Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-04
THE CONTEST IN FRANCE.

AS far as can be judged from dis
lance. the Vatican has the better Of
the argument in the controversy with
the state. The bishops, with one eN-
ception we believe, have obeyed the
instructions OF the Pope aud become
"passiye reslsters" Their position Is
one of quiet dignity. The officers OF
the law have no difficulty in carrying
out their orders, and their proceedings
therefore. have all the appearance OF
persecution.
Undoubtedly the church will emerge
from this struggle, as 1t has from so
many others, with flying colors. The
French clergy will remain faithful TO
The head of the church. and the ma
iority of the people win stand by the
clergy. The time will come when the
government win need the support OF
the people. and then it will be found
that the breaking of of diplomatic rela-
tions with the Vatican in rather in
sulting manner. was a grave mistake.
1T will be necessary to resume those
relations before any compromise can
be effected.
Tho question of obedience to the law
IS brought up by this controversy
Some of the secular papers hold that
the Pope ought to have advised his
followers to abide by the enactments
of the legislative body, right or wrong
To this criticism the Catholic papers
reply:
"When England more than century
ana a quarter ago strove to enforce
unjust laws upon the American col
onists they too, refused TO accept theu'
The Pope is doing practically tne very
same thing as Washington ana the on,
er American patriots did. They SOUGHT
iistice. SO is he seeking It, They
stroye TO defend their rights. That Is
precisely what the Pope and the
French hierarchy are doing. WASH
ington in the estimation of all nom
est men was hero and patriot, BUT
the Pope Is set down as lawbreaker'
There is no moral obligation to OBEY
unjust laws. and men VINO nave resist
ed them in all ages have been pro-
claimed as benefactors of mankind"
This Is indisputable. 1t Is the duty
of every citizen to obey the law. But.
ST IL is true that in France atheism
has succeeded In diverting the law
from the purposes for which every law
should be framed. and that they are
using It as an instrument of perseeu-
ton and graft, then II Is heroism to
resist In every honorable way. even to
martyrdom. For, above all human law
stands the obligation to obey God
more than man, That is, In fact. not
resistance TO law but protest against
the abuse of the legal machinery of
state.
The French controversy furnishes
another Illustration of the folly of re-
ligious strife. a church cannot be de-
stroyed by the power of the secular
arm. Even If the French government
should confiscate all the property Of
the Catholic church in France, includ-
Ing every church building and every
seminary, the church would remain,
The church was never stronger, spirit
ually, than when to be Christian was
to endanger life and property, and
when the worshipers assembled in
caves and catacombs instead of costly
cathedrals, We may not believe in the
doctrines of the Catholic church. or ac-
cept the authority of the Roman pom
tin but the principle of power in per-
secution is always true. 1t is also true
that religious freedom IL the preroga-
tive OF every man and woman, since
each individual is responsible for him
sell, or herself, to the Creator OF all.
When that prerogative is invaded, 1t
becomes n sacred duty to defend those
whose rights are threatened. for the
cause of liberty is the cause of hui
manity and civilization.