Robinson are indissolubly married? Because it represents the truth? Then does the Church maintain that it is the same truth which says that in the second case Mrs. Smith and the jeweller are similarly married? No-one except an over-enthusiastic theologian could view this result with complacency. Yet it is impossible to have an exhaustive analysis of motives to find out whether a Church marriage is valid or not. At least whether it is possible or not, the Church doesn't in practice do it.
Let us do what the Church never does, and look at things from God's point of view. If the man-in-the-pew loves his creator, he will presumably be willing to understand his point of view; he will be willing to view him compassionately. At least if the Christian does not view his God with compassion, it's about time he did, because (if God exists at all) he has to put up with enough to warrant it.
Suppose that two nice decent respectable people come to Church, to be married. They never say their prayers, they never come to Church, but they feel that religion is respectable, and they would like to be married in Church. Not that they would like God to marry them; if that evangelical idea were suggested to them, they would be aghast; it would be slightly indecent. Religion is respectable; but the living God is almost a dirty word. They would just like to get married in Church. So they do. Nobody stops them. The parson, for a fee, actually helps them. and the living God looks on with utter and profound indifference! The parties make no promises to him, because they do not recognise him as a person; he has never entered their world. He in turn holds them to no promises. As the parties turn to leave the Church, God bows to them in mock solemnity, because he can see the funny side of it, even if they cannot. And so they leave. They think they have had a proper wedding. Well and good. Nobody minds. God doesn't stop them thinking that; he is…