The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-08


Bill.
1t was long the boast of Prussian statesmen
that, because of the fair and righteous manner
in which the various religious bodies were
treated, ecclesiastical questions formed no
disturbing element in their political system.
From 1S4S to 1870 the history of religion in
Prussia is history of peace. The situation
is now completely changed. An uneasy feel
ing, it is true, began to manifest itself after
Sadowa. 1t was felt at Rome that one of the
strongest pillars Of the Church was gone.
France, however. remained and France was
loyal and the Holy Father. who has never
abandoned his claims to the temporal power
or given up hopes of its recovery, steadily.
up to 1870, looked to France for support.
With the defeat of France it was felt
that another source of hope had dis
appeared It was then that the religious
trouble in Prussia really began The Ecu
menical Council had, no doubt, something to
do with the sentiment which has become so
strong among the German liberals; but it was
not till the war was ended that tho imperial
government took any decisive action. In
January 1871, the Archbishop Of Po-
sen made a visit to Versailles, and
it is now understood that the object
of that visit was to induce Bismarck to
interfere in the matter of the Papal tempo
ralities Bismarck, however, was not to be
moved He would stand by the Catholic
Church. He would give it every advantage
the State could afford. But in the matter Of
the temporal power be positively refused to
interfere. Interview after interview resulted
as the FIRST Bismarck was anxious to obtain
the support of the Catholic Church, but he
would not purchase it OF the price the Arch
bishop demanded. In the elections of the same
year the ultramontanes in Prussia began to
put forth their own candidates. The peace
was ended; the war had begun; and SO came
those ecclesiastical bills. With the legislation
Of last year our readers are familiar. bill
was passed in May compelling the clergy to
swear allegiance to the State In consequence
of the refusal of large numbers OF the clergy
to comply with the requirements of the gov
eminent many of the parishes are now with
out priests. Under the pretext Of meeting
the wants of the situation thus brought about
the Civil Marriage bill has been brought for
ward by the government The bill,
which has now passed the lower
house, makes civil marriage obligatory;
4 and baptism, which hitherto has been
regarded as q condition Of registration, is in
the future to be optional. Marriage by q
clergyman, of course, is not forbidden neither
| is baptism. But when the bill shall have
been passed the State will recognize only the
civil contract and the registration Of births
1t is not special legislation and purely anti
Catholic, as some have supposed; for the new
law will be binding on the whole people,
Protestant and Catholic alike The bill has
yet to obtain the sanction Of the upper house );
but there can be little doubt that it will become
law substantially in that shape in which it has
left the Chamber of Deputies. Such, in brief,
is the history Of that ecclesiastical legislation
at Berlin of which Of late we have heard so
much.
1t is not strange that the Civil Marriage bill
should have provoked so much opposition
By the orthodox Protestants it is as much dis
liked as it is by the ultramontanes. Marriage
according to both is a religious ceremony,
and in the Catholic Church it ranks as a
sacrament. The principal objection to the
bill, in our judgment, is that it makes the
civil marriage obligatory and refuses to rec
ognize any other. The hardships of the
situation, however, will be the less intolerable
that the religious ceremony is not forbidden.
Time will reconcile the various religious
bodies to the new laws and in the case of the
Catholics, at least, it is simply absurd to sup.
pose that they will have the effect of weaken
ing their attachment to the Church. Ulti-
mately the change must lead to the entire
disconnection of the Church from the State
Meanwhile this ecclesiastical legislation is the
cause of great irritation.
THE HAMMOND REvIvIs in ST. Louis, which
are still going on, have attracted good deal
of adverse criticism This is little to be won
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