The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
yRMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONS.
rUC EFFORT TO GUST FRANCE
rPOu HER PROTECTORATE.

w,,b.S 20 Break Down Frances
Monopoly, and No DO the Other Colo
mia, powers-The kaiscr's Jerusalem
pilgrimage and the Chinese Adventure.
poyry. April EMPEROR william II. Is
soaring for his visit ID the Vatican, which
~ ~, marked by extraordinary pomp.
uo nosss as a new Charlemagne and as
,he successor Of France Ia protecting the
;n,sra.,s Of the religious orders. The vote
Tho French Chamber OF Deputies smoothes
h,s way. The death OF the religious orders
TRANCE increases his chances OF sucoess.
Tho fight for the French Inheritance 10
hsing organized. The Colonial Powers,
..ainr that the French congregations
have taken possession Of the moral. in
.sllectual and religious paths in the heather
con,nents, have set up the comparison Of
copqrest H. they say. -the congrega-
ions form new fatherlands In foreign
nars, If. sowing colonial harvests. the
s,ostles cement with their blood the edifioe
Il iar-of hegemonies: II these houses OF
acrifce and Of disinterested devotion
.pread power and build up protectoratss.
rhv should we leave to our rival this priv
pege. this instrument and this bucklerf
than Germany proposed hersef 60 . can
dIdate 10 succeed France The frst law
Of reconciliation opened the gates to the
religious orders. with the exception OF
The Jesuits. As early ss 1887 the Empire
decided on a double plan, cooperative
with the Church and the Papacy and
bringing the Catholic missions into the
service Of her .weltpolitik." The journals
which in Berlin, Cologne, Leipsio. and even
Vienna and Budapest. proposed to the
Pope a common understanding against
red republican France and 'schismatic'
Russia likewise showed the connection
between religious activity and the work
Of expansion. The two ideas are closely
Joined in the new policy, der neue Kurs.'
Statesmen and explorers, writer's and
traders, Protestant bieots and Catholics,
Peth. Wissmann. Ge6ken. Wolf. Rosen-
thai, all exalt the political and national
value OF the religious orders.
Virgin soil till then, the seed Gown In
Germany Immediately bears fruit. At
steyl, on the Dutch frontier, some German
priests, driven out by the sKulturkampf,'
had established first seminary. whence
came Mgr. Amer and the missionaries Of
southern Shangtung. Every one lends q
hand to all up the gaps. Church and State
coming together unite and exchange their
resources As the French Republic breaks
up and turns into anarchy its patriotic
patrimony. the German Empire conoen-
uates, graduates and utilizes the living
forces Of the land. From documents now
published about the secret history Of the
'Kulturkampf,' 1t Is demonstrated with
,lo haS
stood the international Importance OF re-
ligous peace. the guarantee Of power and
conquest. To French wastefulness and
negligence 1t opposed the drawing closer
Of bonds. the hierarchy Of organs, the
union for a single end.
In this way. seven institutes Of Catholic
missions have been established. which
are prosperous. They are the Ministries,
In q way, Of religious colonization To
take the place now Of the French mission
to drive the French later from their ancient
fortresses; by invoking the assistance Of
the German eagle. first to weaken and then
10 overthrow the French protectorats
which wounds their vanity and CLOSES the
road to their csgerness to advance |; the
thought can be perceived at once and 70
emphasized in ideas OF fighting It IL .
wonderful impulse. With what simplsness
Of purpose they exert their initiative. we
have defeated France on the battlefield
they cry. we have driven her int o the third
rank with our commerce and our industry;
tomorrow we will take from her the SUI
perority she has left These seninsries,
this union and this pride prepared the mill
tary seizure Of Kiao Chou and the silent and
almost shameful suppression Of the French
protectorate in southern Shan Tung. They
tread the route for the Kaiser pilgrimage
10 Jerusalem. Their journals boast about
what this people. thirsty for power. desires
and grasps for. At the very moment that
Mgr. Amer and william ii. arc violating
treaties in China, they demand new vicaii-
afes they .ssail the best provinces.
Catholic article In the Auoemsiss
Zetang, the official organ Of Herr Won
Miguel, marked out the broad lines Of the
plan. The Latin Era 10 coming to an
end; the Incidence OF the Italians and their
spirit Of intrigue, the character Of the
French Republic, the discredit which re-
coils on the French missions from the re-
igous quarrels. open the way for the
'Germanic Epoch The rich spoils OF the
centuries belong TO the Germans, for do not
their energy and their spirit Of government
give them the right to the leadership?
The old organizations are empty. the old
protectorate is impotent, the French are
on the track and powerless, the Italians
are too decadent. Here ~ Mother Ger
many with her excess Of vigor! Why
should the Holy See bind it's future TO
oorpses? is not the time near at hand
when the Christians OF tho whole world
viii gather around the conquering Picksl-
Aosbe, the emblem Of the only power
and the sole rallying point9
This audacious pride commands and
inspires confidence. Help comes from
Belgium, from Holland. from Austria, from
hungary, from Italy and from America.
II II were not for the inhexible will OF the
holy See and the memorable letter Of Leo
NIL to Cardinal Langenieux. efioscious
sympathy would have passed from France
70 Germany. The French missionaries
themselves are disturbed. The religious
orders OF other countries consult with each
other and watch the horizon. Seceesions
are being organized, and II Rome had not
stopped the fugitives the French rout would
nave followed soon the German attack.
with banners unfurled and bands playing.
'he conquerors OF Sedan were arranging
no.