"The plain and obvious meaning of the 18th verse (of Lev. xviii.), allows the marriage with a wife's sister after the death of the wife." — "It only remains for us to express the satisfaction with which we have learned that Friends in many of our meetings have concluded to petition the legislature for the repeal of what we cannot but consider an unauthorized restriction of the law of marriage."
"Is such a marriage held by your church as prohibited in Scripture? Certainly not. It is considered a matter of ecclesiastical legislation."
"It is not only not considered as prohibited, but it is distinctly understood to be permitted; and on this point neither the Divine law, nor the Rabbis, nor historical Judaism, leaves room for the least doubt. I can only reiterate my former assertions, that all sophistry must split on the clear and unequivocal words, Lev. xviii., 18, 'in her lifetime.'"
"But has it never occurred to you, my dear Wynn, that this law is an abominable relic of ecclesiastical tyranny? Of all second marriages I have no hesitation in saying that these are the most suitable and likely to be the most frequent, if the law did not sometimes prevent them. It is quite monstrous, judges and lawyers speaking as they have done of late upon this subject."
"Having again carefully examined the question, and consulted some of the highest authorities in Hebrew literature as to the meaning of the Scripture passages, I am confirmed in the opinion formerly expressed, that marriage with a deceased wife's sister is not only not prohibited, 'either expressly or by implication,' but that, according to Leviticus xviii., 18 (concerning the translation of which there is not the least uncertainty), such marriage is plainly allowed. I confess that when I entered upon this inquiry I had not an idea that the case of those who wish a change in the present marriage law was so strong. I had thought that the opinions of grave and learned students of the Bible were more equally divided, and that as authorities were pretty evenly balanced, they who had contracted such marriages must bear the inconveniences arising from doubtful interpretation. But I do not think so now. Confirmed by the testimony of antiquity, and the judgment of the most considerable interpreters at the Reformation, and since the Reformation, I now believe there is no reasonable room for doubt — that there is no verse in the Bible of which the interpretation is more sure than that of Leviticus xviii. 18; and I think it a case of great hardship that they should by the civil law be punished as transgressors whose marriage, according to the Divine law, is permitted and valid; and harder still, that the children of such marriages, legitimate in the sight of the infallible Judge, should be visited with civil disabilities."
Professor of Divinity and Hebrew Literature in King's College, London.
