The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-12-19
THE CHURCH IN FRANCE AND THE BRAND BILL
Continued from Page II


however, NJ BRAND resolves to break utterly with
the past, and to institute new legislation which,
while freeing the civil power of its obligations will
reduce churchmen to the position of poems, and
the Church to a condition of abject vassalage. To
understand the matter it should be understood
by those who keep themselves abreast of great his
toric chances, we must give the greater number of
articles of the BRAND bill:
Article l. The Republic grants to all citizens
freedom of conscience and also freedom of reli-
gious expression. 1t grants the free exercise of
worship except under the following restriction:
Art. II. The Republic will never protect nor
subsidize, directly or indirectly, any form of
ship. 1t will not recognize minister of worship.
1t will not provide gratuitously any house for the
exercise of worship or for the Judgment of any
ministers
Art. Ill The government will suppress the
bassy to the Holy See and the Ministry of Wor-
ship.
Art " From the first of January following
the acceptance of this BILL all public expenses for
any worship, all salaries. indemnities, etc. grant
ed to the department of worship will be sup
pressed.
Art. v From the same date the government
will withdraw the free use of any religious build
ing previously put at the disposition of the min
lister of worship by the state the departments or
the communes.
Art. vi. Within six months of the acceptance
of the present BILL all properties, either movable
inlmoyabe, belonging to any worship proceed
ing exclusively from riffs donations OF the
faithful, will be divided between the civil societies
founded for the exercise and maintenance OF wor-
ship. Any realty which has been gift from the
State will revert to it.
Art VII A pension will be granted to any
official of any church, from archbishop to
professor of theology in a seminary, who being over
10 years old has received for twenty years salary
from the state.
Art VIII. This pension will be in proportion
~, ,bo. 49, aoHIr no no
less than $120 more than $240.
Art TX. The buildings actually used for the
exercise of worship, residence to It's Minister'S
will remain property of the state.
Art X In one year from the PRONUNCIATION of
this BILL any building that has been erected since
the Concordat with the proceeds of collections or
private donations can be reclaimed.
Art XII Buildings used for worship, and which
are state property, must remain in the ownership
of the state.
Art XII. The state will be obliged for period
of ten years, these buildings for the eXer-
else of worship. The rental cannot exceed 10 per
cent of the income of said congregation.
Art XIII. Meetings for the celebration OF
worship will be under the same laws as any public
meeting.
Art XIV No political meeting can be held III
buildings used for worship.
Art XIV fine of $40 to 800, or imprison-
ment from fifteen days to three months, will be the
penalty of those compelling others to attend, or to
contribute to the support of any worship, or obhg
ing any one to close his store or factory or any re-
ligious feast.
Art XVI Any minister of worship who. IN the
exercise of his functions will In reading pastoral
instructions or in his sermons attack a member
of the government, or any public Official will be
punished with fine of from 800 to $500, or I'M
prisonment from a month to year
Art XVII. Professions, any exterior man
Hesitation of worship can only take place with per-
mission of the mayOr,
Art XIX 1t is forbidden to cless or conse-
crate by religious ceremony cemetery, or por-
ton of it containing more than one tomb
Art Xxx Ornaments and funereal lnscrlp-
tons are to be submitted beforehand to the munich
pal authority.
Art. XXI. 1t is forbidden to assign any spe-
cial place in cemetery for suicide or a non
baptized person.
Art XIII No cross or any religious emblem
can be erected or stay erected, In public place,
except in the building reserved for the exercise OF
Worship These which exist can be taken off by the
public authority, except in those cases where 1T
has historical character A fine of from $40 to
$500 will be inflicted on any who builds one, or
re-establishes previously destroyed by order OF
the authorities.
While pretending to give the Church the COM
mon right NJ Aristide BRAND, deputy of the Loire,
draws UP against the association of worship rules
which do not allow the clergy of the different re-
lgions to live with dignity and to fulfill with free
dom their high and great mission.
The injustice of this law is obvious. An or
binary association can increase its property lndeh-
nitel without being under the control of the state;
the society which will supervise the celebration OF
worship is not allowed the same privilege.
It seems that the bill has for Its object to
present in the future the church from possessing
property which will help it to defray the necessary
expenses 1t confscates property belonging to the &c
cesasticaI authorities. 1t is true that one article
grants to the Church properties which have been
built with money received from the hberality OF the
faithful but another article decides that realty
proceeding from gifts of the state shall return to
the state
The BRAND bill forbids any cross or religious
emblem. and gives authority to public officials to
remove all crosses or statues now IN existence.
These acts of revolutionary vandalism will only be
prevented if the monument has historical in
terest.
After having proclaimed the free exercise of
worship, Mr. BRAND breaks at the appea-
ton of this principle in placing in the same class
prayer meetings and political gatherings. In do
ing so he forces those who meet together for pious
purposes to give notification thereof according to
the law of June go 1881 to the authorizes before
each meeting and of going through other fornnali-
ties not at all in keeping with the celebration of
religious duties.
It seems to me that the separation of the
Church and State under such conditions would be,
according to the perfect expression of Guizot 'but