While nothing can be so distressing to a clergyman, whose duty it is to solemnise marriages, as irreverence or flippancy, he can hardly fail to be amused, if many of his people are poor and his area is wide, at the occasional results of a genuine ignorance, or a legitimate nervousness. A well-known church in Central London can furnish several singular and recent experiences. It is not often that either of the contracting parties comes furnished with a prayer-book, but on a certain occasion the bride, a rather strong-minded-looking lady, did so, and insisted on holding it sternly and steadily under the nose of her future spouse. In repeating the passage in which "cherish" occurs, a bridegroom, in a faltering voice, expressed his willingness "to love and to '_perish_.'" "Oh, sir, I do feel _that_ nervous!" once pleaded another embarrassed swain in the middle of the service. A widower, who was extremely awkward and stupid in making the responses after the minister, apologised by saying, "Really, sir, it is so long since I was married last that I forget"! Another bridegroom, though middle-aged, seemed somewhat diffident with regard to his responsibilities, and answered to the inquiry, "Wilt thou love, comfort, honour, etc.?" "To the best of my abilities I will." A year or two ago, the roof of the particular church of which we are thinking was being renovated, and the interior was a maze of ladders. Under these a superstitious bride earnestly begged not to be compelled to go, so she was considerately conducted to the chancel by a circuitous route. There was a wedding last year at which a tiny bridesmaid made her appearance. As he had married her parents about six summers previously, the clergyman thought he might venture to take her by the arm and to place her in her proper position behind the bride. Considerably to his surprise, the small damsel hit out at him in a most workmanlike manner straight from the shoulder, and the edifice resounded with a terrific yell of defiance, "Me _won't_! Me WON'T!" [Illustration: (_Photo supplied by the Church Missionary Society._) INDIAN ORPHANS AT A BREAKFAST SUPPLIED BY MISSIONARIES. (_A scene during the recent famine._)] Some New Books.