The Irish standard., 1908-06-06

1AsLedu OIL QlSlntegratlng and with
ering away, the Church of France still
presents a united front to her foes,
and is actively pursuing her work of
reorganization and of adaptation to
her changed surroundings. Today"
says M. Piou. "the experiment has
been made. and friends and foes can
judge of her vitality. Not only has
she lost none of her former flock,
but she has even seen it increase by
the accession of unexpected recruits.
Far from her worship being deserted,
never have the faithful gathered in
such numbers in her temples and
around her pulpits' The old traite-
ments of the clergy have gone with
the Concordat, but everywhere the
denier du cutie has been organized,
and though not unnaturally the re-
sponse has in some places been insult
hcient, in many others it has yielded
the. most surprising results, subsorip-
tions being forthcoming from men
whose names would cause grave dis
quiet If they were known in the Rue
Cadet or the provincial lodges. The
Church is thus in no isolation from
the people. Before the government
she stands firm, though ever ready to
enter into a settlement that is at once
possible and honorable, whilst her at
titude towards contending political
parties is one of reserve and neutral
lty. Her sole demand is that she shall
be allowed to do her work in free
dom without favor as without unjust
discrimination. The effect of this ir-
reproachably correct conduct and at
t1tude is already making itself visible
in the lessening distrust among the
people, result which is being largely
helped by the growing contact of the
clergy with their flocks. The work of
the denier du cutie, and Of the net
work of parish committees could not
have been carried out if the clergy
had remained, as of old, in their
sacristies. Better knowledge of each
other on the part of priests and peo-
pic is removing barriers and begettine
a. mutual sympathy which is one of
the best auguries for the future. Not
that we would for a moment be un-
derstood to mean that the trials of
the Church of France are at an end.
or even that the dark clouds that over
hang her can be said to be dispensing.
Church despoiled Of her patrimony.
Of her dues, cannot be said to be Sc
cure because she still succeeds in
gathering her children about her and
in enlisting their assistance. In the
eighty-five dioceses of France there
are some thirty six thousand parishes
to provide for, and an army of some
forty thousand clergy to be main
tained and recruited, not from the Sc
cure resources of yesterday, but from
the uncertain offerings of a people
that had lost the tradition of main
tanning the cost of public worship by
voluntary contributions But the
great point is that the Church has
been able to Withstand successfully
the first shock of a great spoilation,
and to carry on her work with a vigor
which hopeful and. competent OBJ
server like NJ. Piou regards, not only
as unabated, but as actually renewed.
There will be fluctuation Of effort
and of achievement, but every mo-
ment gained is to the good of the un-
dying Church, and to the detriment of
her ephemeral foes. She can afford to
wait, for she has the centuries before
her; French governments have but
their day, and that short one. The
point is the Church did not go down
under the shock of the Separation Act
and there is daily proof that she is
not now. as NJ. BRAND and NJ. combes
would fain have us believe, falling to
pieces. That is perhaps the reason