Evening star., 1922-04-15
Feminizing the Prayer Book.
oNGRESS is about to direct
the opening up OF a great
new entrance into the Ma
tional Capital, which will

Revision of the Episcopal marriage
service is Just something to talk
about" in the opinion of the editor
of the Pittsburg Press. Neverthe-
less. he and his fellows all over the
country find something to think
about, as well as to joke about, in
the proposal to take out of the mar
riage ceremony the giving away of
the bride and her promise to obey.
UNFOLDING "the vow of wifely
obedience, ritual or no ritual" seems
lost motion to the Philadelphia Bull
letin, for woman has stamped upon
it with her little foot, and the most
reverend bishops may debate it to
their hearts content without alter
ing the fate of this ecclesiastical
Humpty Dumpty." Its neighbor, the
Public Ledger. however, refuses TO
concede the Bulletins point that the
promise is "a dead letter" since the
ma jority of women, who are not
much impresse by the modern ideas
names, trial marriages and facile
divorces, can see no harm in allow
ing the ancient phraseology to stand
as it is" and the women who gen
uinely care will welcome every i'm
plication of the terms that to SO
sociation and social tradition"
The Baltimore Sun is fearful of the
outcome of a struggle between the
new woman" and that prophet of
masculine sovereignty. st. Paul, and
lat the risk of being burned at the
stake" it warns the ladies" that.
scream and kick as they may" TAX
ing the "obey" out of the marriage
service sis virtually to deny st. Pauls
orthodoxy and authority" and is
not according to Hoyle."
But, according. to the Worcester
Gazette. mo one believes that women
obey their husbands today. and no
one believes that they should" so,
since this law not only is unenforce-
able. but no effective penalty can be
provided for it's violation" the New
York Tribune favors it's repeal on
enforced is not wise law. Or. in
stead of the complete elimination of
obey" the Richmond Times-Dispatch
suggests that it might be assigned
to the right party" for the Fort
Wayne News-Sentinel disclaiming
any intention to Joke" thinks it
might be well to find a place for II
IN the obligation taken by the man.
To emphasize their purpose to make
the marriage ceremony an exchanse
of pledges between equals. the com
mission on revision of the book of
common prayer also recommends that
the bride should no longer De given
away and that the groom be released
from his agreement anent "all his
worldly goods" In country where
women have equal political and prop
erty rights with men giving away a
woman in marriage is an anachro-
nism" which the Brooklyn Eagle holds
should be forgotten as soon as may
be-" Perhaps this change would pc
a relief to. fathers. uncles and -broth-
ers." the New York Herald suspects,
but on the other hand "it would cut
into the frock coat business as well
as destroy an old, harmless and ire
ouently pleasing custom" In the
opinion Of the Herald "it will not do
to go too far in the elimination OF
ancient things just because they are
ancient and possibly pagan IN their
When the groom cheerfully assures
the Iady that with all my worldly
goods thee endow" he shows fine
disregard Of the laws OF the land,
which, the Atlantic City Press re-
or at most a half. of her husbands
estate" And aside from legal con-
troll. the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch has
no doubt that 'the most decent man
in America has not the falntest IN
tention Of surrendering to his chosen
ali his worldly goods. He knows
that. she knows it, the clergyman
knows it, and so does the congrega-
ton assembled" and. however you
look at 1t, 'the declaration OF endoW-
ment doesn't mean anything:
On the whole the proposed changes
"are SO symptomatic Of acceptance OF
tha spirit Of the times" that the New
ark News feels they call not Tor lev
ity. ''but the most serious thought
that can be put upon them, for they
are a recognition of the trend
toward an almost complete equaliza-
tion Of the status of men and wom-
an" trend which will profoundly
remold many Of our institutions and
con ncepts." Certainly church ritual
sbecomes impressed with q public IN
terest.. the Peoria Transcript thinks,
s.when wholesale changes are pro-
nosed to meet alterations in the fed
aral Constitution" and the Cleveland
News flnds reason for great satisfac-
tion.D when such changes are 'amprov-
inr rnodernizing and progressive, ana
are proposed ''in connection with an In
sfstution long proof against change.
.orhe status of women has changed
very materially in the centuries since
the adoption Of the Episcopal form.
SUfich has come down unchanged
through the ages" says the Bangor
Commercial, and the present move
ment. the Cincinnati Commercial Tri-
bnnea adds, sis merely the following
Of the fact by the form" However. one
NAV "regret and resent the passing
Of the old forms." the fact obtains as.