Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-10-19
Americas, Ga, October 10, 1909.
ANTI-RELIGI0US BITTERNESS
ABROAD.

In reading the news that each day
brings from European countries one
cannot fail to be impressed with the
bitterness against established religion
that seems to exist in several of the
countries there, and notably in Spain,
Portugal, Italy and France, the ac-
knowledged leading Catholic countries
of the Continent The Pope guarded in
the Vatican by Italian troops, churches
and cathedrals desecrated by rioters
in that country and in the Spanish
peninsula. religious professions mob
bed in all of these lands, and dele
gates in the Spanish parliament
threatening laws against the church
similar to those prevailing in France,
demonstrate conclusiyely that there
exists a deep seated antagonism on
the part of an enormous number of
the people to either the established
faith, or to any Christian faith at all.
The latter is probably quite as true as
the former. 1t is conservatiyely esti-
mated that in all France there are not
over six or seven millions OF people
who are professedly Christians, out of
total population approaching forty
millions.
In England there is a strong grow
ing feeling against the national church
and its disestablishment is regarded as
| inevitable. France has cut the state
loose entirely from the church. Event
| ually this must be the condition in all
lands. The sooner it is done, in all
| likelihood, the better for religion.
People these days resent the idea of
having religion thrust upon them, Of
| being compelled to support church
| that does not command the allegiance
| OF their free conscience. With
| the growing intelligence and
| the eudcation of the masses
| it is impossible to much long
] CT GOltIttlOll0 lICtl may hdfC
served a useful purpose in one age of
mankind's history, but whose useful
ness has long since ceased. Church
| authorities who seek to prolong the
| alliance of church and state are UNI
doubtedly working against the good
| of their faith and provoking antago-
nisms that may bring bitter fruit in
| the coming years. In the United
| States all churches, Catholic and
| Protestant, are in more healthful
state than in any other country in the
| world, and here the line of demarca-
| ton between church and state is rig
idly drawn and every citizen is prompt
to rise up in opposition to any move
ment to cross it. The wisdom of the
| fathers of the nation was in no single
| instance more clearly shown than in
their provision that there should be no
| association of church and state in this
country. that here religion should go
its way untrammeled by alliance with
the government, fight its own battles
! and build up it's own institutions, sup
ported solely by the voluntary offer
| ings of the faithful. One would think
that the magnificent development of
the church organizations of this coun-
| try would be lesson to the ruling
powers of the disturbed countries of
Europe to provide for at least the
gradual establishment of similar con-
ditions there.
Reading the news budgets from
Europe one can well feel an additional
pride in American institutions, under
which any religious faith that is not
in violation of decent morals, or sub,
| versiye of law and order, can go on its
way unmolested, developing whatever
strength its teachings draw to it.
There is no such bitterness here as
seems to prevail over large part of
Europe. AS the Philadelphia Press,
referring to these conditions says:
None of this, from the hideous orgy
Of slaughter and profana' OIL of things
| sacred in Barcelona to the tense relig-
ious lines in England, Scotland and
| Ireland, exists here. Our daily news
| papers treat religion with profound
respect. give religious news promi-
nence and note the festivals of each
faith as they come. Church and syn
agogue are at peace. Differing Chris
tian churches lives at amity and pFac-
tice their Masters Injunction of peace
and good will toward each other. I'm
belief and agnosticism is easy and
tolerant. Men who believe nothing re-
/ joice to have their children in the
Sunday school. Religious issues are
discussed in secular and church pa
pers with respect, with sympathy and
without heat or acerbity.
Tolerance, freedom and voluntary
support, without State aid, has
brought about in this country peace.
prosperity and the widest and the
deepest influence enjoyed by religion
and religious bodies the world
around"