Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-20
cnrRcn 40 srArE ~ rRANcE.

The pope. in an address TO q o. French
pilgrims. is said to have dechred that
France is making war against the
church with AN aim OF undermining the
basis OF Christianity Hc declared, tn
sthcr words, that the conflict In France
Is. az far as the state is concerned. one
in the Interest OF inhdelity
Undoubtedly the representative Of
the French government win reply that
they are lot making war upon the
church. but only contonding for equal
rights They win say that their only
desire IS 90 abolish abuses that have
grown common under the domination OF
the church They viii set of their stock
OF oratorical frecrackers and pinwheels
and shout Of phrases. such as 'hior-
auhy' and "priesty tyranny" and
they win protest innocence as TO any
hostility against the church is not
France a free country cannot every
one worship as be pleases? No war
upon The church!
But his holiness gives the proofs. He
points 10 "the expulsion of the rellg-
ious orders, the trials and prosecutions
inflicted upon Cardinal Andrieu and
other bishops. and the threatened laws
which would extend official protection
10 irrcligious teachers and bring about
a state monopoly " the schools" Bish-
ops who were faithful TO the pOntlff
the pope then says. were not allowed
10 enjoy the liberty granted by French
Ia "a.
other hand, were insulted, tried and
condemned for the sole reason that they
were colrageously fulfilling their apos-
tolic duty
In the view Of the head Of the Ro-
man church the conflict in France Is a
war uron the church no matter who
denies that charge. And all good Cath
olics must take the same view.
The trouble in France is of long
standing II is not something new.
To go back only as far as the revoiu-
ton Of July. 1880. it viii be remembered
by readers of history that as soon as
The new government was installed, the
so-cailed Pantheon was restored and
Did. oppressive laws against the clergy
were enforced. and when the bishops
refused TO comply. their appropriations
were cut of The church was accused
Of plans for the undermining OF the
constitution. and public hatred lncress-
I'd. Finally, In 1881. when a festival
In memory Of the Duke OF Berry was
celebrated in the church st German
lhuNerrois, mob broke into the
building and destroyed 1t. Then they
proceeded 10 the palace OF the arch
bishop, where they broke the furniture
and threw the fragments into the river.
on set fire TO them. The doors were
lifted OFF the hinges the floors were
torn up, the destruction was general
And while the mob was thus engaged
they shouted "A has les Jcsuites."
The clergymen that fell into their
hands were fearfully maltreated, ard
the archbishop would probably have
been murdered but for the fact that he
happened 20 be absent Not satisfied
with the work OF destruction In Paris
the mob went 10 other places and
destroyed ecclesiastical Institutions.
They tore down the lilies and the
crosses that ornamented churches and
other public buildings 50 Intense was
the antl-church sentiment ia France
az that time. ana the flames have
broken out again and again.
Catholics who believe that the CON
nict On the part OF the church is one
for liberty OF conscience. for purity Of
morals, and FOR truth ought 90 be able
20 appreciate the motives OF adherents
OF other faiths who are similarly
struggling against the forces of dark
ness ana sin, ana who are just as
honest in their convictions. just us
sincere as tho good Catholics are. They.
az least should not ally themselves
with inhdelity whether in ecclesiastical
0r political garb, and become persocu-
tors, Boz any part of the earth. and least
of an boo % country whore equal rights
and prerOgatiVcs are given % all