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relationship, by the having become flesh of his or her flesh respectively by the rite, and by the rites of marriage commonly so called, is identically the same in each case.
Marriage with a deceased wife's sister, therefore, is strictly prohibited by this phasis of the Holy Law of God!
But there is yet another phasis of the prohibition of such marriages, and any of the like, whether of a man with his niece or aunt, arising from the breadth of the Holy Law of God as exhibited in Leviticus xviii., for "it is confusion".
The usual plea for such marriages, set up by the promoters of them, is, that upon the death of the mother of a family, no one can be found so fitting to take charge of the children as her own sister. But this, my Lords, her sister can do now! With the law, as it now stands, the sister of a deceased wife can with propriety come and take up her abode in the house of her brother-in-law, and gain the affection of the children, and the respect of every one else; and, possibly, thousands of ladies are at this time so dwelling, and so occupied, in this land, happy and honoured, yet with no desire to marry the brother-in-law; but who, were the present prohibition of marriage with him to be removed, must at once withdraw from such their happy homes.
Were, however, such a marriage in any particular case to arise from the proposed infringement of the Holy Law of God, and a second family to result from it, it would be impossible accurately to define the relationship of the members of the two families to each other respectively: in respect of the father they would be in the relationship of brothers or sisters; while in respect of their mothers respectively, the children of either mother would be first cousins of the children of the other mother. Thus there would be utter "confusion;" which, according to Leviticus xviii., is contrary to the Divine Will, and is, and manifestly ought to be, forbidden! In the next generation there would be "confusion" doubly confounded!!
Marriage with a deceased wife's sister, therefore, is strictly prohibited by every phasis of the Holy Law of God!!!
[1]Let us now turn our attention to the Oral traditionary Law of the Jewish people, now commonly called the Mishna; and to the custom of the Israelites from the early times of antiquity, under the government
- ↑ As for legislating for the poor, contrary to and in defiance of the Holy Law of God, it would be a work of supererogation: for the lowest orders, like Gallio, "care for none of these things," and simply follow their own bent.
