Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-11
EVENTFUL DAY IN
FRENCH HISTORY
Bond Which Has United Church
And State for a Thousand
Years Broken.
TOUCHING SCENES IN CHURCH
Government Officials and Higher Ec.
cleslastics Resisting Advice of
The Incorporate.

Paris, Dec. 1l.-rhis Is an historic
DAY for France. The struggle, which
began In 1880 with the Punishment OF
the Jesuits, ended today with the legal
rupture of the bond which for prac-
tically thousand uninterrupted years
had united church and state. BY re-
fusing to make the required declara-
lions under the public meeting law Of
1881, public Catholic worship, except by
schismatlc organizations, tomorrow
becomes Illegal.
The scenes IN some OF the churches
We're extremely touching. Not In years
bad there been such an attendance at
mass, The number Of women was
especially large, and was noteworthy
as indicating the religious indifference
OF the male population. Although
seven eighths of the inhabitants Of this
city are nonlinally Catholics, in no
parts of the city We're the churches
crowded. Even at Notre Dame cath
edral, where a solemn high mass was
celebrated, the edfice was only half
filed. The officiating clergy read the
regular Offices for the week as usual,
without referring to their Illegal status
tomorrow. Nevertheless, the depres-
sion OF the Catholics was manifest,
Many women emerged from the cath
oral. their eyes streaming with tears
ana fingered on the pavement to dis
cuss what TO do when the clergy are
turned out of their churches.
But on the eve OF the struggle, it is
becoming more apparent that both the
government officials and higher eccle-
siastics are resisting the advice OF the
incorporate. Minister of Public Wor-
ship BRAND announces that the gov
eminent cannot be driven into the
trap of closing the churches" and Car
dinal Richard, archbishop of Paris, has
strongly censured the placarding OF APP
peals TO the clericals to make violent
resistance to the officers.
No violence" he says, but passive
resistance TO the unjust law, after ex-
haustlng all protests at every STEP
This Is the disposition so far as the
higher ecclesiastics are concerned, but
their followers evidently have no in
tention to submit, and are preparing to
assume the roll of martyrs, abandon
the churches and organize private wor-
ship.
Cardinal Richard and many OF the
bishops have already begun the re-
moyal of their private effects from the
episcopal mansions and the clergy are
preparing TO leave their rectories and
move into hired lodgings. II Is an
nounoed that the parish priests have
received many offers of places in which
to hold religious services but there Is
not the slightest indication that-sthey
tended to take advantage of the sole
remaining chance to retain their
churches, namely, by making the dec
larations called for by the law.
The government realizes that addi-
tional legislative power Is necessary
and viii accordingly ask parliament for
It. Receivers have been appointed
everywhere TO assume charge OF the
churches sequestered property, and
three policemen will be stationed to-
morrow at the doors of each Of the
churches to report violations OF the
law but, as such violations can only
be tried in the police courts, and as
the penalty is only 10 francs fine and
ID days imprisonment. with the right
of appeal. sterner measures will be
necessary.
The tone Of the Republican press
OF all shades indicates that IL the
pope imagine that this uncompro-
missing attitude will compel the French
government to open negotiations with
the vatican, he has woefully mistaken
the temper OF the people, which favors
q more hostile rather than more
conciliatory attitude. The Republique
Francois says:
THE time has passed when n pope
could successfully threaten to release
French subjects from their allegiance.
Defiance Of the law will only ex-
pose the priests 10 being regarded as
The subjects OF foreign power by
which they would forfeit their rights
as Frenchmen."
In the hope of effecting compro-
mise several deputies, headed by George
Leygues, Radical Republican, and ex-
of the colonies, have tele-
graphed to the mayors of the COM
munes asking them to induce two Cath |
olic laymen IRON each parish to make
the declaration under the law OF 1881 !
which the pope has forbidden the Par
ish priests to make,
MUST LEAVE RESIDENCES.
Paris, Dec. 1i-Formal notice was
served during the day on Cardinal |
archbishop of Paris, and the
bishops and parish priests OF this de- |
partment, that they must evacuate !
their residences tomorrow.
Similar notices were served on the |
clergy IN the other departments noti- |
flying them TO leave their residences on |
or Friday.
SURPRISING CLERGY'S PEN
SIONS.
Paris. Dec. 1l.--After a meeting OF |
the cabinet ministers today 1t was an