion of all hymns
gave those Of direct prayer or praise;
the elimination Of more than 200
HYMNS seldom used and the addition Of
I28 new hymns, most OF them by
American authors, and the substitution
81 The word Jesus" for the old form
"Jesu." The proposed hymnal would
contain only $50 Of the 679 hymns now
included.
Bishop William Lawrence, Of Massa-
ehusetts, who is leading campaign
40 raise sb,000,000 as reserve Tor
n.n,Ion system for the clergy, an
nounced that two-thirds Of the amount
has been given in ca. and pledges.