The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-24 00:00:00

secular knowledge was good in itself?—(Cheers.)
Where was our boasted superiority over Frenchmen,
Germans, Danes, and Italians, when the American
Minister could come to our Town-hall and taunt us
with the ignorance of our people, no one daring to
rise up and say we had done as much as they had in
America ? He agreed with Mr. Lawrence that
there was danger in such a state of things, and that
not a day should be lost till it was remedied. The
Hon. Gentleman advised the association to pursue its
own course steadily, showing no opposition to any-
body, but inviting the concurrence of every one; and
if he could be of service on any deputation, even to
the new body who had come forward in this town,
to aid in removing any difficulties to unity of effort,
he should be most happy to give his services. He sat
down amid great cheering.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON afterwards addressed the
meeting in seconding the resolution, and it was car-
ried unanimously.
Several other speakers also followed in proposing
and seconding routine resolutions.

MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED
W IFE'S SISTER.
. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Stn.,--There is an account in your admirable paper
of the 17th inst., of a meeting of the inhabitants of
Birmingham in the Town- hall of that important
town, to consider of the propriety of again petitioning
Parliament for the abolition of the law which prohibits
a widower from marrying the sister of his deceased
wife ; there was a considerable attendance of ladies,
" The Mayor occupied the chair, and was supported by
the Rev. J. C. Miller, Rector of St. Martin's, the
Rev. J. B. Owen, Vicar of Bilston, R. Spooner, Esq.,
M.P., the Jewish Rabbi, resident in Birmingham,
and Dissenting ministers, representing. various con-
gregations of the town and neighbourhood. Letters
were read from Mr. Scholefield, M.P., Mr. Muntz,
M.P., and the Rev. J. A. James (Nonconformist),
expressive of their concurrence in the object of the
meeting, but regretting their inability to attend. The
Rev. J. C. Miller and the Rev. J. B. Owen movedand
seconded the adoption of a petition to Parliament,
praying for the legislation of the marriages of the class
above mentioned. The Rev. Prebendary Gray, warden of
Queen's College, moved an amendment to the effect—
" That no petition upon the subject under discussion
be presented to Parliament; that the marriage of a
man with his deceased wife's sister was especially
prohibited by Scripture, by the practice of the uni-
versal Church, and by the opinions of divines and
theologians of all ages until a very recent period.'
The Rev. Mr. Mackenzie, of the Scotch Church, se-
conded the amendment. Mr. Spooner M.P., sup-
ported the petition, and the Rev. J. C. Miller having
replied, the Mayor proceeded to take the sense of the
meeting. A very inconsiderable number of hands
were held up in favour of the amendment, and the
original motion was carried almost unanimously, and
amidst great applause."
With your permission, Sir, I feel a burning desire
to speak a few words to the Reverend Prebendary
Gray, warden of Queen's College, and to the Reverend
Mr. Mackenzie, of the Scotch Church, the mover and
seconder of the amendment.
You say, most reverend gentlemen, " that the
marriage with a deceased wife's sister was especially
prohibited by Scripture,—by the practice of the uni-
versal Church,—and by the opinions of divines and
theologians of all ages until a very recent period ;"
to the whole of which assertions I very respectfully
beg leave to dissent, and to answer that you do not
assert the truth.
In the plain and homely language of the good
John Bunyan, I ask you to give me the chapter and
verse which especially prohibits such marriages.
Let us have no shuffling, gentlemen, but speak out
like honest men. I have read my Bible as thoroughly,
and attentively as you have; and Ido not find the sub-
ject alluded to anywhere, but in the 18th chapter of
Leviticus, and the 18th verse, and that applies only to
the wife during her lifetime,—" Neither shalt thou
take a wife to her sister, to vex her, during her life-
time ! " Now, most Reverend Prebendary, Warden
of Queen's College, and you also, most Reverend Mr.
Mackenzie, of the Scotch Church, I submit that you
are bound to prove the authority you speak of, or, if
you cannot do so, then common decency ought to
compel you for ever afterwards to hold your peace !
What do you mean by " the practice of the uni-
versal Church, and by the opinions of divines and
theologians of all ages ?" I suppose you mean by
" the universal Church" the Roman Catholic Church ;
and there you are wrong, for in that Church the pro-
hibition was removed by procuring a dispensation,
which was granted on payment of so much money,
which varied in amount according to the wealth of
the party, and the "divines and theologians" of all
ages, until a very recent "period," which means the
canons of the Romish Church. You might as well, I
think, gentlemen, at this enlightened period, preach
to the winds of heaven as to expect making converts
fo3 re-introducing the opinions of " divines and theo-
logians of the dark ages" again amongst us.
It is now well known that the virulent and un-
heard-of opposition to the new Marriage Bill, both in
1849 and 1850, was headed by the Passyites at Ox-
ford. Their wings are, however, in 1851, a little
clipped, and few people will now attend to them; and
as to the members of the Kirk of Scotland, base and
unnatural descendants of the pious and brave Cove,
ranters of old—bah ! it is an abomination.
I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
Regent's-park, Jan. 20, 1851. ALFRED.