The Irish standard., 1911-04-01
Progress of Church in Germany in
Past Half Century a Remark
able Phenomenon.
Complete Freedom of Conscience
and Absolute liberation is
Granted to All.
Catholics Increased in Numbers
From 100000 to 22,OOO,OOO
in Forty Years.

Those who assert with the easy ut
terance oil ignorance and incXpcriencc
that the Catholic Church has ceased
to exercise it's influence upon the great
countries of the world, would do we'll
to read the work Of Robert Berry, Just
published by Scribner's, entitled Ger:
many OF the Germans" says the Pitts
burg Observer.
Mr. Berry, journalist of interna-
tional experience, has. as he tells us,
worked with German workmcn, lived
among all classes of the nation, play
cd with the spOrtSncl, marched with
their soldiers and watched their poli
tics. He is certainly entitled to know,
and in his work he gives Il comprc-
hensve view of the Fatherland that.
is well worth study.
In his chapter "The Battlefield Of
the Creeds," he admits that the Ger
man people is not by any means peo-
pie to whom the spirit of the Catholic
Church can appeal with transcendent
success ...
Implicitly, therefore, he admits the
magniticence of the progress made by
the Church, during the past four de-
cedes as a phenomenon perhaps ull-
paralleled in the annals Of Catholicity.
Ever since the Reformation, Ger
many, he says, has been divided into
two great camps-Protestan and Cath
Ole
Freedom of Conscience Guaranteed.
by the imperial constitution, com
plete freedom of conscience and abso-
lutte federation are assured to all Ger
mans; but in the carrying out of that
condition, a considerable difference is
made between the sects, Jews and Dis
senters being made to suffer many
disadvantages. For the rank of Off.
Ger in the active army or navy, for en-
ample, Hebrews are not eligible. IN
the case Of sccts not in union with the
Lutheran church, only civil marriage
is recognized as valid; their baptismal
rite is not officially recognized, and
they are deprived of burial in cOnse-
Grated ground.
Religion has undoubtedly exercised
an immense influence on the life and
development of the Empire. After the
French war, in all probability, in con
sequence Of the general mourning,
Germany for d period seemed TO be
overf1owing with religious fcrvor. The
movement for Sunday observance he.
came powerful and, helped by the de,
mands of The workers, a weekly day
of rest has now become compulsory in
all factories, while shop keepers arc
forced to close during church hours,
| from 2 O'clock III the afternoon on.
ward.
Nevertheless, says Berry, there hae
developed a feeling of Indifference and
a wholesale descrlion of the state
church and sects, especially by the
working classes.
The first great Christian religion OF
the state is the Lutheran, or Evangel
cal, which numbers about so per cent
then comes the Catholic, numbering
about 3G per cent of the nation.
, Remarkable evidence Of the activity
of the Catholics in the states nov
forming the German Federation il
shown by the fact that during 40 years
i, has increased II per cent; that is
to say, from 100000 in 1870 to %,
! 100000 in 1910.
The number of establishments be
longing to Catholic brotherhoods anG
sisterhoods increased in the same peri
cd from about 1000 to 5000; the mum
Der of persons residing in these places
rose from less than 10000 to nearly
60,O00
To Judge by the increase in nun
bers, the Catholic Church appeals moro
to the sympathies Of the people thar
the Protestant. At any rate the prizes
is nearly always more popular thar
the state pastor.
Priests Live ModestIy.
I Perhaps the thrifty manner of life
Of the Catholic priest appeals directl!
to the peasants, for the Catholic