Lord Daryngton's objections were based almost entirely upon a strictly
literal interpretation of texts in the New Testament. His speech was as able and as earnest as such a speech could well be. We heartily agree that the religious objection is the principal one to be considered, but, though we have no space to go into the subject now, we would say, in expressing our dissent from Lord Daryngton, that it is clear to us that a literal interpretation of the sayings of Christ is not defensible. A large part of His maxims are obviously and admittedly incapable of literal fulfilment ; they were rather magnificent assertions of His constant theme that there was only one form of perfection, which was the Law of God ; and that in so far as human laws fell short of perfection they were ungodlike. But this was not to deny the necessity, or to assert the wrongness, of law on the human plane. Christ, in fine, never imposed statutory precepts. We think that this must be clear to anybody who reads the Gospels through as one reads an ordinary book. We hope with Lord Buckniaster that his Bill will have a happier career this time. On Tuesday the second reading was passed by 88 votes to 51.
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