It was reasonable enough that the Government should provide an additional day for the third reading of Mr. Herbert's Marriage Bill in the House of Commons in view of the support the Bill had received there (though there have been other private Bills equally well-supported that have not received the same favour). The third reading debate was marked by some straightforward opposition from Catholic members who seem to have gathered courage as the Bill passed through its successive stages. Mr. Herbert's final speech was deplorable in the way it purported to interpret Christ to Christians. He claimed to be doing good to " the Church," and patronisingly
explained the " realism " of Christ. He added the assurance that there was not a single word in the Bill of which Christ would not approve.
Perhaps he might find an excuse in the fact that the Established Church of the country had just been acquiescing, through its representative assemblies, in the new version of Christ's teaching, and the Lower House of the Canterbury Convocation had on that very day decided to decide nothing for the present ahout the admission of remarried divorcees to its sacraments. Where the shepherd will give no guidance the sheep —even the wooliest—must have their say.