The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-09-12
Dismarcl's Church Policy.

Bismarck ecclesiastical policy is being
developed every day. lie proposes 10
carry out his policy IN spite OF all the
opposition. The following from the
Cincinnati Commercial VIII give our
readers an idea of lis intentions.
The Berlin dispatch announcing that
the Roman Catholic Seminary al Posen
has been closed by the government. j.
the best proof we have vet had. that the
present Ministry are determined 10
carry ont Bismarck eccleSiasi Teal policy.
Among the bills passed under Bismarck's
guidance last winter. WAS one establish
ing a standard OF education for all Inetn-
bcrs Of the clerical order. Including i.n-
man Catholic priests. Ii WAS prov idcd.
among other things. that no person
should hereafter be permitted 10 assume
clerical functions. unless he could pas
an examination in certain branches OF
learning. which were designated. His
bill Was undoubiediy aimed al The Papa
priesthood for though secular learning
was mainly referred to. IL was such o.
was not required by tie Palsl a.ihuri-
ties. though IL WIS merely >raA rs was
possessed by Protestant ministers. bis
marck said that ii tie State Wa ~ sup-
port The Church and is religious icarI-
crs, ii had the right % demand thai
those teachers shouldnot be i.noramuSe-.
but should be properly trained for their
work. Ii thev were not thus traiueG.
the Government would exercise H.
power TO prevent them from entering
tie clerical order or performing clerical
duties. They might get their education
at any institution they pleased. whether
such institution were OF were n0t under
tie couirol OF tie Roman Catholic HER
acmy; but they must have il. iIr amy
event, and must le able 80 show that
they had il. by sexual cNaminliier.
Bismarck denied ilai the measures iH-
lericrcd in any way with the rights 81
lconscicnce or the legitimate authorii, o.
: the Church: TO-. II touched upon nj
+ qucstion OF religious belief. and applied
equally TO all churches. Of every NAME
la view of the actual relations hciwrei
the State anu the Church. The Govern
: mcnt would be- dervlici IN IT. duty Il. il
) Jailed TO zee tliat The clergy whom Il
sustained were properly qualified.
The UitIamonilnc party opposed TIL
bill but nevertheless IL became a law
; The Papal Bishops protested against III
: enforcement. aud declared that they
could not possibly submit 10 is terms
Tie Roman Catholic Church itself wa
the sole, exclusive. auihogiiive. iina
Judge OF the education necessary fur il
priests. and could not permit tie STATE
= 10 infringe one OF the fund imcuial law
Y ecclesiastical discipline. The ArchLi-h
o. OF Poscn was, perhaps. tie mos
. powerful opponent OF Bismarck schcn
aud ii is, doubtless, because OF the atii
= tude he has assumed. in his relation q
n the Theological Seminary nj Po~en. pro
!. hibiting the application Of the new lay
: thereto, that the institution has bee
closed.
The question Is full ofdificuliies bu
we don't see how the Papal Church ca
successfully resist the action OF the laM
l. Priests cannot bc obtained from othe
&c countries. The law iorbids that. II re-
:. quires them 10 be German subjects. an
a educated at German Institutions. y
one without these qualifications "a
T! enter the priesthood Or tie cleric
d order of any denomination or can cNci
4. else the clerical function ia any Churcl
- We presume that if the hierarchy iaii I
fill the Church vacancies with properl
Qualified priests. the Government iise
will take the matter in hand; and III
probability is that in such cases il vi
4 provide priests of the new Reform 4
le Dollngerite Catholic body. What suc
n a course may lead to, il i impossible I
I. toresee.