The Morning herald., 1876-03-17
WILMINGTON, MARCH II, 1875.
THE CONFERENCE- no NJ AN
CATHOLICS.

WurREAs, The tyranny of the Roman
Catholic church has been maintained and
exercised everywhere, principally BY the
priestly control Of church property; and
WAEREAs, In these United States the
same policy appears of obtaining under
priestly control property worth millions o!
dollars. in which the laymen of the Roman
Catholic Church have only nominal In
terest or right; and
WHEREAS, The laws of some OF the
States, and Of the State of Delaware, favor
this usurpation and the growth OF this eccle
siastical tyranny, therefore,
Resolyed, That the statutes now existing
in this State of Delaware, conferriDg cor
porste rights and privileges upon boards OF
trustees Of Roman Catholic churches, with
out respect to the manner IN which SAID
boards are constituted, ought to be repealed:
and as, bv the general law OF this state,
other religious societies obtain corporate
righ1s ouly on condition that the trustees
are elected BY the lay members, so no such
rights and privileges ought to be conferred
unon the Roman Catholic Church, excep'
"a the trustees of her churches are also
chosen by the lay members.-Resolutsom Of
Kethodist Conference.
When a great religious denominations
puts itself thus before the world, it be-
looves its leaders to be certain that their
whereas are correct, and will bear the
test of inquiry. We join issue with the
Reverend promoter upon his resolution,
and beg he will accept correction from the
law he so strangely misquotes or miscon-
ceives.
There is no law of the State of Della
ware which confers any rights or privi-
leges upon the trustees Of Roman Catho-
lie Churches. The only law upon the
Statute Book having any reference to Ro-
man Catholic congregations is that Of
March ., 1853 to be found on page 1876 Of
Revised Code Of 1874, entitled
"An act granting to Roman Catholic Societies
of this State all the franchises, rights a'.t
po,cers vestsd in other religious societies 10
this Seate.
"sECT1oN /. That it shall and may b.
lawful for each society of the Roman Cath
olic Church of this State to eject or appoint
trustees to attend to the temporalities o
their respective congregations: and on theil
certifying their name and style, as provided
by section OF chapter 80 OF the Revised
Statutes of the State of Delaware, shall bt
corporation, with all the franchises
rights and powers vested in trustees of othe
religious societies in the State
1t will be observed that reference j
made to section l, chapter 80, which j
the general law, and which, by construc
ton, bring all Roman Catholic societie
under its operation. IF the Con
ference had examined the thirty
ninth chapter of our laws--the one regu
lating religious societies-it would hHv
found that one religious denomination, t.
wit, the Protestant Episcopal, have certain
rights, which no other denomination have
Instead Of elections Of trustees, section
Of chapter 80 enacts that whenever
"The rector, wardens and vestrymen Q
any Protestant Episcopal Church, on cert
flying their name, or style, as provided b
section l, shall be corporation, with tn
franchises, rights and powers herein veste
in trustees Of other religious societies.
We ask any fair-minded man, in I'll
conference if there is aught, either in tl
letter or spirit, of the enactment We quot
to Justify the charge that there are riga
and privileges conferred by law upon RI
man Catholics, not given to others.
ASS fact, every election Of Trustees f
Catholic Church is exclusively confne
to the votes Of laynen.
1t is a libel upon the uniform excellen
Of our laws, to aver that they favor, "Csu
patton and the growth of Ecclesiastic
Tyranny"
We regret much that the public nil
should be disturbed by such proceedin
as we refer to, in this article.
1t does not become a Christian COME
.ence to inAame the zealots which exis $
every community, by mistatements Of la
and erroneous inferences from such m
iatements
There is not single line in the s!atu
Of our State, to justify the whereass, or t
resolution ofthe conference, and it were be
brave, just, and christian to say so at
next meeting. Is the Methodist Chur
in Delaware, intent upon aiding t
scheme of Bishop Haven, to make Gt
Grant Imperator. Let the wise men Of t
conference bear in mind the Great NJ
ters words, "My kingdom is not Of Il
world" and keep their denominati
clear of all political purposes.s
CLyMER's COMMITTEE, on the 18th I'M