Divorce
SIR,—May 1 add evidence to what is stated by Professor Norman Sykes and the Bishop of Down and Dromore in your issue of September 3rd ?
In 1917 Archbishop Davidson not only gave me permission, with full knowledge of the circumstances, to perform a marriage, one of the parties to which had obtained a divorce, but also instructed his registrar to issue a licence for that purpose. The formula contained in the licence, and inserted in the marriage register, ran thus: " A.B., • formerly the wife of C.D., from whom she obtained a divorce."
Mr. Gavin Fargus states categorically that " participants in a divorce are definitely banned from .re-matriage in any church." Banned by whom ? The present law leaves discretion in such cases solely with the minister of the parish, a discretion which many ministers are quite prepared to use.
The growing rigorism of recent years has obviously been quite ineffectual in inducing any loftier conception of the marriage state. On the contrary, by forcing many worthy people to the Register Office, it has compelled them to accept a lower conception than they might otherwise have held. Incidentally, they have been completely and finally alienated from the Church.—Yours faithfully, 3 Rowland Square, Salisbury, S. Rhodesia.
HERBERT PEGG.
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