The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-10

1 ~
! M Eregsive attitude towards the
In vatican, In connection with the
| recent oncyclical OF the Pope
and tho autograph letter OF remon-
STRANGE which he addressed to Plus x
about the matter, have, of course, had
the effect Of revlving the rumors OF
his impending conversion to tho Luth-
eran Church, to which 100000 out OF
his 100000 subjects belong. The
reigning house OF Saxony has adhered
10 the Roman Catholic Church since
the days of Elector Frederick Angus
tus l., who in 1897 abtured Lutheran
ISM and became a convert to the
church of Rome, In order to qualify
himself for his election 10 the throne
OF Poland. Some sixty years later
| his =rs'e lost the Polish crown. but re-
tained It's allegiance to tho Roman
Catholic Church. to which 1t has adj
hered until to-day.
King Frederick has. however. as
s s., q very independent attitude
prior TO his accession to the throne.
the former Archdnchess Louise of
=. Ia. Hungary. after her elopement
with Professor Giron. although divorce
Is strictly. forbidden by the Roman
Catholic Church. Then. too. after hia
succession he issued a general order
to his army. permitting its officers TO
become t'reemasons and to Join lodges
FOR more than half century they
had been strictly prohibited by royal
decree from having any attiliation with
Freemasonry. and. in fact. his four
predecessors. Frederick Augustus IL.
John Albert and George. were such
devout Catholics that they would never
have nay dreamt Of offending the papacy
by removing this restriction In adj
dition to this. King Frederick has
taken pains to appoint Lutherans TO
most of the important court Offices
previously held by Roman Catholics.
he now has protested moro vigorous
ly than any Lutheran monarch agains,
the Pope's recent encyclical assailina
Lutheranisn- Indeed SO outspoken
has the King been in his denunciatIon
of the encyclical as to call forth dem
on the part OF all his Protestant sub
jects, the University OF Leipsc in par
ticulnr, having overwhel him with
manifestations OF approval
1t Is this that leads to the belief
that he will very shortly revert to
tho faith Of his ancestors and complete
his severance from the Roman Catho-
lie Church by taking to himself a new
wife. or course. he cannot wed again
as long as he remains a Roman Catt,o-
lie, and since the marriage OF his
brother John has remained childless
and his brother Max is a priest. his
psople are ANXIOUS tnat no sHoNid
contract another, matrimonial alliance
In order to still further assure the
succession OF his crown.
Frances Chamber OF Deputies has
frequently had under consideration
proposals for the abolition of the Or
der of the Legion of Honor and OF
other French decorations on the plea
that their existence is contrary to
the, principles upon which republic
HaSed There lie TIM elfe-hfact
chance. however. OF any suci. proposal
ever becoming law, and If the Cham
Der occasionally INDUCES In a Discus
sion upon the subject IL is because its
members are disqualified by virtue OF
their office from accepting any French
order. as long as they belong to tho
national legislature. The Senate might
be relied upon TO reject any such meas
ure. even IL IL We're enacted by the
Chamber of Deputies, while the gov
eminent would sooner dissolve Par
Lament than render itself party to
any such unpopular move.
For in spite OF all that Is said TO tho
contrary. orders of knighthood are
as in any monarch!cal country: more
So indeed, since the Legion OF Honor
carries with IT prerogatives which IT,
ties Of mobility no longer retain. In
have ever found to be really indiffer-
ent to the red ribbon of the Legion
of Honor are the members of tho
Chamber OF Deputies. who are pre-
cluded from receiving It.
France is by no means the only
orders OF kniehthood for the reward
of services to the nation. for the
Mexican republic has Just founded a
crate It's centennial this year. 1t bears
the title of the Order OF Mexican No
blemen, and is COMPOSED of FIVE