Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-12-05
The Protestant Division In France.

tfIum fhfls NuI Vi NEW 10TH
Ths reformed Protestant Church OF France is
Just now in the midst of CRISIS the extreme
gravity of which must soon become apparent
throughout the world The followers of
Luther and of Calvin are divided by fatal
schism, and there is every prospect of a speedy
separation of the two sects comprising the Re-
formed Church. The germs of the present
troubles have been long in existence. Up to
the past few years, however, the troubles
have had doctrinal Character to-day they have
passed from the religious domail. to purely adj
ministratiye ground.
There are about 600, 00U protestants in France
$50, 900 Calvinists $500 Lutherans or Lib
erals. The latter are led by such pastors as
Anastase Coquerel WHO viii be remembered
in New York, and these men claim that the re-
lgion of Calvin is not up to our age, and
not in accordance with the revelations of modern
science and the progress of knowledge. They do
not believe in the divinity vi the Scriptures, and
call Christ the ''philosoph of Naza-
reth, great man, beyond all doubt, but not
the Son of God. Morally or officially speaking,
they accept His teachings, but they cannot agree
that He is God the Son OF God OF even inspired
They do not believe In revelation, miracles, or III
the divine character OF the Bible 1t will be seem
therefore, that there was q very wide gap be-
tween the two parties in the Synod, but thanks
to NJ. Guizot, orthodoxy carried the day by. |
think about four votes
The Pope is Catholicism, it is said here, and
all who refuse obedience TO hm are Protestants.
Every man who frankly declares himself Pro-
testant is entitled to respect but il is evident
that this cannot satisfy the laws. II NJ Co
querel and his partisans would only meet and
come to an understanding, and state what their
belief is, special religion could be founded, and
that could be reorganzed by the State but 70
profess their doctr mes and yet cali themselves
Reformed Protestants is as absurd as for Catho-
lies to protest and yet call themselves Catholics.
| The world laughed at Pere Hyacinthe when he
tried to stand upon this illogical ground. Ii is
true that $50 900 liberal Professionals have had 10
submit to 250,000 Calyinists, but how iA
| that to be avoided There must be some
| sort of All organization, cledo, regular ar
| ticles of faith, and an administration OF
| some sort. The only palpable thing, 30 far as
| the State is concerned, ID the creto of Guizot,
/ voted by the General Synod and two sets OF
laws for two different parties in the same church
| is manifestly impossible. But although the
/ Synod voted the articles OF faith presented by
| Guizot, 1t did not dare to make them obligatory.
/ However. in very short time, the Executive
Committee appointed by the Synod took it upon
| themselves to say that they did not recognize
any Protestants but those who had subscribed
| to this confession of faith The Importance OF
this will appear when we reflect that Catholic
| minister of public worship, rejoicing in the di-
visions of the Protestants, may legally take tile
ground that no man liz Il Protestant, and under
the regime of the law made for that culte, an
less he belongs to local church that has sub
| scrlDeu 20 the proceedings ol lhe General syn
cd.
, This NJ DeClement has done. The Liberals
left the synod protesting against the tyranny Of
the minority which. by the trick of calling votes
by consistores, had triumphed over clear ma
jority of 100000; and subjected them to tho
doctrines OF CALVIN, under penalty of expulsion
| from the Reformed Church. They proceeded
with their elections as usual but when they
sent the documents TO the Minister he replied
that these elections were all illegal, that they
could not be recognized by the State, and thai
all pastors receiving pay from the budget oil
public worship must subscribe to the cr,do ol
the synod.
This in quarrel and it is now question NJ
what can be done II the Liberals do not turn
Calvinists, the number of protestants in France
recognized by law will be reduced 100000. Ii
they do submit now that Guzot has gone--how
long will it take to repeat the results Of the syn
| od, and reduce Cavnsm to a nuhjectlon thai
must be fur more hateful TO the orthodox than
that Of the Church Of RomeY There must be
recognized Protestant organization. Will it be
in the hands OF the Rationasts-in whose
church Noltaire must be a saint-or in the hand,
of the followers of Calvin In the latter cast
the church goes back two centuries in the form
er it will explode like brilliant piece Of pyro
technics. and the sparks of grand faith will
tighten mp the sky of the future for moment
only to be lost a moment later in the dark coud
I of uncertainty and doubt