There was great excitement at the Church of St. Mary Abbott's, Kensington, last week and the action of Canon Penefather has formed food for discussion at nearly every dinner table in England. A Mr. Lyon who had previously divorced a former wife proposed to marry Miss Crook (a minor) with the consent of her father. The function was to be a very smart one and as St. Mary Abbott's was the church which the bride usually attended it was chosen for the ceremony. A license was obtained in the usual way from the Archbishop of Canterbury and Cann Grant was asked to officiate. "When Canon Penefather, who Vicar of St. Mary Abbott's, heard of it he declined to allow the wedding to take place in his church, and the matter was so warmly taken up that at the time fixed for the marriage about a hundred people had assembled in the edifice, among whom were some twenty clergymen, for the Mire Lyon was informed of what was going purpose of protesting against it. "Luckily
to happen, so none of the bridal party put man appearance. Arrangements were hur-nedly made, and at the very time all the commotion was going on at St. Mary's, the happy couple were being quietly married at St. Stephen's, Gloucaster "Gate, The clergy have done a great deal of mutual handshaking over the. matter and seem to think Canon Penefather's action is a very fine one, but the general opinion is, that by their intolerant action they have dealt a heavier blow to the unity of Church and State than has Been dealt for many years. © Marriage is a civil function and the sooner the clergy recognise the fact the better. Let them
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