New-York tribune., 1906-12-17

examinations The people at large are naturally
to comply with the behesss Of the government ex
pose themselves 10 a charge o. rebellion against
ssns Of The Roman s eTss
Of Il tns must o RpaeS o. that
visions OF tho statute in question demand the con-
sisn.op Of 'dR ali the property ~ that has been be-
3osashed and donated them. 10 be held In f.uss 81
properly which they DO not derive from the gov
and Of which they are merely the trustees:
The situation created by the new law OF separa IA
France Is if for instance, the legislature ,,o OF
tees of The Trinity Church Corpcrstion. under the
penalty ef conscstion. give their consent to the
shsn those for wi Which, asi as Pnteends and
eh rs s5s1 hsoaa ao Ta aHa @ oT
profess atheism It is if the legislature Of New
cSnrcS. Under the penalty Of the conscation Of its
property OF one kind or ane9er 70 onfeo o} m ie
sacred edihces. se,ninaries. rectories hospitalis
institutions TO associations in which not merely
ayowea foes OF Catholicism among the Protes.ant a
politicians. Indifferent any kind Of religious be
By N The tns se Of Ee YORK. the Clergy and
trustees administering the great property Of the
trustees invested with the direction of the property
obedience not only on religious grounds, but also
oy reason OF their conviction that compliance would
involve fragrant disregard of their moral and
material obligations as trustees. They would look
sttutional and would therefore consider themselves
justified in doing nothing 10 express their submis-
II is ineonse!vable to the American people that
other state of This great and free Republic, should
enact any such laws Of virtual spoliation Yet that
Article of the new Law Of separation provides
sor the forming Of lay associations to take titis
these associations OF laymen were intended solely
Church, and If the law provided tnat they should
be composed OF Catholics. there might be no objec
zion 10 them. though IL is unreasonable 10 exclude
az the law does, bishops and priests from member
IN AnSerca Catholic iaynen mar are II represented on
all the boards of trustees invested with the
oh1rches ., But the new French law renders il pos
The Church in question. 20 secure place these
associations. and actually converts the clergy into
ion Of their eccesasticaI Office MoreoVer. it is
spoyiaied by the & law that in Eases where rival as
she church property Of any particular parish It is
body and creature of the executive for The time
being-wllich shall determine their respective pre-
the Church the alienation Of all its property to
boards Of iaylnen in Jhe selection Of which il has
perfect control not only over the funds. but even
over the religious ed1ces and the exercise Of
divine worship itself, Independent OF Pope bishops
The property at stake consists of about thirty
thousand churches tof which less thar three hun
ared haye been built with the aid of the state or
means q esdowments and legacies during the last
property the time Of the great Revolution' and
- amounting 10 considerably over 500 600 ooN. Only
funds being DESIGNED used for purposes OF char
tty and philanthropy. OF this property the clergy
are ne trustees by virtue OF the conditions under
M%incn % II vas donated and bequeathed. Their ac-
property Of the trust TO the associa tions cuit,,
Giles would ALLEVIATE forever the estate OF the
may he repealed by another Parliament -""' "i'''
=, Aristide BRAND. the Minister OF Educat,o, IN
togs law, has solernnly declared that without the
wr1ten consent of the clergy the establishment
without the transfer by the clergy Of the nronertV
f the Church to these bodies there could not oniy
De no publc exercises of divine worship but there
would also follow the confscation Of the ssnreS
eolnces the recories and the other ecclesiastical
and, is the statesman who addressing a Congress
@ teachers at Amiens the other day told them that
French children the ancient faith which had served
,ts lime and TO replace it with the light of free
u faut en- fnir avec ridee Chretienne" CWe must
90 away with the Christian idea.)
Ihere is no question, therefore Of the differences
between the various religious denominations The
rope and the Roman Catholic Church in France
to-aay are hshting with far better Justification
ana much greater moderation the very war that
ShaIiners and the other founders OF the Free Kirk
Rights Of Christ" The clergy OF Franc In one
word fighting the battle Of Cbristen6ormn M enS on
church. no matter what its denomination which
fne worship and for the dispensation OF charity
according to its lights
ChsracteriZing the present trouble between tb.
Vatican and the French government as "the first
persecution Of the twentieth century" Archbishop
Farley has sent letter TO all the priests OF the
archdiocese directing that the prayer PRO Papa'
be said every morning and that the parishioners
be urged to pray publicly and privately for the
Pope and the Church. This letter was read IN all
the churches yesterday and special prayers offered
for the Pope. In nearly all the churches the pas
tors referred TO the trouble quoting largely Cardf
ssl Gibbons's letter.