The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-23

ment would, on the other hand, grant to the
ministers Of the Church suitable stipends,
and French Catholics were to q per-
mission to make gifts to the Church. The
First Consul was TO enjoy the same privileges
as the bead OF the ancient Government, but
II any Of his successors were to leave the
Catholic Church q new arrangement would
have 90 be made.
VIII.
Such were the main features of the Con-
cordat Of 1901, which undoubtedly was the
most daring enterprise carried out by
Bonapsrte during the first years OF his rule.
Count Chaptal has testified that the idea
OF giving to the Pope the jurisdiction O
more over Frenchmen was 80 repulsive 10
the prevailing state Of mind and public
opinion that Bonaparte alone could have
formed the plan and carried the great work
through" The Able de Pradt, on the other
hand. relates that Napoleon repeatedly
called the Concordat -his greatest mistake
but here, as on many points, this
particular source Of information il Tefuted
by Napoleon's own utterances at st. Helena
The author Of this history is feline to
believe that this daring move was the be-
ginning OF the extraordinary success OF
the First Consul. DR.. Nielsen thinks, in fact,
that Bonaparte reaped as great political
advantage from the treaty with the Pope
as Constantine the Great and Pepin from
their alliance with heC Church.
At the same time DR.. Nielsen comedies
hat the advantage lay still more with
Rome, and on this account Plus VII. re-
membered to the end this saving deed
of Christian heroism,' In spite Of all the
hard things which he experienced later on
at Napoleon's hands. Not only did Home
regain for the Church a firm footing in
France, but by the Concordat the Curla
gained a victory in a land from which
until now had zone forth the most ener-
getic protest against the absolute power
of the Papacy. The way in which Plus VII.
forced the whole French episcopste 70
resign and submit to q complete rearrange-
ment Of all the sees could only be defended
on B~elarmine's theory of papal supremacy.
Thus, in spite OF his Gallicanism and his
studies in Bossuet, Bonaparte inflicted by
his action a deadly wound on the liberties
of the Galiican Church, and Roman Ultra
montanism could congratulate itself on hav-
ing got the French Government to accept the
U~ltramontane theory Of the supremacy OF
the Pope over the episoopate and to silence
every appeal to the old Gallioan canon law.
Our author points out that later attempts
of B~onaparte to revive Gallicanism had no
lasting importance. The Conoordat was
and remained a great victory for Ultra
montanism.
We would not take leave OF this subject,
in which interest has been revived by recent
events in France, without a glance at the
so-called "organio articles
made by the French Government for the
practical carrying out Of the Concordat.
These were drawn up without the knowl-
edge Of the Pope inc gave him occasion
afterward to offer strong circumstances,
for they virtually made the Church the
slave OF the State. No bull, no brief or
any other missive from the Pope, SO those
articles enacted, could be published or
printed without the permission of the Cow
eminent. Legates and nuncios must obtain
authority from the French Government 10
exercise their functions in France. Not
even the DEGREES OF ecumenical councils
were to obtain validity in France unless
they should first have been examined and
ratified by the Government, and no &C.
clesiastical synod was to meet in that coun-
try without its permission. All Church
services were to be given without remu-
neration except those for which he Govern
ment had fixed the allowance.
We should note also that in all matters
the Council of State was to be appealed
TO as a kind OF final court. There were to
be no longer any legal exemptions for the
clergy. Archbishops and Bishops might
prefix TO their names Citizen" or Mon
sieurs ;all other titles we're to he abolished.
II an Archbishop refused TO consecrate
his suffragans the senior Bishop might do
IL instead of him. No one might be made
a Bishop before thirty years OF age and
then only il he were a Frehchman born.
The Bishops might rot leave their dioceses
without permission OF the First Consul.
All the teachers in the seminaries must
sign the Gallican declaration Of 1882 and
promise 20 communicate to their pupils
the teachings embodied therein. No
foreigner could be made n priest in France
without special permission. There was
TO be but one catechism and one liturgy
for the whole of France, and no festival
except Sunday was to be celebrated without
the specific permission of the Government.
All ministers Of the Church were to wear
French dress n to be clothed in black;
the Bishops, however, had permission to
wear a cross and purple stockings. No
religious ceremony was to take place out
side the churches in regions where there
were several forms OF belief. The religious
ceremony Of marriage was to be performed
only when the couple had first contracted
civil marriage. We observe, finally, that
the Archbishops we're TO have IS 900 francs
a year, the Bishops 10000 francs and the
priests from 900 to / 500 francs, besides a
parsonage and a garden.
Such were the so-called organic articles
that, with the Concordat o which they
were supplementary, were brought to an