New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-09
GERMAN RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION.

The subject which L am going TO discuss
before you Is OF tho strongest and most dilcnlt
which may DO presented during tho sessions OF Gus
Evangelical Alliance. am going to speak OF the Ger
man Empire and modern UltramOntanism, es 70 Is
formulated in the programme, or rather as my paper
was originally to be entitled Of Uitramontanlsm and
the four PIussan laws lately enacted In tho struggle
with Rome. Can expect you to have interest IN the
laws OF foreign countryi TIE moro know that you
Americans love your country that you love your in5t-
tulons, OF which you may be justly proud, ana thas
every of yOu even the nublest ciuzen studes tGe
laws OF your country in order 20 undeSlahd iDeb Iuy
he required to maintain them the less interest
am afraid you mlght take Ia the laws o. q Iereish
ratey the character OF these laws, you must necessarily
come 10 tho conclusion that they 81 such nature
that y1u cannot help being Interested IN mem WY
thlsl IL - became these laws were iui1e III oato
which Is at war with inialble Rome. And niaIllDle
Rome is as well the enemy VI lie AIelca - ~ 10
free Germany. The old Roman proyerD may DC Juety
quoted Non tea res atur paIts 50 pD1tp i,det.
frny own house IL 10 danger wh thy neignu0Pa Is ia
nanes SO let anticipate your interest III Ihe SUE
will n tle irs5 place briefly state the contents OF
the sat laws. TLeY four IN number Ino hrsy as
serts right OF the state to exercise supreme con
troll over the education the clergy. the second e5thb
fishes the right Of the state to supeflncnd tne I5ep
defines the limits the ecclesiastical power 20 eXeIeso
cbrcb milne over Iaymcn The fourth gives
regulations those who going 70 leave tne CHURCH.
Even TINS simple general statement must am aware
strike you nay American friends, very strongly
Sou live IN "A country wlero the churches are entirely
Independent OF the state. You must therefore, shh
tbaf the state has nothing whatever 10 do Wi,a tne
AFFAIRS of tlc Church. But the stronger these laws APP
pear % you the first glance the more pethapa you
NV feel a desire 10 have them explained by citizen Of
mat country N which they we're given BY pastor % =
church, Which IL itself placed under thtu. bus "las
will YOU expect TO dot DO You tblnk that Hayo
come mere as delegate or the Prussan Oosernnent or
OF Bsmarck IN order persuade YOU ~ Tau % lONe
win these four children OF the Prussan Legislature
vino arc sgmatzed Dy the hreliugs OF Rome a5 chid'
ron of 5ltani AN not Aerc Ia such ctPtClIS VI 10
YOU think that rejecting WIN ths PRIDE of CnrLs IAN
and will therefore, for everything Wlch Is lsued
I'M the form Url.gs ~ the GoyeiI-s7rrI ram (IIsP
and head nd A. n
Churches and states, Jesus Christ; and claim
thc right crtcise freely the words OF men, even n
they nigh authority Besides TINS, my friends. let
gnvycb OF se indeends1ce OF It's doins ana lnstiG.
tons tbis yciY re31om Ut The Church vi Christ Il dear
to also ana Is dear to every evangelical minister or
lay man In Germany who loves the Kingdom Ot Cod
do not IN the least mink that the 5sate chagybqs ia
Europe, they nave grown ~ history represent that
condition 81 toe brio OT Christ which is cosiraJc Or
her ii expects 10 unfold the ul riches OF itP beauty
But have TO deal re, not with state ot things
which ogh. to he, but win = OF things 1t il
Germany. Ia your own country lie principle OF reiig
lOus ana cceslastical Independence mas been cs'ab
lIshed only gradually Iho Middle Ages dd noI snow
anything OF religious freedom. and the principle
OF the Reformation were, IN tire beginning, no. strong
enough 10 prevent intolerance ami narrow nniedncss.
LalJS reytS 0!ais reti9io Where 1--we must acCept
the religion OF the Lord; this Tor long mo the
Tuhng principle N European Chntch As'ory Is wen
known that tue fanny thd Hozenhoierls OF Bran
deu9urg were, IA tms respect moro eumsatenea tnan
most OF their COtempOT1neOus princes They granted
refuge within their realm 70 any Denomination ANA sece
tuat prosecuted abroai, although ty did yet
endOS al those different Cn1rcaes "lh tne same piif
egeS tier own Evangelical Church IA their tOnatry.
imaginable reason 10 complain ~ pressure ana want Of
freedom Prussia. The Prdsslan Electors ana kmgs
bishops OF Rome; nav, hayo often treated
The POvsh Cbur0n he petted child ia their household
Tle PJpes Ga. mselycs nave repeatedly anu grgte
iully acknowledged this fact. IL IL to he presumed
that, IL inc bouhsh church had nos Doen altered.
would still have enjoyed tHese ancient pryie and
its peace wouil nave been dlsrDcd Bu all Jt you
know and Thousands OF OH CaJaOcs themselves pro
claim II before word. that She Catholic Chdron Of
tod not any more what ~ used 10 be Jcu years agO.
