Evening star., 1909-05-21
SPAIES RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
PROTESTANT WORSHIP BARRED
IN PUBLIC.
Church Edifices Not Constructed on
Ecclesiastical Lines - Doors
Closed During Services.

The restriction under which non-Catho.
lie religious denominations must worship
in Spain has been made the subject of
an investigation by the State Department
The report of former Minister w. NJ
Collier on this matter in 1908 has just
been made public by the department
According to this report, the existing
constitution of Spain provides that the
Catholic religion, apostolic Roman, is the
religion of the state. The nation obii-
gates itself TO maintain it's worship and
its ministers
Public Worship Barred.
mo one will be interfered with in
Spanish territory" says Minister Col
lier, because of his religious opinions
nor for the exercise of his respective
form of worship. saving only the respect
due to Christian morals However no
other ceremonies nor manifestations in
public except those of the religion of the
state will be permitted.
.Generally, | am told, there has been
greater freedom of worship in large
cities than in provincial villages There
Is more liberation, it is said. now than
there was fifteen or twenty years ago.
Funeral services are never interfered
with Chuches and chapels may be built.
when building regulations are complied
with. Distinctively ecclesiastical archi-
lecture, calculated TO proclaim the build
ing as the seat of form of worship is
not allowed; at least. the Protestants
have refrained from such form of archi-
lecture
"A cross or other emblem of religion is
never permitted to be erected upon a
Protestant edifice. Generally. the Protes-
tants of Spain concede that the erection
OF a cross is a public manifestation
and. therefore, violation of the consti-
tuition.
Generally. the door of the Protestant
Church edifice is permitted to open upon
the public street. although it is not al
ioWAd during service. to- remain open so
as TO attract attention to the worship 1t
Is. however. not universal to allow the
door to open upon the public street.
Church Doors Closed.
Preaching and music both vocal and
instrumental. are allowed in the churches.
Generally the doors of the church are
closed. so as not TO publicly attract atten-
ton to the service.
i am told that a dozen years or more
ago, In a village remote from Madrid, a
local authority forbade the holding OF
services unless the doors were con-
structed as to prevent the sound of wor-
ship coming out to the public. This was
considered by the government at Madrid
as wholly unwarranted construction OF
the law, and the action of the village
authority was not upheld.
I'm regard to missionary efforts, prose-
lyting etc, l am informed that there is
no interference If public order is not dis
turbed:
1.-The study of the statutes which have
made and the advice of counsel lead me
to the opinion that non-Catholics who are
Spanish subjects may, by complying with
the provisions of law, form legal associa-
tions vested with a legal personality,
subject OF course, in their ceremonies
and religious manifestations to the re-
strictions of the constitutional provision
above quoted.
The best information obtainable is
that there were about 5000 communicates
and regular attendants and about 10000
adherents. or persons who. though at
tending services only occasionally, were
more in sympathy and accord with the
Protestant Church than with the Catho-
lic."