The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-12-10

IFOm bu0 OpoEAbiOu Oh WIG OtNh %
law. Things have gone on among Catho
Lies since it's enactment just as before
Scandals, of course, exist: but not 10
greater proportion than formerly, or than
10 ineeparable from any ordinary human
society. The difficulties created In some
districts by the forcible bauishment OF
their clergy, or the intrusion of schismati :
cal hirelings have been wonderfully met.
So far as Catholics are concerned, the new
law has been rendered harmless.
1t 10 far otherwise among Protestants.
Last week our German Intelligence inclu-
ded o lamentable picture of the results
within the Berlin district of the introduc
tion of civil marriage. Less than 30 per
cent. of the PrOtestauts who contracted
civil marriages during the year 1875 went
subsequently to church, and had their
contract ratified by any religious ceremony.
We had on the 2S5h of October TO tell a
similar story of other towns which are
leading centres OF Protestantism. of
course, the explanation is that the great
majority of these German PrOtestants do
not look upon marriage as sacred inst-
tuition and religious union, but oDly as
legaliZed co bsbitation. Formerly they
went to church to be married, because it
was only thus they could enter into a
le gal union. Now this union is contract
ed in presence of the civil fnnctionary.
Why take the trouble of going tn church
and going through religious ceremony,
which cannot make the marriage already
contracted more legally efficacious, and
could have no other meaning or utility
in their eyes7 We cannot be surprised
to find thoughtful Protestants. both lay
men aud clergymen, deploring condition
of affairs which is full of moral mischief,
and reacts injuriously on the tone Of
society and on family relations, and must
bring long list of evils in it's train.
When frat the civil marriage law was
enacted, the Prussian Protestant clergy
felt at a loss what to do. Were they to
look on persons civilly married as still
single in the eyes of the church, They
did not dare to do this. They had been
too long accustomed to follow the civil law
as their supreme guide, and to conform in
matrimonial matters to the caprices of the
Prussan sovereigns; they could not now
look on the parties who had already con-
tracted civil marriage as actually mar
ried, the forms hitherto in use in their
religious services would be meaningless.
Why should the clergyman say, 81 join
you," to two persons whom hs regarded as
already "loined." Throughout the old
provinces of Prussia form2was adopted
by which the cte'gymau was made to
"bless the unioD," although no union was
contracted in his presence. There was
this additional awkwardness, that by this
arrangement the clergyman undertook to
"bless" every kind OF "union," however
repugnaut to Christian principles, provi-
ded the parties had been united before the
civil officer. An attempt was made to
remedy this at the Protestant Constituent
Synod last autumn; but the Rationalistic
and State parties we're too powerful. The
General Synod of Hanover held in Septem
Der has adopted regulations of the subject,
which have since been approved by the
King, and are now of legal force through
out that country. Under them Protes-
tant clergyman may decline to give the
conntenance of religious ceremony to
persons whose marriage is contrary to
Christian doctrine or otherwise Ohjectiona.
BILE on moral grounds. Now, the effect of
tbis Hanoverian regulation will be to
apply at once to Protestants the influence
of civil legislation designed against
Catholics. The King of Prussia will not
permit an officer to remain in the army
who contracts a purely civil marriage
without the religious ceremony. His whole
marriages., and he would desire to extend
to the whole public eervice the regulation
which he has made in the case of military
officers. Here then we have an instance of
legislation aimed against Catholics, passing
over them without doing any harm, but
revealing terrible state of religious and
moral deca0ence among Protestants, and
bringing home to these with special
severity penal effects intended for Catho-
lies. A debate which occurred last week
in the Reichstag, shows US that the
Culturkdmpf may have other consequences
of far Ieacning and European Importance,
and that already it is exercising percep-
tible influence on the decisions of German
statesmen with respect to the Eastern
Q lestiou.