The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-02-20
THE PoPES ENCYCLICAL,
RELATIONS OF CHURCH AND STATE
CONSIDERED.

Very Important Document From the Ro'
man Pontifr-The Law Of the Land and
the Law of the Church-Love and Cherish
the Church Above All-No Concern Win
Parties.
The most important encyclical. from
a worldly point of view ut least, issued
nv Leo Thirteenth since his accession
to the throne of the Pontltf, reached New
York the 10Th, inst, and was MADE, the
subject of discourse in and about seVeraI
of the Roman Catholic Churches II
deals with he relations OF church to
STATE, and will be interesting TO Protest.
ants no less than to Catholics from the
fact that 1t detines thaduty OF the Catho-
ic ci zen, his obligations to the church,
and the extent of his obedience to The
state.
THE CHURCH ABOVE ALL,
The letter argues that all power comes
from God. States that neglect God III
the administration of their affairs, the
Pope contends, csnnot long remain safe,
because when Christian irs llutiunS
and morals fall away, the principal
foundations of human society mu1'
umble.' He says il the ma ural l. W
urdaIns that Catholics should protect
with particular affection the land in
which they were born and reared, with
greater reason ought they be an mated
with similar sentiments towards The
church. 1t is right to prefer the well
fare f the soul to The welfare OF the
body, aud to regard our duties toward
God as more sacred than our duties to-
ward men
RIGHTEOUS RESISTANCE.
"If the laws of the state are in open
contradiction of the divine law, says
Leo Kill, "if they command anything
prriudIcial to the church, or are hosti
10 the duties imposed by religion, or
violate in the person of the Supreme
Ponuff the authority Of Jesus Christ,
,hen 1t is duty 10 resist them, and
or me to obey them, a crime traught
with injury to the state itself. For every
offense against religion recoils ON u Q
,tate To 1--we the two fatherlands. the
earthly and the Heavenly, but in such a
manner that the love of the Heavenly
country prevails over that OF the o'hrr,
nut that human laws be not preferred 1"
the law of God, such is the essential uty
Of Christians, from which spring all The
other duties"
INDIFFERENT TO PARTY.
An extended restatement Of the CLAIM
If the Roman church TO iniaIlibillty III
matters of lth follows. Leo says the
church rules people different in race ano
manners, who owe obedience at once l."
the civil and the religious power. The
church approves of all governments thai
respect religion and divine law, is indit-
prent to parties, and according to the
p ,pe to seek TO engage the church IN the
quarrels of parties and to attempt to
make use of It's support 10 triumph mort
asly over adversaries, is TO commit al
ndiscreet abuse of religion"
The Pope believes aud adylses that III
politics, which are inseparately bounU
up with the laws of morality and rellS'
,us duties, men ought always and III
tnp first place Co take care to serve the
interests of Catholicism, Is soon as
n III interests are seen TO be in danger
al differences should cease between them
% that they may undertake tie protec-
ION an1 defense of religion.
1T is duty assigned to the church
" God" cOntinuesIth encyclical, 20
tfer opposition whenever the laws oi
ne state lnjure religion, and to endt tav'
,r to infuse the spirit OF the gospel III
ne laws OF peoples. And since the fate
If states depends principally on those at
me head of the government, the church
cannot grant its patronage or favor q"
men whom it knows to be hostile IT, It.
1t IS duty to favor those who, havinl
,Uund ideas as to the relation between
church and state, wish 10 make them
Doth harmunize for the common good
These principles contain the Iule accord
ing TO which everysC sChatholic Ought It
model his public life, that is TO say,
whenever 1t is lawful in the eyes OF INT
church to take part in public affair,
meu of recognized probily and who prom
lse TO n nerit well Of Catholicism ought T."
be supported, and there can be no cause
,u which 1t would be permiss BILE to pre-
er to them men who are hostile to ie-
IIgion."