CO129-247 - Acting Governor Fleming Governor Des Voeus - 1890 [10-12] — Page 256

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

Erdinance, and for the promulgation in Hongkong of the marriage laws, that exist in British India and in the Straits Settlements,

That law makes such ample provision for the celebration and registration of marriages among all classes of Her Majesty's subjects in India and the Straits, and is at the same time so just and so liberal that I can with difficulty understand now it is that it is not in force throughout Her Majesty's dominions, from one extremity to the other, and now it is that with perfect law on the one hand, a law so unnecessarily large and important classes of Her Majesty's loyal subjects could ever have been introduced in Hong Kong.

I need not point out to Your Excellency that marriage among Roman Catholics is a Sacrament as well as a contract, or rather the contract of marriage is a Sacrament, that the Roman Catholic Church claims and exercises the right to administer that Sacrament or refuses to do it according to their own law, and that while the priests of the Roman Catholic Church will, as far as it is conscientiously possible, respect and obey the law of the land however severe and however unjust, still there always will be cases in which they would be compelled, no matter what the penalties, to disregard the law, and to marry or refuse to marry in accordance with the law of the Church.

That there should be a law in existence within Her Majesty's dominions, which makes a Roman Catholic priest punishable with two years' imprisonment for the performance of a duty enjoined by the Church.

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Erdinance, and for the promulgation in Hongkong of the marriage laws, that exist in British India and in the Straits Settlements, That law makes such ample provision for the celebration and registration of marriages among all classes of Her Majesty's subjects in India and the Straits, and is at the same time so just and so liberal that I can with difficulty understand now it is that it is not in force throughout Her Majesty's dominions, from one extremity to the other, and now it is that with perfect law on the one hand, a law so unnecessarily large and important classes of Her Majesty's loyal subjects could ever have been introduced in Hong Kong. I need not point out to Your Excellency that marriage among Roman Catholics is a Sacrament as well as a contract, or rather the contract of marriage is a Sacrament, that the Roman Catholic Church claims and exercises the right to administer that Sacrament or refuses to do it according to their own law, and that while the priests of the Roman Catholic Church will, as far as it is conscientiously possible, respect and obey the law of the land however severe and however unjust, still there always will be cases in which they would be compelled, no matter what the penalties, to disregard the law, and to marry or refuse to marry in accordance with the law of the Church. That there should be a law in existence within Her Majesty's dominions, which makes a Roman Catholic priest punishable with two years' imprisonment for the performance of a duty enjoined by the Church.
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Erdinance, and for the promulgation in eHongkong of the arriage laws, that exist i British India and in the Straits Settlements, That law makes such ample provision for the celebration and registration of marriages among ail classes of Her Majesty's subjects incidia and the Straits, and is at the same time so o just and so liberal at I can with difficulty At t derstand now it is that it is not in force it Her Ma, Majesty's dominions. one extremity to the other, and now it is that with 20 perfect. a L aw et hand, a law so unnecessarily کی large and important cines of Her Majesty's loyal subjects. cou'd ever have been introduced in Rong. I need not point out to Axcellency that w Your marriage among Koman Catholics is a Sacrament as well as a contract, or rather the 55 contract of marriage is a Sacrament, hat the Roman Catholic Church cane and exercives the right administer that Sacrament or refuses to ་བས། it according to their own law and that while the priests of the Roman Catholic Church will 20 far as it is conscientously possible respect and obey the law of the land however severe and however are caves and that injust, still there always will be, in which they would be compelled, no matter what the penalties, to disregard the law, and to marry or refuse to marry in accordance with the law. of the Church. That there should be a law in existence within Her Majesty's dominions, which makes a Roman Catholic priest punishable with two years' imprisonment for the performance of a duty enipoved. by well the
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Erdinance, and for the promulgation in eHongkong of the

arriage laws,

that exist i British India and in the Straits Settlements,

That law makes such ample provision for the celebration and registration of marriages among ail classes of Her Majesty's subjects incidia and the Straits, and is at the same time so

o just and so liberal

at I can with difficulty

At t

derstand

now it is that it is not in force

it Her Ma,

Majesty's dominions.

one extremity to the other, and

now it is that with 20

perfect. a

L

aw

et hand, a law so unnecessarily

کی

large and important

cines of Her Majesty's loyal subjects. cou'd ever have been introduced in

Rong.

I need not point out to

Axcellency that w

Your

marriage among

Koman Catholics is a Sacrament as

well as

a contract, or rather the 55 contract of marriage is a Sacrament,

hat the Roman Catholic Church

cane and exercives the right administer that Sacrament or refuses

to

་བས།

it according to their own law and that while the priests of the Roman

Catholic Church will 20

far as it is

conscientously possible respect and obey the law of the land however

severe and however

are caves and

that

injust, still there always will be, in

which they would be compelled, no matter what the penalties, to disregard

the law, and to marry or refuse to marry

in accordance with the law.

of the Church.

That there should be a law in existence within Her Majesty's dominions, which makes a Roman

Catholic priest punishable with two years' imprisonment for the performance of a duty enipoved.

by

well

the

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