The herald., 1898-12-16
A PRESBYTERIAN PLAN
TO CARE FOR THE COLONIAL
CHURCH PROPERTY
Advocates the Seizure and Sale of
Churches for the Benefit of
the Treasury

WASHINGTON, Dec. l5-At a meeting
OF the National Christian Citizenship Cor
vention, letter was read from William
Henry Roberts, prominent Presby tefian,
and secretary of the Alliance OF Reformed
Churches, on the subject of the church prop
erty in our newly acquired possessions. The
letter says in part:
I'm al these territories, acquired as d
result OF the war with Spain, there are
large church properties which have been
under the control hitherto OF the Roman
Catholic Church. as the established church
OF Spain ana her colonies. these church
properties are claimed by the Roman Cath
one authorities, but TO a Arge extent with
no snow OF rgnt. There LNuDties,s are
properties gwen by VIII or 0lrect personal
donation unCer the control OF Roman CGTh-
ollc Church authorities in Porto klco and
the Philippines, but III addition to such prop
critics there are other properties, especially
church eClflces, which were palO 1or out
OF the pubic funds and maintained at the
expense OF the Spanish government. The
atter properties are not the properties of
the church, but OF the people.
This is the fact III all countries where
there are established churches. Such
churches in Spain, France, England and
Germany are branches OF the state and
their ediflces are erected and expenses paid,
the salaries OF bishops and priests included,
out OF the public taxes. 1t was because OF
this fact that when the South American
republics became independent of Spain
their new rulers took possession of a very
They took the ground that the ownership
OF the property was in the state and not in
the church. The same ground was taken
in England at the time of the reformation
WESTMINSTER Abbey, London, was once
Roman Catholic place of worship and is
now Protestant Episcopal Church, because
the structure was paid for by the money of
the English nation and the ownership was
and is in the English people.
The ecclestiastical situation, therefore,
as it lies in, many minds, it this: The church
property in Porto Rico, and the Philip
pines being to large extent the property
CT the state, is not rightfully the property
Of the Roman Catholic Church. The United
States government, therefore. should take
possession of all church property, carefully
dleterminee what moiety Of the property
actually belong to the Roman Catholic
Church as such, ard retain the remainder
under its own control for the benefit of the
people Of the new territories.
Il would advocate that the United States
government should take possession of
church property in the new territories, sell
ing the same at public sale and placing he
money in its own treasury: but | do say
that the people of this new territory in each
OF their cities ard towns shouldl have an op-
portunitv to determine what use should he
madie of these church edifces They were
built by moneys forced from them by the
oppressive methods of the Spanish govern
ment and they are morally and they thnl,
legally the property of the Inhabitants of
these territories. Let there be a vote. for
instance. in each Of the towns ard parishes
Of Porto Rico as to the disposal of the
church edifices"