Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-09-10

The question in the Gaibord burial case
Is not one between Protestants and Catho-
lies. At first an issue between portion OF
the Catholic laity and the priests, 1t has
eo,ne to be also an issue between the civil
government and ecclesiastical authority,
backed BIZ a mob. As between the Catholics
concerned. the question has been whether
the laity must accept priestly authority not
only in religious bit in secular affairs Shall
the priest have the right not only TO advise
and instruct, but to command what social
political or industrial society the layman
shall belong to what books shall or shall
not be in the libraries of such societies, and
kindred secular questions; and shall the lay
man have left to MIN only the alternative oil
submission, under penalty of the irown OF
the church IN life, the refusal Vi the LAST
Offices of the church in death, and the denial
Of burial in consecrated ground (which toT
the Catholic Is another name for Christian
buriaD after death The members OF the
Canadian Institute have insisted on thelr
right to be good Catholics and yet to retain
the liberty of private Judgment, IN matters
not properly under ecclesiastical control
They made this case Of Guibord test case
Thew took the matter into the courts. They
found the law on their side. They obtained
at last the order of the Superior Court OF
the Province Of Quebec, under the explicit
decree of the Queens PrivY Council, com
mandips the Cure and the Church Wardens
ofthe Parish Of Notre Dame, in Montreal Il
give burial to the remains OF Guib1rd. The
notice served by them on Cure Rousselot
the parish priest, Is worth copying. Ii VA
as follows
.'Notice is hereby given you, on the par
Of the lnstiim CanaGien, that, in conformity
with the decree Of her Majesty, dated the
9Sth Of November, 1874. and win the per
emptory writ hereuntO annexed, the morts
remains Of the late Joseph G1ibord Will Di
presented at the Cote des Aeiges Cemetery
On Thursday. the second day o.! sepIemoel
next. at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and iha
then and there, will be offered am pAil
Won the ordinary dues and fees, IN order
that Won may prepare, or permit to he pre-
parel, a grave in that portion oil the GENE
/ tory in which the remains OF Roman tatho
| liz: who receive ecclesiastical barIal are IN
/ TERED. for the burial OF the remains 81 tn
said Joseph Guibord Notice + iuriho
given YOU that it will be required tina
the Ipierment of the said Joseph Gun
/ bard be attended with the customar!
religious ceremonies - in One-haI OF IN
lot 30 S73. section n OF the sai'
cemetery. situated in the part OF the sai-
! cemetery where the remains OF EomaI
| Catholics who receive ecclesiastical blrA
are habitually inferred. which hall lot ha
/ been purchased from yon for the burial o
I the said plaintiff, (Henriette Brown am
/ Of the said late Joseph Guihord and noile'
I Is further given you, that excepting I'M
] claim for esGages, with interest, result
/ ing from YOUR refusal 10 dc that whlcl
I should be done. interment tate and s.mpl'
will be accepted under reservation d sIi u
terror rec0urses
The claim for damages. alluded 10 IN th'
las; clause. has reference to the announce
intention Of NJ. Doutre, the counsel of thi
Canadian Institute. TO sue Cure Rousselo
personally for $50 900 damages, under th'
order and decree, in case he should re;aSs L
perform the customary religions rite at thu
grave Of Guibord. RousSelot has. it j. saii
declared bis pl-lmptory and absolute
refusal to oaiciate The mol has thu,
far prevented the opening Of the cemetery
And now the question in Montreal Is
whether Her Msjesiy's show of civil gov
ernmsr, in that city, i a reality or only
sham. The civil authorize, cannot let the
matter rest where il is, without most
humiliating confession Of thsir sub~ervieney
not only to ecclesiastical dlctat.la hut t,
mob rule. Their further action in the t.at-
ter vii DE watched with wide interest.