The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-11 00:00:00

become very common. So far as such marriages from be-
ing contrary to public opinion, that people are, on the con-
trary, inclined to consider them both natural and desirable.
We expresq ottr conviction that there ought to exist perfect
liberty between widowers and the sisters of their late wives
to contract such marriage."—Ducal Saxe Coburg, Minis-
try in Council,
" It is my decided conviction, after careful investigation
and consideration, that there is xto direct scriptural prohi-
bition declaring Stich marriages unlawful. Ido not stop to
consider how the repeal of the present law may affect the
intercourse between a husband and his wife's sister. This
is not a matter for legislation. I could not support the law
as it now stands."—Bishop of Manchester.
" Whether the question is considered in a religious, moral,
or social point of view, such marriages are unobjectionable,
while in many instances they contribute to the happiness of
the parties, and to the welfare of motherless children, and
among the poor have a tendency to prevent immorality."
—Petition signed by the Bishop of London (Dr. Tait),
1819.
" There is even among the opponents of this bill (the
Marriages Bill) a wide diversity of opinion as to there being
a Divine command prohibiting these marriages, and the
'weight of authority is against the existence of any such
Divine injunction. If among the richer classes there is a
dislike upon social grounds to a change in the law, that
dislike rests upon sentimental rather than on substantial
grounds ; whereas among the poorer classes it cannot be
denied that the law causes great immorality and unhappi-
ness."—Speech of Lord Wodehouse.
" We who support this bill do not think that the marriage
of a deceased wife's sister is opposed to the law of God, and
we do think that it is as wrong to restrict that which God
permits, as to grant dispensation for that which God for
bids."—Speech of Viscount Lifford.
"These marriages are not contrary to the Divine com-
mand. The Scriptural argument against them seems to
me to break down at every step. In proportion as, by our
prohibitions, we multiply the opportunities of temptation,
and prevent the enjoyment of any seeming: advantage. Tint
evil in itself, in the same proportion we extend and increase
the power of the enemy of mankind."— Speech of the Bishop
of Killaloe.

"He did not think the measure proposed was any in
fringement on Scriptural precepts or commands. It was a
remarkable fact that from the time when the Scriptural law
was given to the present day, so far as could be ascertained,
the Jewish people themselves had never interpreted that
law as a law of prohibition. Referring to marriage with a
brother's widow, the Bishop said it was inconceivable that,
on a subject of moral purity and moral principle the author
of a Scriptural law should in one place permit that which
in another place was prohibited. He felt bound to say that
he did not perceive in the Scriptures any direct prohibition
or any inferential prohibition against such marriages."—
Speech of the ox-Bishop of Norwich. _

"So far as the poor are concerned, I believe that an al-
teration of the present law is much to be desired."—Lord
Auckland, Bishop of Bath and Wells. _

" If a layman may, without presumption, take place in
controversy, and adopt the conclusion arrived at by the
Bishops of St. David's and Norwich, that marriage with a
deceased wife's sister is not only not prohibited, but permitted
by the Divine law—not through negligence, as too fre-
quently happens in the best essays of human legislation, but
studiously and of purpose—can any human authority be
justified in nullifying a marriage contracted under such
sanction, and putting asunder those who are united with
such approbation ?"—Lord Chief Justice Denman.
" The unlawfulness of the case you mention arises from
the Caner not the Civil Law. As for sinfulness, it is en-
tirely out of the question ; and as to natural consanguinity,
in such cases, it does not exist. Against such a connexion
as that which, your friend projects, there is nothing in na-
ture, nothing in grace."—The Rev. Dr. Adam Clarke.

" in the judgment of the Board, the marriage of a widower
with the sister of his deceased wife is scripturally lawful,
and ought not to be prohibited by human legislation.'—The
Board of Baptist Ministers in London and Westminster.
" I certainly have a strong opinion against the Act which
forbids the marriage with a deceased wife's sister, and have
no objection to put my sentiments on paper for you to make
any use of that you think proper."—Rev. J. H. Gurney,
Hon. Canon of St. Paul's, and Rector of St. Mary's, Mary-
lebone.

"He was acquainted with the working classes, and he
must tell the House that the Act of 1835, in reference to
their happiness, had worked most injuriously. He consi-
dered that the religious objection to legalising the marriage
had been virtually given up."—Sir S. Morton Peto, Bart.,
M.P.

" I know of no social disadvantage attending such mar-
riages. The apprehensions expressed in England on this
head are entirely dissipated by our experience."—Hight
Rev. Bishop Burgess, Maine, United States.
" I am not one of those who hold that such marriages are
forbidden by Scripture—and I am not aware that any spe-
cial disadvantages, social or domestic, have resulted from
them."—Right Rev. Bishop Potter, Pennsylvania, United
States.

