Dissenters' Marriages.
TO TlE EDITOR OF THE TIlMES. Sir,-After reading the detail contaiied in your paper of yester. day, wil not every man, of every party, agree that it is desirable that something should be done to relieve the conscientious scruple of Dimsentcrs on the subject of the marriage ceremosy ? The Dissenter asks, " Why should I be called upon to subscribe to doctrineswhlchrdonotbelieve, and enter a church which I regard as anti-Christian because I am enteriag into a citvil contract? Aho7e all, why should I be compeUed to violate my conscience on n occasion, perhaps of all others the most important and the most sacred?P" To reply that marriaze, because it is an important and sacred compact, slhould tierefore require a religious sanctien, is only to ag. gravate the evil complained of. For what is the value of that reli. gious sanction which is darived from a mnan's subscribing doctrines he disbelieves ? and what additional hold does it give eociety on a man's conscience, the compelling him to transgress the dictates of that conscience by entering into a church from whose doctrines and disciplines .he eparates and dissents? This is as though we would impress ofn a man the value of an oath, by compelling him to commit perjury. There is, however, another, and some may think a more import- ant, point of view in which to look at this matter_theeffect of scenes like those referred to in our Established Church, and the painful and difficult situation in which they place her ministers. Here (in the case noticed in your journal of yesterday) is a gentleman probably. disposed, from liberal and gentlemanly teeling, to afford to the con- scientious scruples of-others every allowance in his power, and there. by led to make promises accordingly; he consuits, it is probable, with his advisers or his superiors in the Church, and he is told that he has a duty, prescribed by the lavw, to perform, and that he must perform it strictly and rigidlv, without any view either to his own feelin!gs, or to th:e conscentious scruples of the parties. This is a matter which must command the attention of the Legis- ature. I thought it not amiss, therefore, to call the attention of your readers to it; partUcularlv of that portioa of those interested in the welfare of our venerable Establishment. --f" 1, N. X. DySSBNTERS' MARIAC.RS.