The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-12

cleric as symbol Of the counter rev.
olution. The anti-clerlcal knew per-
fectly we'll that he and his made up
but small minority of the nation, but
he also knew that his policy and his
permanent presence at the head of the
government would end in weakening
the tie between the Frenchman and his
national religion. For years the anti
clerical and the Masonic organizations
to which he is attached have openly
and sincerely said that they awaited
certain moment of supreme indiffer-
ence in which to effect the final over
throw of Christianity; they were wait
ing for just that moment at least suffi-
GENTLY Indifferent for a blow to suc-
coed. The calculation was exactly like
other political calculations in al coun-
tries. 1t was calculation made by a
few men of initiative in the terms of
the general lethargy around them.
Anti Clerical Legislation.
During the last five years the very
rapid development of anti-clerical
legislation, its continued and unexpec-
ted success. gradually led the small
but highly talented anti-clerical body
to determine that the critical moment
in the battle was rapidly approaching.
The law of separation between church
and state was voted and was framed,
even to its details, upon the declara-
tons and the aims of the anti-clerical
party and of the Masonic lodges.
They have never concealed their OBJ
ject; their object was to thrust Jesus
Christ and his mission out of the So
ciety in which they saw Christianity
lingering like a. sort Of evil dream-a
dream that had fallen upon mankind in
the decline of Roman civilization, and
was but now dissipating before heal
thier morning. The most powerful
weapon in their armory was the con-
f1scation of buildings additionally used
for worship. These were to be contis-
Gated unless the Catholic church would
accept a Presbyterian form of govern
ment. It was very much as though
Walpole's government had said to the
dissenters Of his time, "You shall be
permitted to own your places of wor-
ship and to meet freely on condition
that you form some sort of episcopacy
recognized by the state"
Rome Says No.
There is. indeed, no doubt that Cath
olicism could accept legal committees
who should hold the churches and the
church goods in trust on condition that
those committees were under author
ity. AS it is the whole object of the
anti-clericals that they should not be
under authority such a compromise
can never come to pass.
Here, then, is the interest of the
situation. The battle has been sud-
denly engaged-much more definitely
and much more suddenly than the anti
clerical group expected. They expected
a long and lingering decline by Way
of ecOnmic process. They had, upon
the contrary, thrust upon them the task
of forcfbly confiscating all ecclesias-
iastical goods whatsoever upon a given
date and of leaving 1t to the local au-
thority whether these confiscated
buildings and goods shall or shall not
be lent to body of gentlemen of
whom the state has NO cognizance, to
whom 1t hears are called the Catholic
priesthood.
What Will Happen.
One of two things will happen.
Either the law will be put into full
operation in which case the struggle
between Catholicism and its enemies
which is pending throughout the world
has opened. The fight will not be con-
fined to France for more than a very
short period. The second alternative
is that the anti-clerical, weakened as
he is by years of parliamentary in
trigue and of what is called "represen-
tatiye government" (than which moth
ing more destroys judgment and moral
f1bre), has mistaken the moment In
that case, though perhaps the anti
clerical is not finally defeated, he has
grievously failed in manoeuvering for
position and can never really recover
himself throughout the campaign. The
test may be simply applied. If you
can 60 to mass after next January III
an anti-clerical town (Brest, for ms
tance) in the ordinary churches with
out difficulty, the second of these two
alternatives has taken place. II you
cannot, and If there are crowds II
men trying to force the doors of the
churches against the municipality, the
first has taken place. There is no half
way house, and it is not for me to de-
termine which of the two contingencies
will afford the greatest interest.