The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-28
CHURCH WOULD MAKE HIS PEACE Conci6aisry Mslifesto Creates
 Much Surprise. BISHOP OF NANCY TALKS Gives Instructions Resardins Rela'
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Paria Nov. a7.--Ths coaciiiatory mantfesto on the policy Of Catholics and frisnds of religious education in view of the approaching elections has capsed much surprise In certain ctr- cles. Tn that msnifesto the Bishop of Nancy eounselied his co-religtonists toI be careful in future to drew sharp distinction for practical purposes be- tween the defence Of their own relig. 1ouS Interests and tho defence Of tine political interests of the country. He knows that In the past the confusion of those two aims. however natural. had frequently been disastrous. He said:
 It is my conviction. which is con stantiy becoming more profund and ts constantly being strengthened by ev- perience. that In France the clergy ought not to take part in electoral fights. By doing 60 it would compro- misc It's mission, which ts higher, which is essenttal--its mission as an apostle. as . saviour of souls # would compromise Christian enter prises and associations. and in fact it's own ministry. It would have to bear the responsibility for all the methods employed in such struggles. I am on- ly speaking Of our own country. and I afirm that public opinion in France is opposed to such intervention of the clergy. and that none of the political parties would agree to it.
 Iaterventien Dasastreus.
 There can be little doubt that in most parts Of France the intervention of the clergy in elections Is only cal- culated to secure the success of a candidate with pronounced anti~cleri- cal or even anti-religious views. The suspicion that the clergy are attempt tng to govern the consctences of their fiocks is as M. Julien do Marion. has pointed out. an asset of Considerable value to the enemies Of religion. and yious glance at Rome, the higher the source of the intervention the more disastrous are its conseauences.
 The Bishop of Nancy sAiRsnt on to urge that in promoting t defence of civil religious iibertiez At elections the religious or political creed of the candidate ought not to be toe closely scrutinixsd. What was wanted was . man who would resaluteiy oppose the sririt of persecution In all its forms. and who would st the polls unite the great number of votea It is evident that from this point of view French CAtholics might be inclined at the present sunoture to support N. lBriand or N. Milierand in their respective con- stituenotes. -s ess SS -
 The Blshep further advocated a
 
 les. In this respect the Catholic press has been as great . sinner Gs It's op- pouents: but Mgr, Turinaz. without wishing to suppress ''controversies which. though fiery. remain courteous" :" wee convinced that t would be "a giaring contradiction to speak of a misunderstanding and of common action while Dersisting in personal attacks and in violent accusations"
 Urges Cenelliatory Measures.
 Ginaiiy. the Bihhop of Nancy consid- cred that c eonciliatory political riaove- mant oe the kind which he advocated ought to be promoted by an active spir- 1t Of eonciliation rather than by the usual organization of 'scommittees," :" with presidential bureaus and all the rest of the paraphernalfa of French political agitation. Consolidation Is a state of mind rather than a cast-ifon party program. and the Bishop is well within the privileges of hts office when he preaches virtue which, like the Kingdom of Heaven, is in an import ant sense mot of this world"
 His last words had a more practical bearing from the worlds point of view. for he urged all whom 1t may concern not to yield to the cry or the inclina- ton for abstention in electoral con- testa, but to exercise the suffrage in ail cases. Tn some Catholic circles in France there has been a despondent conviction that things must be worse before they can grow better" Mgr. Turinax would not have hts eo-reiision- fists yield to this feeling; and the same applies to those order-loving sections of the French people whose pre-occu- pations are political rather than relig- ious Abstention from the polls has always been one of the cankers of French Parliamentary instituticns.
 Mgr Turinaz has now received from a Cardinal in Rome a letter in which he is informed that the Pope has ex- pressed his entire sympathy with the Episcopal suggestion that Catholics, genuine Liberals. and decent people of
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