The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued a letter to the
clergy and laity of his diocese upon the Deceased Wife's Sister Act. The effect of the letter is to redeem his pledge not to impede the working of the Act so far as this is com- patible with his personal conviction that marriage with a deceased wife's sister ought to be celebrated elsewhere than in church. The Archbishop repeats his opinion that the new law is "contrary to sound and sacred principle" and is not really demanded by the country. He believes that the clergy will act wisely and rightly in refusing to celebrate marriage with a deceased wife's sister, but he wishes to make it quite clear that his advice is only advice and not a formal direction or injunction. He will not regard as disloyal or disrespectful any incumbent who differs from his con- clusion. Moreover, he will be no party to the excommunica- tion by the Church of those who contract marriages under the new law. We can only say here that the Archbishop's advice is as helpful as could have been expected after his preliminary pronouncement on the subject. His solution, though skilful, is naturally illogical, and can only be defended on the ground that compromises are commonly illogical, and yet may be necessary. We regret the use of the phrase "ecclesiastically irregular" of the new marriages, and cannot help looking with some anxiety on the element of disunion between Church and State which the Archbishop has thought it his duty to sanction.
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