BISHOP NOT DEFIED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 10

BISHOP NOT DEFIED

VICAR'S STATEMENT

(Received June 5, 1.10 p.m.)

LONDON, June 4.

Confident that no church action will be taken against him, the. Rev. Anderson Jardine, who performed the religious ceremony at the marriage of the Duke of Windsor, has returned to London.

"I did not set out to defy the Bishop, and I did not receive any ecclesiastical notice not to perform the marriage," he said. ; ; Asked whether the Duke would stand by him in any consequences, he replied: "Whatever happens will be referred to the Duke's solicitors.- I went to Tours simply to give the Duke and Duchess the desire of their hearts, which was a religious service. That I have done, but it did not involve a second marriage certificate. The civil ceremony had been registered in the ordinary way, and. no other was required." ■:.- When informed of Mr. Jardine's return,- the Bishop of Fulham said: "Ai far as the Bishop of Fulham is concerned, no further action .will be taken." . ' According to the "Daily Mail, the general opinion of the local church officials and parishioners is that it was Mr. Jardine's personal affair and did not affect his work in the parish. Thus there was no reason to protest.

Referring to Mr. Jardine's "irresponsible action," the "Church ■ Times," recognised as the organ of AngloCatholic opinion, in a leading article says: "There is no process, of law whereby a clergyman wandering abroad may be prevented from saying prayers at a private house, and that is all this pretended solemnisation amounted to." :