New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-09-19

are to be inaugurated in the present
year, with the design Of giving new
life to the doctrines which he
taught and reviving in the minds Of
the German people the importance
which bis prin eiples still posses in
the hearts Of the people. At the
same time it cannot be denied that
the present crisis in the question of
Church and State relations in Ger.
many does not exactly lend itself to
peaceful celebration of the mem.
DRY of man like Luther. With a
struggle going on daily between
Catholic and Protestant, between
bondage and freedom Of religious
opinion, it can scarcely fail to be
used as an occasion for preaching
kind of crusade against Romish
influence, which is exactly the
measure most likely to embitter par
ty feelings, already running deplor-
ably high. Symptoms of the con-
fict are to 1e observed alike in the
action Of the Government and in
utterances of popular opinion. The
attempt to reconcile the Catholics
by the withdrawal Of a law obliging
all Catholic appointments to be
subject to State approval, which
was one of the last measures of the
last Reichstag session, has utterly
failed in obtaining the hoped for
result. The Vatican appears to
have been only inspired by this
concession to assume a still more
overbearing demeanor, and to put
forward more and more arrogant
demands. The appointment of a
second bishop in the diocese of
Breslau announced a few days ago
is regarded as an Infringement Of
the rights Of the German Govern
ment, and the return Of the Catho-
lie priests deprived of their cures,
by the now partly repealed ordin-
ances againststhe Catholics, as a
measure, which whether it be ul-
timately confirmed by the Govern.
ment or not, cannot without such
sanction be considered justifable
under law which has no RETROSPECT
: tive provisions. The excitement of
the public on these questions is tes.
titled by the eager interest with
which the presence Of Cardinal
Howard in the neighborhood of
Prince Bismarck is watched. The
official organs are constantly en-
ployed in discreditiug reports Of the
immence ofpublic deliberations be-
tween representatives Of the Vati-
can and the German Government.
Prince Bismarck's health, they say,
is too seriously impaired to allow
him as yet to transact any business.
Why, then, retort the unofficial
press, has Herr Won Gossler, the
education Minister, also betaken
himself to Kissengen? It cannot be
a mere coincidence that two per-
sons, so very nearly concerned in
the solution of the questions,
should be compelled by the state of
their health to resort to the very
place where all the world knows
that Bismarck is staying.
Tt is most undoubtedly true that
in South Germany and in the Rhine
provinces Catholicism holds I'M
questioned sway. I remember be-
ing very much struck by this fact at
a small hotel at Eifel. In company
with three Englishmen I was con-
fined in the house by the cunceas-
ing rain Of one of the last summers,
and to amuse ourselves we per-
suaded the landlords SONS to come
and sing some of their little German
ditties. Being wearied with per.
formances of the ''good comrade' |
proceeded to teach them some other
simple "Volks melodien," but was
interrupted by the father, who rush.
ed in with Mortified face to know
what they were singing. On being
informed, he at once ordered his
children away. The priest, he said,
would be highly displeased if he had
heard that they had sung anything
without his special permission, al.
though the words were certainly
innocent enough. This circum.
stance gave me some insight into
the absolute sway which the eccles'
iastical powers have over the opin-
ions and feelings Of the simple
Rhine folks