If a Protestant say, “I like this Catholic, but I don’t like these conditions,” the Catholic reply is simple and straight: “If you want the Catholic you must take the conditions too; it is intolerant conceit for you to expect that the Catholic Church should shape its discipline to make it fit in with some possible affections which might some time or other possess you.” The result of all the noise made about this _Ne temere_ Decree has been just what those who have made the noise little thought of, and least of all desired; namely, it has left them without a shadow of excuse, or even the semblance of a grievance. Their cry has become their nemesis. It has so promulgated the Decree that they, no more than Catholics, can plead ignorance of it, or of the consequence of not observing it. Hence what they in future do in regard to it, they will do with their eyes open; and if they count the cost they have only themselves to blame. But if these remarks I have made help to silence the _Ne temere_ cry, another like grievance is not far to seek. It is remarkable that, whilst there are several Catholic marriage laws the import of which is exactly the same as that of the _Ne temere_ Decree, we never hear a word said about them. Here is one: A Protestant has a sister-in-law who is a Catholic. His wife dies. His Catholic sister-in-law marries him without the necessary dispensation. That marriage is null in the eyes of the Catholic Church. But it is valid before the law of the land since the Deceased Wife’s Sister’s Marriage Act was passed. That Protestant and his deceased wife’s Catholic sister are precisely in the same predicament in which a Protestant and a Catholic are who attempt marriage in defiance of the _Ne temere_ Decree. There are other similar instances amongst the Catholic marriage laws. There have been for centuries. The _Ne temere_ Decree itself is but a slightly modified form of one three centuries old. Thus, if the _Ne temere_ cry is serious, the party who raised it have been standing at the mouth of a volcano for generations, and have escaped unhurt. Why then have those other Catholic marriage laws been left in place, whilst the _Ne temere_ Decree has raised a storm? The only difference one can see is that the _Ne temere_ Decree happened to appear on the eve of some parliamentary elections, and the consciences of some scrupulous persons were suddenly awakened to the danger it brought.