Wh; Rome was living In iul peace VITA The SCitas ana
"a A
OF Germany, ul at once, Ike isnthlgg Od 81 the
clear sKy tho syllabus was thrown by tho Pope
cIlAerd the Christian world, aud lew years altet
the Vatican Council declared al definitions OF the Pope
COncerun falLn and morals 40 be lLlalhUe; yea, ths
Council overthrow to constr ut.OI Oi the Catholic
Church by procaiull ue Pope Jnc UNIVERSAL DishoG OF
Tie whole CdthOhc world. OF every Catholic community
ia 10. Prince bOnenlOho VINO aL CGat uin1 Primo
Minister OF Bavaria, Catholic himself justly unoer.
si0Ud that these astonishing assumptions were as iu Oh
dangers for che state governments tn Groak horso
or the inhabitants OF Troy 40 .ed therefore To
issue anon ptotsss OF AL tne states against sle ~
grussons. But ms Efforts proved 20 DC IA Yaln GA inc
what then tho daLy or such gOvornm'nts had
granted TO tho Roman Catholic Cnuroh at old amos
as It seems 10 me- than tel The Pope his satellites.
you have broken ancient treaties and forfeited.
have established churoh. 20 which No bayo rot As
yet accommodated ourselves. Let Us regulate, there
lore. relations o. this church 10 Jnc otaCe. Ia
ect ma ~ e,I Win Won as we did bsfor, 70 snpDort
Jour minister's, grant old privileges ecele
siasticai and pastoral buildings or % DcstOw Oh JOn
rights which ogner religious denominations DO nos nave
The favorable moment u make sucn a declaration
was passed by Tue war with France wnich ai OrOGea
aOsOrDed may imagine all other ntcrest, ANA
threw aside ali CHURCH matters, IN time where
struggle fought with fat oO0seq loncos ad been isau
gurdted ny Rome P1ncO BISMARCK nas niniShh aTO"su
Of MS celebrated speeoes IN tho House OF Lords,
Ihas the political platform o. tho new ch9fch parry hd
not suiicenJ ierlaea m at that llhe but Oy noSeat
ing the golden opportunity the Government o. Prussia
nstnnnt OF One cInr,h mars Alter having siieasiy
ioknOwedged tue state of things iOr two years t
,nce We nave como to tic conclusion tnat the an
,lent Catholic church. with which We have made our
n. n.fs my ffyFa fNIa llaE Al
an answer VAS 40 % NVen W tho kJlsA agree
onS, aud tnis answer contained IN the four laws OF
v hicn speaking Whatever We may think OF Soms
II the regulations these laws 1t cannot Oe doubted
nat they are an act OF sciohse on Tue part Of Tue
against the kOmsh attdcks Tao rIgHJ U this stf
License cannot Do Denied IL 10 FOUNDED IN tho CdtS Of
,clI-proseryalOn AS iUdyIdu., has the right md
he duiy deiond his own ilS attacked ~ ths
dow Of assassin, the stale Gas rghl and
ltzens against the Jgsr0ssOns % wuion claims
hO supreme control O'or sue hesr aud mluds aud cor
Roman Catholics by whio they Try cOuiOund tho
question: when they proclaim IA ans connection tue YoS
For In reality tho authorities question arr not Goa
N One nd ANA man on tao other; odt rather INC rope
mo claims To- b. inuole rule the oons'"hoo "
mankind and the SIate GOyUrnmanG OI Prussia wh"es
acrcd dug IL Is guard the freedom OF ts saoieoss
Ihe Question could even DO raised whetn". too IOte
empung 70 destroy personal freedom OF con
ccuce, or the Emperor OF Germany chuha'oios
. project TINS very ffeeuOm' ~ WV s,I
ng and executing better tho wiz OF nod-
Il nov, the Government has TIC uut5 OF p'o'oosis
no SACRED freedom OF TIE ciIiShS' sule "', - ~
me- Involves uuquestonaDc risht 10 Keep an open
'Opo should send Catholics vi ,his eOa1sJ 70
naugurdto anJtner nlghJ OF 81 btttnoilhew snohS
he Professionals; would your Government NY American
IRE tDron granting does tno gfeaos rcouOm Oi re-
lIOn all sect ana Genonlnas lolis' LOT Que nouem
such an attempt be madet We'll, am Tree
% thuk that Gen. Grant might ufiEg on ah army rom
Washington ~ sop the POPE On LIS way. hNen "a 1sese
Jncd states as "a can soc, mo tigL Il asserted
mas tho Slate Government cannot sansr pnhepies OF
movements IA any ioAhous community W Nn"h sno.
nouu character OF human society II undermined. You
lmero,,s are practically exercising tis tigat In the
,ao vi norROnsai. ~ may De aacSllo ued' lo@eVer.