The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-15
NO LIBERTY THERE
METHODIST MINISTERS HAVE Re-
PORTS FROM PERU.

There ID Bitter Complaint on the Part o.
Protestants In That Country That
While Keeping Strictly Within th'
Rather Rigid Laws. They arc Subjected
to Annoyance and Persecution at ths
Whim Of the Roman Priesthood, Out
side of or Contrary to tho Law-Dr
Woods Answer to Cardinal RampolIa.
Chicago, June 14.-At the meeting o!
the Methodist ministers this morning the
Rev John Lee, chairman Of the commit
tee on religious liberty for Pro.es.anls
in South America, submitted a report
Bishop Vincent, he said, had been ask
ed if the precise information" given
by the apostolic delegate for the repab-
lies of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador TO the
papal secretary OF state was correct. The
bishop replied by enclosing statement
Of the Rev. DR.. Thomas II. Wood, OF
CaiIao who was said to know all about"
the situa ton in that republic. DR.. Wood
took the letter Of Cardinal Rampolla TO
Archbishop Gibbons, based on informa-
ton furnished him by the papal dele
gate, and answered it thus:
"Protestants are far from being re-
st-cted in the free exercise OF their
worship"
1.-The constitution forbids US publicity
for our worship. The clerical organs
applaud unlawful outrages committed
on US and preachers enthuse their aud
iences with the cry, Death to Protest.
ants These facts should have modified
the statement Of the papale delegate to
Ranpolla. 50 that the latter would not
have reported that we are far from be-
ing restricted in the free exercise OF our
worship.
.Protestants are rather accorded q
larger degree of liberation than is COM
patible with a strict construction Of the
political constitution Of hese countries
THE present constitution dates from
1850 and found Protestant worship tol-
Grated in the land. took for granted its
existence and restricted ,ts publicity
without defining the limits Of the restric-
ton. The constitution says no one can
De coroslied to do what is not required
by law nor hfndered from doing what
IS not prohibited by law
"rt IS false to say that we use more
liberty than strict construction al
lows It is doubly false to set forth, as
the two foregoing quotations seem to do.
that we are acting in defiance OF law
under tolerant 1eniency from the Roman
Catholic church. The truth IS, we are
carefully and consciendously acting
within the limits Of the law, as futerpre-
ted by lawful authority, end all our Diff
fcufty grows out OF the unlawful intol-
erauce Of the Roman Catholic clergy.
The papel delegate in Lima must have
known this. and ne ought to have 80
it to his superior in Rome. Fam
poiia does not report Macchis' words.
So we cannot tell which Of them is To
blame for the attempt to, throw the
blame of our dis.resses on the politi-
clans Of Peru and give credit to the
clergy for the tolerason we enjoy.
''The constitution of Peru recognizes
no other form (of marriage) as valid
than that prescribed by the council Of
Trent
False. The constitution says nothing |
about marriage and makes no reference |
whatever to the council Of Trent Here |
the blame rests on Macchi, as Rampolla |
states that the delegate informs him to |
hat effect. The delegate must have |
Known better.
"Sinca he coming Of the delegate to !!
Petru, we have been falling under a Sc |
res of new restrictions, beginning in |
December, 1898, with local decision ex-
,luding our marriages from civil regis |
S95. with a supreme executive decree,
,utlawing them sweepingly. and declar-
ng that their previous legal recognition
lad been contrary TO the constitution,
without stating In what respect. The
lecision OF 1893 specifically named he
Methodist Episcopal church as having
Is marriages excluded from registry,
With no heed Of such specific mention.
Is the decision was made to cover all |
marriages not soemniZed by a Roman
Catholic priest.
After We started our work in Lima,
he archbishop wrote officially to tn ex-
cuiive asking that my operations DE
topped. His ground was not a charge
hat 1 was violating any law, but the
weeping pretentions that my propagan-
"a was. from the nature of il, hostile to
ne state religion, and, therefore, hos
lie TO the state. The executive passed
he case down to the prefect OF Lima,
e 10 the subject. he TO the police. who
ratched US without our knowledge. OBJ
erved how people went in and out Of
= chapel, noted what We DID. entered
nd observed within as well as without.
Al the sub-prefece was satisfied ard
rev up report to the effect that we
Iere not violating any low or regulation
'ithin the compass OF the police. The
reject endorsed II as his report to the
uprere executive. The record remains
l the ministry of worship and Justice"
Mr.. lie said that the crusade inaugu-
lted by the Methodist ministers more
IAN three years ago TO secure the same
aiigious liberty for protestants in Peru. |
olivia and Scuador that Roman Ca.ho-
cs enjoyed ii the United States had
cen reS3r1ed not simply as a battle
n ProiestantsTn. bu: a battle for hu-
lanity. They knew. ne added, that VIC
'ry woCli come finally, and until Il did
'ne their motto mus: continue 20 be
40 surrender"
IRON AND STEEL FOE TIE YEAR
reduction Of Raw and Finished Materials.
and Present Conditions Given.
June Thames u.