The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-17
FATHER bEISSEL ON
SEPARAT|ST METHODS

Editor Advertiser: Allow me TO
throw some light on an interest
ing question. Many people are
puzzled at the religious conflict III
France. 1t seems incredible that in this
XIX century the government OF |
civilized country Will go on record as
acting out under the cover of the law
the part of the wolf in Sleeps clothes.
Such is the case with the so-cailed
separation law which the government
imposes and the church refuses to ac-
cept. The spirit and aim OF this law
has been made known by Mr.. BRAND
himself. the French Minister of Public
Worship. Here are his words spoken
in an address to school teachers
1.-the time has come to root up from
the minds of French children the an
cient faith which served its purpose
and replace it with the light OF free
thought; 1T is time to get rid OF the
! Christian idea. We have hunted Jesus
Christ out of the army, navy, the
| schools, hospitals, insane and orphan
asylums and the courts and now we
| must hunt Him out OF the State alto
gether. -
This is plain language which lays
bare the spirit and the aim of the
separation law. in fact. one of the
worst laws of tyranny and persecution
history knows After decreeing Jesus
Christ into nothing the French govern
ment puts itself up into the place OF
God Almighty Consequently it gives
to itself the ownership of all the Catho-
lie churches, schools, hospitals, clerical
residences, all and every kind of church
properties AS long as this is done
on paper only, the common people
which never learned the meaning OF
a republican government, persuaded as
they are, that those at the head make
the laws and that all the citizens have
to do, is to obey them-do not think
of resisting.
But when they see the "gendarmes'
take possession of the churches, when
the officers of the law take the in
ventories, as if they were their own,
of all the sacred vessels, all the priestiy
vestments, they will say, no, they will
; resist and start a riot. Imagine how
American people would act if the Amer
lean government attempted similar
tyrannies. But there is one feature OF
this separation law, even worse, If pos
sible. then those already mentioned
After taking possession of the spolls
! of the church by the strong hand of the
law. they decree at once the Catholl(
church out of existence and put VI
instead of it something new; boards OF
laymen depending from the jurisdiction
of the civil authority, and these lay
men should have the control ovel
bishops and priests and all ecclesiastical
matters Do you see now the schem'
K of this free masonic smartness? 1t is t.
this new would-be church that the.
offer their would-be generosities. Al
t income of $1S,000,0o they say, thu
church will get by complying with tn
separation law. 1t is the same offe
. that was made of old, by certain
gentleman, Mr.. Brands and Bros, o
Il the lodges ancestor and Grandmaster
it was made with the same generoslt.
to the Father and Founder of the Catho
lie church, Math. iv, 8: "All these
will give thee, if falling down tho
wilt adore me- The church shoui
deny herself-bend down her knee be
fore the idol-state and recognize l
- above her. But the church is awak
to the scheme of this trickster. Sh
answers today as Jesus Christ ansWere
to the tempter: "Begone, Satan, 10
= is written. the Lord thy God shal