The New York herald., 1875-07-01
National Contest--Its
Probable Issue.
The Party Of the Majority In Parliament Is the
Party of the Minority in the Country.
Free Thinkers and LOgicians Against Clerical
Assumption and Divine Right.
BRUGEs, June IT, 1875.

tnlS Ou FLEMISH tOWn Suggests fnO5L naturally IulS
rehectIon-tnat the work OF the Ducness Margaret
OF Alva and OF Alexander Of Parma was only too
well done. Professionalism was enectualy stamped
out OF Belgium, and Catholicism left TO reign with
out u rival till 1t should encounter a more deadly
enemy than the faith OF Luther or CALVIN. 1t Is
now face to lace with hard, aggressive skepti-
c1sm, which is proving TOO strong for the preten-
slons OF the Church OF Rome; but from heresV,
from 'Old CalholicIsm"-in short, from any ther
form OF religious beef-that church has nothing to
fear. Here men Ultramontanes or
they regard all creeds with equal Indifference,
If not hostility. Forty-fve years ago, when
the foundations OF Belgian independence were laid,
the statesmen who took part in that prosperous
work fondly hoped that In this country, the
cradle Of liberty. different spirit would prevail.
Thus Stockmar coulu write TO Leopold, telling MIN
that people In Belgium cared not what faith he
professed so long as he had religion OF some
sort and conformed 10 It's precepts. rhe tact Is,
Stockmar entirely underrated the depth and
INTENSITY OF CATHOLIC FEELING
in this country. Nowhere are monks and nuns so
numerous as in Belgium. The education OF youth
is completely in their hands, and while all credit
must be given them Tor the general excellence
of their system OF instruction. 1t must be
to foster liberal IDEAS The clergy do not
love that freedom un1er which they well
of, and II liberals have occasionally shown
want ofrespect toward religious ceremonies the
attitude OF the priesthood Is one OF perpetual de-
fance toward those ideas which are inseparaDly
associated with progress and civilization. A
Jesuit iather at Antwerp has lately been astonish
ing the congregation IN the Churcn or Sante
Barbe by daily ascending the pulpit with liberal
newspaper in either hanu. Against the contents OF
these sheets ne proceeds TO rail In the coarsest
What nccih 10 Pan no IN hia
strange performance except to in1ame the pas
sions OF his audience 1t is hard to understand. In
view OF the alarming number OF casualties during
the late riots, the Reverend Fathers action Is
neither more nor less than an
EXPLOITATION TO A BREACH OF THE PEACE
The mischief already done is serious enough.
According to the report OF NJ. Van Verweke, sub
stitat du procureur du rof or. as we might say
Assistant District Attorney, as many as 5ss per-
sons we're wounded In the late disturbance at
Ghent. Such state OF things amounts TO civil
war, which, though at present confined to the
guerilla or irregular stage-if the expression may
De allowed threatens every day TO develop into
an organized strife, which would have the effect
OF reducing Belgium TO the level OF Spain.
OTHER SUBJECTS FOR cITIzEN CONSIDERATIONS
1t must not be supposed that the whole ques-
tion Is merely OF religious professions, and OF
the measure or the permission which ought to be
accorded to Catholics to celebrate the public
monial OF their Church More weighty issues are
involved In the far from wordy war which Is
raging over Belgium al the present moment. The
whole subject or the relations between the eccle-
siastical and the civil power is being raised once
more, and liberals generally are OF the opinion
that the Church must be made to acknowledge
without reserve the absolute supremacy OF the
state. Liberalism is In an angry and determined
mood and just now the principles OF liberalism
are triumphing In every part OF Continental
Europe In his campaign against the PApacy
BISMARCK
is victorious along the whole line. and his friends
IN Belgium, though for tue nonce In the minority,
feel tnat they have in him powerful supporter
and that they belong really TO the winning side.
Liberals are. moreover. strengthened by the gen.
eral condemnation when public opinion is pro-
nouncing against some recent excesses OF the
utramontane party. Thus some TOO jealous
Catholics determined the other day to try the
question as to whether man should be allowed
TO bury his wife win civil Iites or whether he
should be compelled TO submit TO the funeral
ceremonial OF the Church Of Rome, and
A CURIOUS LAW CASE
was the result. Tne vile or one Gregolre, q resi-.
dent OF Brussels, lately died. Gregoire Is pro-
fessed freethinker, and he always believed that
his wife shared bis opinions. Nevertheless, being
her DEATH she received the last sacraments OF the
Church without her husband being aware OF the
circumstance She also expressed her peer in
the truths or The Catholic religion, as her mother
and sisters testify, but never before ner husband.
On her death, accordingly, the worthy man,
nrmly convinced that his vie had remained
true sceptc to the last, determined to give her
purely civil interment. Arrangements were made
accordingly When, however. the CONN arrived at
THE CEMETERY OF LAEKEN.
q certain Father Bullens made his appearance
and was proceeding with the burial service OF the
Churcn OF Rome, when he was interrupted BY
Gregolre and his friends members oil the Soclete
de nranchissement-wilh ioud cries or n bGs
la cdlotte ~ which may be rendered by "Down
with tue bacxfrocksl 70 The priest was not dts
posed TO retire from the neld without contest,
ana general scunie ensued Gregolre and two
others were summoned before the correctional
Tribunal Of Brussels for their part In the afray,
but nothing could he brought nome to them ex-
cept the fact that they had uttered the cry or "A
oaS la calottefi which the magistrate considering
unjustnaDle, they were eaca lined 81.
1t transpired during the trial tnat
the brotner of the deceased woman
had deliberately ordered religious funeral for
her, witnous even consulting her husband, a
course whica the judgment OF the Court visits
with grave rebuke. 1t Iurther lays down tue law
q law peculiarly deserving OF respect from the
members OF a churcn--which insists with especial
iorce on the sanctity or the marriage tie.
'DY MARRIAGE"
so runs one OF the numerous recltals OF tle judg.
ment, "the woman leaves her family to found.
with her husband, new family. Mar.
rage mplles an absolute community OF existence,
the union OF souls and bOdies. 1t there.
fore belongs TO the husband to lay Ia ;heir last
nj Al of Ala vii N
direct her oosequies ana TO prescribe the ceremo-
NAL to be observed on tue OCCASION" II ia strange
to nnd secular tribunal almost quoting from tho
BOOK OF Genesis Ia condemnation OF the conduct
OF Catholics. Not only does Ihe iudiscreas zeai OF
clerlcal plrtls4ns tend 10 produce o liberal reac.
tou, uut II may be safely affirmed that Ia spite or
tnelr majority ia tue CnamGer the CATHOLIC party
cannot count on the support OF
PUBLIC OPINION.
Parliamentary trumpha la constitutional
cOunlrY are uecnlInr-Y daceDtlXe. and VI TWO