The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-01-16
Special TO The Union.
LETTER FROM ABROAD.
A Society of Free Thought in Aries
The Priests Ignored at Funerals
Treating Christianity as a
Myth and Catholi-
cism Withno
Respect.

ARIES, FRANCE, Jan. 18th. 1909.
MsssTs. Editors The priests of Aries are in
despair. The male members of their flock are
tumbIing into perdition one by one. The holy
fathers first made heroic efforts to save them
against their will, and succeeded In dragging
one or two refractory souls, willy -nilly, from
the internal pit. but now these obstinate Arle
SLAMS have carried their case to court and have
established on a legal basis their privilege to be
damned. The good wives of Aries. disturbed by
the prospect of an eternal widowhood are the
ardent allies of the priests, but the headstrong
husbands insist on going to hell
Last week attended tho funeral of the late
Monsieur R, ancient and honorable mayor
of Aries and member of the Legion of Honor.
It was there that first learned upon what evil
days the local church has fallen. The funeral
cortege was imposing, for Monsieur - had
been widely popular. The procession was head
ed by a company Of citizens who marched In a
hollow square. grouped around black velvet
banner on which were inscribed in silver letters
the legend "Societe de Lipre Pensee." Six black
horses drew the hearse and eight or nine hun
dred mourners followed ON foot, with uncov-
cred heads. No eulogy had been pronounced,
and no prayer had been offered at the family
mansion where the body had lain in state, so
take place in the cemetery, but absolute silence
reigned while the coffin was being lowered into
the grave, and when the president of the society
stepped forward at the last moment, he simply
said:
Friend and Brother, farewell forever" That
was all.
Myprofound establishment was increased when
l learned that eight-tenths of the male inhabi-
tants of Aries are members of the Society of
Free Thought, and that these civil interments
are the rule and not the exception. The history
of the establishment of this organization is curl
GUS and interesting. Five years ago a number
of hardy skeptics concluded, inasmuch as they
had lived content without attending mass or
going to the confessional. that they could die
equally content without the services of the
priests.
When the first member passed away his pious
confreres took possession of the body and
quietly dumped it into a grave without single
prayer, without burning single candle, and
despite the hysterical resistance of the heart
broken widow, who was devout believer and
who consequently felt that her beloved husband
was lost to her not only for this life but for all
eternity. Naturally she confided the tragic
story to the Mortified priests, knowledge of the
affair reached the ears of the general public and
of the bishop. and ended by assuming the pro
portions of a scandal. But the society did not
disband. In fact it was strengthened by the
notoriety for it is fashionable In France to scott
at everything religious. They regard the church
as IAN excellent diversion and prop for women
and weaklings' Soon afterward another COM
rade died and within an hour his brethren were
at the door to claim the body. But prompt as
was their action they were too late. The widow
herself opened the door and made no effort to
deter them from entering the death chamber.
She was the picture of meekness and resigna-
ton. Silently elated the sombre delegation
filed into the little parlor, but recoiled dumb
founded before the unexpected and dramatic
scene that greeted their eyes.
The shrouded body lay outstretched upon a
bier in the center of the room, candles were
burning at the head and feet and the odor of in
scence was in the air. Towering before them
like an avenging angel stood Monsignor the
Bishop. In his right hand cleaned a naked
sword and in his left he held a crucifix. I'm the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Ghost" said he-and the Libre Penseurs
responded not word. But they met that night
and in secret laid the plans for complete re-
venge, after which they TRANQUILITY bided their
time. Six months passed and another aged
was triumphant. The president produced for
NAL testament, legally witnessed and bearing
the public notary's official seal, in which the de-
ceased member had declared:
II, Jacques Beaumard. do hereby will and
command that, upon my death, my body be de-
livered into the hands Of the Societe de Libre
Pensee. to be inferred by these, my brethren,
without religious ceremony and without the
presence of priest or any other official repre-
sentative of the church."
Law is law, and particularly in France, where
the government is never SO happy as when
chance offers it an opportunity to serve the
priests an evil turn it was useless to contest the
document
By its audacity the Societe de Libre Pensee
sprang into immediate prominence and popu-
larity for in this country it is considered sign
of superior intelligence and maniness to hold
the church in light esteem. The organization
already numbered among its members the lead
ing professional men and politicians of the COM
munity and in course of time became formi-
dable power. Poor and humble citizens were
welcomed into the ranks and Joined the more
readily because they felt they were alligning
themselves, identifying themselves as it were,
with progressive government and wise adj
ministration, against an institution that was
well enough under the old regime. but that
should have been abandoned after the revolu-
ton. The truth of the matter is that France as
a nation is no longer Christian. The govern
ment is openly inimical to the church. The lead
ing contemporary scientists and philosophers are
even more radical in their disbelief than were
Voltaire and Rousseau. The great daily news
papers with one or two notable exceptions),
when they mention the subject seriously, which
rarely occurs, treat Christianity as a myth and
Catholicism as an abomination. All these in
fuences are shaping public sentiment, and the
state of affairs at Aries is but one phase of a
more widespread and mere general condition.
SEABROoK.