The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-17
WHY CATHOLICS Of
FRANCE PROTEST
Archbishop Farley Makes Elk.
tended Statement Concerning
Present Religious Crisis.
SEPARATION LAW WOULD
TAKE AWAY PROPERTY
Thirty Thousand Churches
Turned Over to State il
Statute Is Enforced.

NEW YORK, Dec. 16.-Archbishop
John M. Farley today gave out the fol-
lowing statement on the church and
State controversy In France:
Here in America, where there Is no at
tempt made by the state to interfere with
the various. religious denominations. the
people at large are naturally disposed
TO condemn clergymen who, declining TO
comply with the oehests OF the Govern
ment, expose themselves TO a charge OF
rebellion against the authorities Of the
refusal OF the Roman Catholic clergy
OF France 10 fulfill the requirements OF
the new law OF separation. II must be
ute In question demand the consent of
the church and OF It's ministers 10 the
alienation OF all the property that has
been bequeathed and donated 10 them 10
be held in trust for religious and philan-
thropic purposes II is property which
they do not derive from the Government.
Dut from the rDuniflcence OF the pious and
OF which they are merely the trustees
Cites American Illustrations.
The situation created by the new law
OF separation, which Is the cause OF the
present crisis In France. Is. as Ii, for in
stance, the Legislature OF New York were
10 enact laws compelling the trustees OF
the Trinity Church corporation. under the
penalty of confiscation to give their con-
gent to the alienation of all It's vast prop
er;y to other uses than those for which
II was intended and to transfer its ad-
ministration and control 10 people who
might either belong TO rival denomina-
the Legislature of New York were to
enact a statute requiring the Catholic
church, under the penalty of the confis-
cation OF It's property OF one kind or
another, 10 consent to the transfer Of the
management and control of It's sacred edl-
hces, senlinaries. rectories. hospitals. pro-
tectories. and other educational and char
table institutions 70 associations in
which not merely avowed foes OF Cethoi-
icism among the Protestant denomina-
lions, bu: also agnostlcs and schernlng
politicians, Indifferent 10 any Kind OF re-
ligious belief were in the majority.
Were such a law to be enacted by the
State Of New York. the clergy and trus
tees administering the property OF the
Trinity church. and the clergy and trus-
lees invested with the direction OF the
property OF the Catholic churches would
be prompt 10 refuse obedience, not Only
on religious grounds but also by reason
Of conviction that compliance would in
rolve. faSrant disregard OF their moral
and material obligations as trustees. They
would look upon the law In question as
iniquitous and unconstitutional. and would
therefore consider themselves justified in
doing nothing TO express their submission
thereto.
No Danger in America.
II Is inconceivable to the American peo-
pie that The Legislature of New York,
or. indeed, OF any other State OF this great
and free Republic, should enact such laws
OF virtual SlpHdtipn- y CT tIdi Is pre-
cIsely what the French Government has
done.
In a word the new law requires of the
church the alienation OF all It's property TO
boards OF laymen: in the selection OF
which il has virtually no voice this board
TO have full and perfect control not only
over the funds but even over the relig-
ious ediiices and over the exercise of d.
vine worship itself. independent OF Pope,
bishops and canon law.
The property al stake consists OF about
10000 churches (of which less than 500
have been built with the aid OF State or
municipality, and the property accumu-
lated by means OF endowments and leSa-
cies during the last hundred wears. since
at the time OF the great revolution, and
amounting TO considerably over 100000
900. Only a portion OF this vast property
Ia destined for purely ecclesiastical pur-
poses the great majority OF the funds
being destined and used for purposes OF
charity and philanthropy. Or this prop
tue of the conditions under which 1t
was bequeathed Their acceptance OF rhe
new law and their transfer Of this prop
erty Of the trust 10 the associations and
cultueles would ALLEVIATE forever the es-
tate of the church in Difference TO an
iniuultous law which may be repealed by
another parliament
Conhscation Threatened.
Aristide BRAND. the Minister OF Edu-
cation in France, and the author and ex-
eeuror OF this Ubiquitous law, has SOL
emnly declared that without the written
consent OF the clergy TO the establish
ment OF these boards or associations
and culruelles" and without the transfer
by the clergy of the property of the
church To these bodies there could not on
" be any public exercises OF divine wor-
ship. but there would also follow Jhs
conhscetion OF sacred edifices. the rec
tories and the other ecclesiastical prop
erty by the State
There Is no question OF the differences
between the various religious denonina-
tions The Pope and the Roman Catholic
church in France today are lighting with
far better justification and much greater
moderation the very war that Chalmers
and the other founders of the Free Kirk
waged in Scotland sixty years ago for
"the crown rights OF Christ" The clergy
OF France In one word are fighting the
battle OF Christendom and should have
the sympathy OF every Christian. no mat
ter what his denomination, or any church
MI bic wnrshin and for the dIspensatior