" The question was discussed extensively in the Presby
terian Church in the United States, and the new school
body as it is called generally held to the propriety of such
marriages. I did then, and stilt do coincide with them in
that opinion."—Authoress of " Uncle Tom's Cabin."
" The division the other night (in the House of Commons
in 1835), proceeded upon the principle that there was one
particular degree of affinity within which marriage ought
to be allowed—viz., the sister of a deceased wife."--Speech
of Sir William Follett. •

" He denied the right of the Legislature to infringe upon
the conscience of any individual whatever with respect to
those natural rights of which marriage was, of all others,
the foremost and most necessary. The right of marriage
was given by Providence, and it was not for man to impose
restrictions upon it."—Speech of Dr, Lushington, M.P.
" These marriages were formerly permitted only by dis-
pensation 2 • but by a law of 1832, for the Evangelican Lu-
theran Church of Russia, they are perfectly free to parties
contracting them. Such marriages are indeed frequent,
particularly among the rural population, where members of
families are thrown more together. It is more than mere
supposition that such marriages are happy ones. Public
opinion in this country is for, rather than against, such.
marriages."—Theological Faculty of the Imperial. Unive-
rsity of Dorpat, and Livonian Evangelical Consistory of
Russia .

" Public opinion, which feels no scruples of any kind as
to such marriages, approves of them most particularly when
there are young children of a first marriage, as giving them
in the sister of their late mother a second loving mother.
The permission of such marriages has with us been produc-
tive in no way of evil consequences."—Consistory Court of
the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg Strelitz.
" My Lords, the vote which I shall give in support of the
Bill before your Lordships' House, will, I think, be in ac-
cordance with, and not in opposition to, the Levitical law.
I acknowledge that law to be binding. I hold as strongly
as any one a belief in the inspiration of the Scriptures, but
in saying that, I mean that there is not a word too much,
nor a word too little. Believing, then, that every word has
its own important meaning, I would remark that the verse
in Leviticus, which has been so often alluded to, contains
these words, during her lifetime.' My impression is that
these are qualifying words; that they imply a prohibition
to take a wife's sister as a wife, during the wife's lifetime to
vex her—but, that the wife being dead, the prohibition was
removed—that the marrying a wife's sister on the death of
the wife is virtually pronounced to be perfectly lawful."—
Speech of the late Bishop of Durham.
" I can see no Scriptural prohibition of the marriages in
question. I believe the repeal of the laws which forbid them
is desired by a very large number of the people of England,
and by many clergymen and other persons in Ireland, and
that such repeal would be followed by beneficial results."—
The late Dean of Cashel.

" I am of opinion that marriage with a deceased wife's
sister is not forbidden in Holy Scripture, and that the repeal
of the laws which prohibit it would be followed by results
beneficial to society."—The Dean of Kilmacduagh.
" I can find no Scriptural objection to marriage with a
deceased wife's sister, and I consider that the repeal of the
existing laws against such unions would be of much public
usefulness."—Tne Hon. H. M. Browne, Dean of Lismore.
" He frankly confessed tbat, if founding a new republic,
he might be disposed to authorise marriage with a deceased
Wife's sister."—Speech of Lord Robert Cecil, M.P.
" Having again carefully examined the question, and con-
sulted some of the highest authorities in Hebrew literature
as to the meaning of the Scripture passages, I am confirmed
in the opinion formerly expressed, that marriage with a de-
ceased wife's sister is not only not prohibited, ' either ex-
pressly or by implication,' but that, according to Leviticus
xviii. 18 (concerning the translation of which there is not
the least uncertainty), such marriage is plainly allowed."
" Iconfess that when I entered upon this Inquiry I had not
anidea that the case of those who wish a change in the pre-
sent marriage law was so strong. I had thought that the
opinions of grave and learned students of the Bible were
more equally divided, and that, as authorities were pretty
evenly balanced, they who had contracted such marriages
must bear the inconvenience arising from such doubtful
interpretation. But Ido not think so now. Confirmed by
the testimony of antiquity, and the judgment of the most
considerable interpreters at the Reformation, and since the
Reformation, I now believe that there is no reasonable room
for doubt—that there is no verse in the Bible of which the
interpretation is more sure than that of Leviticus xviii. 18:
and I think it a case of great hardship that they should by
the civil law be punished as transgressors, whose marriage,
according to the Divine law, is permitted and valid; and
harder still, that the children of such marriages, legitimate
in the sight of the infallible Judge, should be visited with
civil disabilities."—Rev.'Alexander M'Caul, D.D.. Profes-
sor of Divinity and Hebrew Literature in King's College,
London.