Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-11-22
The Kaiser,s Religious Amb,uon,

The Kaiser's Religious Ambition.
Berlin Correspondence Springfield Republican.
1t has become known that En-
peror Williams, among other objects
10 view, desired TO utilize his trip TO
jerusalem aud reunlte German Pro-
testantlsm, now split into a score OF
factions, and establish his Office OF
Summus Eplscopls, now held merely
over the Evangelical church OF Prus-
sla, over the whole OF Protestant
Germany. Before starting for Pales-
tine, the emperor thoroughly dis.
cussed the idea with the highest
dignltarles OF the Prusslan church,
Drs. Won Barhausen, Drysapder, and
Others, and approached the church
authorities OF the other German
states, The emperor firmly believed
he could realize his plan, but never
theless the project utterly mlscarried.
The grand duke OF Baden represented
to the emperor that existing circum-
stances made IL impossible for the
other Protestant priests Of Germany
to yield To the emperor's wishes.
This abortlve idea OF the emperor,
II appears, was responsible for the
fact that none of the relgning Ger
man princes we're willing TO accom-
pany him TO Palestine, although they
so far yielded as to send In ber ar OF
each OF them an authorized represen-
rtatiYe Of the state church. The en-
peror, however, still cherishes the
hope that his scheme will eventually
be realized, and he has frequently re-
verted to IL during his trip. In his
dispatch to the grand duke OF Baden
the emperor went To the extent Of
speaking OF the Evangelical church
Of the country" which really has no
existence. The leading evangelical
organ, Das Volk, says: 1--WE are con
vlnced that such a scheme will never
be realized, for Emperor William g
trip TO Jeurusalem has itself demon
strated how irreconcilable are the
Offices OF the u mperal ruler and Sum-
mus Eplscopls OF the state church."
The net result OF the emperor's steps
10 this direction thus far have only
been 10 arouse resent nent upon the
part OF the other princes. because
the carrying out OF his plans would be
tantamount to further serious cur
tallment OF the sovereign rights OF
the smaller German rulers. Sev-
eral formal written replies which
the emperor has received from Ger
man Protestant rulers point out this
fact, aud the grand duke OF Sake
Weimer did so In especially severe
terms.
Emperor william, before leaving
Damascus, made speech Ia which he
exalted Saladln as one OF the most
knighLly rulers Of all ages and begged
Sultan Abdul Hamid and his 300,'
100000 Mohammendan followers tC
accept the assurance that he, the
emperor, would ..lways be their friend
The emperor also commanded his
military attache TO lay wreath ou
Saladln's sepulchre, incrlbed: "Tc
the memory or the braYe and
knightly sultan." The German EN-.
peror's enthusiasm for Sultan Saladlu
does not appear to'be shared by Ger
many. The Vorwadrts at the risk OF
being prosecuted for lese majestic
says:
Times have changed. A former
German emperor, Barbarossa, lost his
life In the Christian cause against
this same Saladin whom the ruler OF
new German empire now ceremon.
iously glorities. The friendship be-
tween Islam and the kaiser calling
himself a Christian is now so ardent
that the latter, after Offering a prayer
at the scared birth place OF Christian
ity, now glorifes as hero and knight
without fear or blame, the conqueroI
OF the Holy Sephulchre, the 'bitteTest
eaemy OF Christianity and the ex-
terminator OF Christian rule in Pal
estine.
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