National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-22
Tha "chnrnhn and Rismarnk.

To the Editor Of the National Republican.
SIR: My communication in reply to Lex
Scripta" has called forth a reply from him. and
also from "W.," both Of whom eontroYert the
position held by me and reafirm that of al. 81
About one third Of the Inhabitants of the German
naming two thirds are nominaIly Lutheran and
German Reformed; the bishops, priests and min.
listers of all paid their salaries by the Govern
ment, the Archbishop of Cologne receiving a sal.
airy Of $40 600 per year. There is therefore union
OF Church and State, the State giving aid to all
alike. Everything proceeded hsrmoniously until
the dogma of Dspal infalhbility was adopted by
the Catholic Church. The German bishops, as
is we'll known, opposed this dogma in the council.
but having been adOnted It has become a part of
the doctrine Of the Church, and 1t is readily seen
that he, as the head Of the Church, commands
possesses quality which no king or other human
being is the possessor Of. The question naturally
allegiance, TO the head Of their Government or to
the Pope? This is the question now agitating
Germany, and the Government refuses to ac-
knowledge the appointment and therefore to pay
the salaries Of those who refuse to acknowledge
their supreme allegiance to It.
The property OF the Catholic Church is held by
the bishops personally, and through them by the
Pope, and the Government having proposed that
the people should participate in its control ian
example which our own Government would do
we'll to profit BY the Archbishop of Cologne pro-
tests against it, which has caused the Landtag
by an overwhelming majority to withdraw the
State grant to bishops. This Is only what might
have been expected, for it could not be that the
Government would continue the salaries Of those
who resisted the laws, and are "fomenters of in
surrection."
L. s. ia not fortunate in his selection of author
ity on which to base the claims OF the Church to
interfere with the laws Of nations which relate to
their we'll being, for If the direct purpose Of Its
essential laws Is not the attainment Of temporal
advantages and objects which differ according to
time and place, but the fulhllment Of spiritual
end beyond this life," then We submit that the
interference Of religious bodies with national
laws, and the management Of nations is beyond
their sphere, and the history of the world proves
that It has always been attended with strife and
the bloodiest atrocities. A notable instance OF
this was the massacre OF st. Bartholomew, when
over one hundred thousand Frenchmen were
brutally murdered, in honor Of which Gregory
XIII caused 1.-THE cannon OF the Castle OF ST.
Angelo to be fired, commanded public reioIcings
TO celebrate the triumph Of the holy cause, and
then published a Jubilee through Europe, in or.
DER" he said, THAT the Catholics might rejoice
with their head at that magnificent holocaust
offered to the papacy by the King Of France"
The declaration of the Saviour that "his king.
dom was not Of this world" seems not to be
needed by 1.-THE Church" but all its nterferences
point as II IL believed Just the reverse.
II may well be maintained that civil govern
ment cannot be Justly administered when allied
to 'tEe Church." and that government is best
where there is no State religion, and where re-
ligious bodies, as such, exercise no influence.
VERITAs