24 JANUARY 1931, Page 19

DIVORCE

[To the Editor-of the SPECTATOR:]

Sin,—On his` letter published in your issue of the 17th inst. Dr. Geikie-Cobb writes : " Hence the isolation of adultery as the sole offence destructive of marriage, which followed logically from the false premise of the Roman Church that marriage is solely for the procreation of children."

Both the implication and the direct statement in this sentence are untrue. It is Dr. Geikie-Cobb who has made the false premise. ' The Roman Catholic Church emphatically does not teach either (a) that adultery is an offence destructive of marriage, or •(b) that marriage is solely for the procreation of children.

As regards (a) Dr. Geikie-Cobb ought to be perfectly well aware that, for a Catholic, death is'the Only incident destructive of marriage. As for (b) if he wishes to know the reasons for which the Catholic Church teaches matrimony was ordained, he need go no further than the Marriage Service in his own Book of Comnion' Prayer, where he will find them set forth clearly, concisely, and in their correct order. Mr. Geikie- Cobb is a Doctor of Divinity. Surely he knows from Whence these reasons came into his Prayer Book.—I am, Sir, &c.,

CLAIRE MADDEN.

26 Whitton Avenue Central, 'Greenford; Ealing.