Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-12-25
FAR REACHING.
ALL CHURCHES AFFECTED by
FRANCES ACTION.

The change I'm the religious laws I'm
France. although directed especially
at the Roman Catholic Church. affect
also the Protestants OF that country.
who number nearly 100000 out OF n
total population of $4,000. 900 Re
formed and Lutheran churches have
been receiving aid from the Govern
ment. and this will now be with
drawn. Protestant churches. like the
Catholic. must also recognize their
congregations TO meet the require
ments OF the new law. Because so
much smaller I'm point OF numbers.
the Protestants OF France have not
been SO much heard OF in the pres
ent discussion over the situation I'm
France, but the new conditions Great
ed for them are just as irksome as
they are to the larger body OF Catho-
lies.
The Reformed is the largest pro-
testant body i'm France. having a
, membership OF 100000 In church
government this body. like the Re
formed churches of the United States.
are Presbyterians. and In doctrine
they are more nearly Presbyterian
than are the Reformed bodies OF
America. Lutherans have about SO.-
600 members in France, many OF them
being OF German or Alsatin descent.
Besides these there is the Free Evan
gelical Church, which has never
sought support from the State, and
, some Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal
and Congregational effort that has
not gathered to itself large numbers
For a hundred years the two lead
ing Protestant bodies have enjoyed
financial aid from the State, which
has been estimated at a sum amount
ing to 100000 annually. Even
French Legislators. it is said, regret
that this aid has to be withdrawn at
| this time, because the Government
has had no quarrel with the Protes-
tants, but the laws governing religl-
| hnHfnu -. -.
form of worship cannot be preferred
above another. and so no exceptions
could be made.
One result OF the law, so far as
Protestants are concerned, is to make
the individual churches, for the time
being, Congregational In governmt in
stead or Presbyterian. For the law
requires the formation OF lay asso-
citation for each parish to administer
its property and to make the neces-
sary declaration looking to the hold
ing OF public services.
1t is the expressed hope Of leaders
In the Reformed Church OF France
that the troubles which all congrega-
| tions have thus to meet individually.
! may at least have the effect OF bring
ing closer together the factions with
in the church, OF which there are
lthree. There have long been two
| Reformed bodies in France, division
having come about over thirty years
Iago because OF doctrinal differences,
and recently the larger OF te two
bodies has suffered by the practical
/ withdrawal of the liberal element.
Efforts are now being made to
bring the three Protestant elements
together again. and the matter has
been discussed in several general
meetings or assemblies, thus far,
however, with little success. The rad
ical element Is reported TO be the
more willing TO concede something I'm
favor OF unity. American religious
leaders who are conversant with the
whole Protestant situation in France,
look to see either eventual union or
to have the whole Reformed body
break up into smaller and smaller
organizations, thus losing strength
and influence.