The sun., 1909-02-21

been subjected to grievous persecution
during the last seven years. II is true
that no blood has been shed. One man
was killed during the taking Of the inven-
tories required by the Law Of Separation,
but Immediately the proceedings were
stopped and the Rouvier Ministry fell.
French Catholics insist that the men now
controlling the French Government mean
to choke out every germ Of Christianity by
casting the minds of the rising generation
In a mould Of atheism, and to quenoh every
spark Of religion in the adult person by
degrading him in his own eyes to the level
list, and are indeed entertained by large
part Of the French population, they ought
not TO be denied expression. nor should
we on this side Of the Atlantic withhold
from them a hearing. That Is why we
purpose to pay some attention to book
written from their point Of view. and en-
titled The Religious Persecution IN
France 1900 1s0e), by j. NAPIER BRoD-
HEAD London, Egan. Fall 4 Company.
The essays here collected have. it seems,
been produced in France during the last
time to time in American newspapers
The excuse for their republication is the
acuity Of the conflict between the Church
and the civil power in France. which shows
no sign Of abatement.
There is undoubtedly considerable
msapprehension as to the claim Of the
Catholic Church In France to support
at the hands Of the State en- grounds ~
equity. The author Of this book quotes
a curiously misinformed assertion by an
American Protestant newspaper. the
Central Baptis,. namely. -one Ubiquitous
arrangement in France Is the support
Of the priesthood OUT OF public funds"
The truth OF course is that in receiving
stipends from the State under the Con-
oordat now abolished the French clergy
were no more debtors TO the State than
are the holders Of French per cents
who receive the interest on their bonds.
When the first revolution swept over
France the wealth OF the Church, which
had been accommodating for upward Of
twelve centuries, was confiscated, and so
remained until Napoleon restored order
with an iron hand At the time when
he undertook the reorganization OF the
Catholic Church in France and concluded
with the Pope the agreement known as
the Concordat IL was impossible in the
dilapidated state Of the country to restore
the ecclesiastical property, valued at
hundreds OF millions Of dollars, which
had been sequestrated by those 'oham-
pions Of liberty who. according to
Macaulay. compressed into twelve
months more crimes than the kings OF
France had committed in twelve cen-
turies.' Still less was IL possible TO re-
build many noble structures and recover
works OF art sold or destroyed.
II was accordingly agreed ARTICLES Is
and II, Concordat) that in lieu Of such res
titution the State should henceforth pay
to the Church annually the stipends Of 90
many Archbishops. Bishops. cures, DC.
The French Catholic clergy therefore
received their salaries as payments Of a
debt due to them by the State and they
ought not to be represented as the salaried
Of the State. There is much
to be said for their contention that the
abolition OF the Concordat was the fepudia-
ton OF a public obligation no less dis
creditable than would be refusal TO pay
the interest on the 3 per cent. bonds
Mr. Brodhead Is right in pointing out that
the position OF Protestant and Jewish
ministers toward the civil power in France
is entirely different. They do receive
salaries which are purely gratuitous.
The first Revolution did not trouble them
and they had no wrongs to be redressed by
the Concordat Of 1901.
In a chapter on liberty and Christianity
Mr.. Brodhead finds 1t not difficult to show
that the Christian Church was the princi-
pal agent in the abolition Of European
slavery. Touching this point he quotes
Lecky. who says: "Other influences
could produce the manumission Of many
slaves, but Christianity alone could effect
that profound change OF character that
rendered the total abolition OF slavery
possible or course so ancient and
deeply rooted an institution as slavery
could not with wisdom or safety be
felled suddenly. Yet from an early pc
Rod the Christian Church imposed pen
alties upon masters who took from their
slaves money which the latter had earned.
upon those masters who slew their slaves
without just cause. upon mistreeses who
beat their maids 80 that the latter died
within three days. Moreover the whole
Of ecclesiastical discipline
was set in motion to shelter the otherwise
chastity OF female slaves.
Lecky recalls that -the Church, which
seemed so naughty and so overbearing
in it's dealings with kings and mobiles,
never failed 70 listen to the poor and the
and for many centuries their
protection was the foremost Of all the
objects Of it's policy
Under the agis Of Christianity, stimuli
with the gradual abolition Of
slavery, took place the elevation Of woman
and her redemption from polygamy, a
natural concomitant Of slavery. Lecky
also points out that mo idea has exer-
cised a more salutary influence than the |
medieval conception Of the Virgin and
he worship paid to her. For the first
lime woman was elevated to her rightful |
position and the sanctity Of weakness
was recognized. mo longer the slave. |
he toy Of man. no longer associated only |
With ideas Of degradation and sensuality.
woman rose in the person Of the Virgin |
mother into a new sphere and became the |
object Of reverential homage Of which |
had no conception
and deep rooted as eman-
,ipation could pot be eliminated all at
,nce In Christendom. II was not until |
Iit7, after centuries had been spent in |
udicious preparation. that Pope Alex