The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-02-28


Prof VIM. Luehr's interesting talk, given
before the Contemporary Club recently,
was written by Atty. Arthur Wysseman:
The outbreak of the French Revolu'
tion in 1898 witnessed general con-
tiscation of church property but by 1871
a system of state church, with clergy
salaried by the national government,
was in operation, continuing up to 1894.
From thence up to 1901 the relations of
the Church and government were large
ly as they are in the United States to-
day. Napoleon, an exponent of strong
ly centralized government, saw in the
church the possibility of an efficient and
powerful ally. A clergy under the
dominance of the government meant a
police, ecclesiastical in character, but
all the more powerful because of that.
The result was the Concordat, under
which the government assumed the
right to make appointments to bishop
rics, the Vatican merely reserving a
limited choice from amongst names sub
mitted. With the enactment of the
Concordat, the resignation to the Pope
of all the clergy was called for, and with
the appointment made, the system of
governmental dominance was complete.
Contscated property was again used by
the churches, and the salaries of the
clergy paid by the government on n
theory that was u return for the ecclesi
astical property earlier confiscated. This
condition prevailed until 1905.
In the meantime the struggle between
the two forces was continuing. In 1850
the Falloux Law gave great power to
the Church in school matters, but by
1885 its operations was found unsatis-
factory, il being thought that religion,
as there taught, was harmful to the Re.
public, and the law itself was abrogated.
The next move was the Associations
Law of 1901, aimed at existing religious
or monastic orders, and contemplating
bringing them under governmental
supervision Under it, to obtain rec.
ognition, the orders were obliged to
organize rs associations and necessarily
submit TO the state.
The law of 1905 is measure drafted
along similar lines. Under it the govern.
ment is no longer to pay the salaries of
the clergy. There is to he no preferred
religion or form of worship. Property
which under the Concordat reverted to
the Church is again contiscated to the
state. y reorganization Of parishes is
made imperative if recognition by the
government is to be accorded such re-
organization TO be along the lines of
Societies Cultuelle" or trusteeships of
from two to twenty five persons, who
upon organization IN compliance with
the law, can upon application to the
Council of State Cf France receive the
property for public worship. This
Council of State is to be the arbiter in
case several societies apply for the use
of the same property, With reference
to property acquired by the Church since
the Concordat, there is no direct con,
fiscation, though in effect it will resu,
if the parishes are not organized as
trusteeships, insofar as the government
will recognize only such organizations
as comply with the law, and non.com.
pliance Herewith means that further
activity would be unlawful and i'm.
possible. The powers of the Council of
State and the refusal of the government
to recognize the Church hierarchy is at
present ground for much dispute. The
Church insists that the bishop of a
diocese be a member of the trusteeship
within his jurisdiction, and the law, for
bids membership to any person except
he be actually domiciled within the
parish of the society