Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-12-26

Milwaukee, Dec. Is. "A free
church, untrammeled by state con
troll, occupying a position like that
of the church in the United States to-
day, as the ultimate outcome of the
present persecution of the Catholic
church in France. is the view of Most
Rev. Sebastian &. Messmer, arch
bishop of Milwaukee, who expressed
himself on the subject yesterday.
ct is evident enough" said the
archbishop, that the whole trouble
in France is simply form of direct
persecution of the church. It is not
on account of any political questions,
but directly the religious question.
The object seems simply to be tc de-
stroy the church as an external, sep
arate, religious organization. and to
leave it only such an existence, IL
any at all. as will make it an abso-
lutte slave of the state and entirely
subject to the control of the state
Not to speak of the evident in
justice in robbing the church of her
lawfully acquired property, or at least
ldepiiving her of her independent con-
troll of such property for her own
purposes, the law as framed by the
government denies the fundamental
principle of the Catholic church, that
in carrying out her mission she must
he absolutely free and independent
from any other power Tie French
law does not only interfere with her
freedom in the administration of her
property. but also !. th her independ.
ence Of managing her own purely &c,
clesiastical and religious affairs
Laity Has Control.
F., The bill regarding the associations
of worship gives to the lay associa
tons not only the right to the prop
erty and full control thereof. indie
pendent Of any laws or rules laid
i down by pope or bishop, but even the
choice of their pastors and the regu
lation of the religious worship Il
thus places the control of the church
affairs entirely into the hands of the
laity, while according to the essen
tial constitution of the church, tbs
government lies oyclusiyel> with the
hierarchy, and with he leity only in
sofar as the laws and rules Of the
church grant it,
The authorities of the church
therefore, could never give their con
sent to the law made by the Frencl
government without giving away es
sential and fundamental rights Of tht
church While at other times tn,
church might temporarily renounct
the right Of her powers for the SAX,
of expediency, in order to avoit
greater injury to her religious inter
tests, the present conditions in France
and the war waged against thu
church by the French government
are of such a nature that the churcI
must sacrifice everything else rattle
than give up he claim of independ
ence and full religious liberty
Good Will Eventually Result.
u believe that conditions in Franc
will go from bad to worse until
comes to such state that the go,
eminent must retreat. l do mot be
lieye that the church win ever r.
gain the position she had in past Ger
turtles in France, but rather wi
have position similar TO that whic
she holds in the United State.
when she viii have full freedom an
liberty of action. / believe that the
the church will be much freer an
much stronger in her influence that
under the old French regime"
Apropos the recent interview Q
Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop Mess
mer said:
Il think Cardinal Gibbons had il
mind merely an expression Of sent
ment from the American people
do not think he meant governmen
interference. | do net see what tn
United States could do
The subject Of the Bellamy Store
matter the archbishop dismissed witt
smile, saying he did not care to dis
cuss 1t.
1T is Of so little Importance, b,
said, compared with the questions
which are now before the United
States / agree with the remarI
made by one newspaper / do not re
Imember which, that while nearly
everybody had read the entire CORES
pondence Of President Roosevelt anc
/ the storers. very few had read the
presidents message"