The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-02-04
WORSE THAN GODDESS
SCHOOLS.

It is no exaggeration to say that
the leaders of the French govern
ment are mad. In their frenzied
attempts to Danish God from the
land, there is no length to. which
they do not allow their hatred of
religion to carry them. The
youth Of France seem to be special
objects of their envenomed at
tacks. They know that if they
succeed in poisoning the minds of
the young against God and reli-
gion they can place the degrading
heel Of impiety on the neck of the
coming generation.
The French government ushered
in the new years campaign
against religion by enacting a new
law concerning education. To
convey an idea of it's diabolical
character it suffces to reproduce
the words of Mgr. Jacques, Bishop
Of Laval, as recorded in the pages
Of "Rome - He says: eve are
presented with a law which says
three things: that religion hence
forth is to be freely attacked, con-
tradicted, denied in the schools by
book and lessons; that the chill
dren shall not only be subjected to
these attacks and outrages upon
their faith, but they must even
make them part Of their minds
and hearts; that persons who en-
deavor to remove them from class
es where impiety reigns, parents,
tutors, bishops, priests, shall be
INN d lately prosecuted, con-
demned to fines, put to prison. -
elm other words" continues the
Bishop commenting on the law,
"You, pastors Of souls, you, IA
theirs and mothers, you Catholic
children, shall renounce your be-
lief, betray the duties Of your
state in life, contemn the Gospel,
the Sacramento, the Church, or if
not we shall crush you. No dis
cussion or examination is to be al
lowed-not even the right to
prove that injustice, incredulity
and blasphemy have taken the
place Of what used to be called ele-
mentary instruction. If you make
the attempt, it will have no practi-
cal result-or rather the result
contrary to your desires. The
proof you allege will be considered
as an insult to the government. It
will only aggravate your position
sas accused and prescribed. The
tribunals will have to try such
cases on the basis of clear text
which shall dictate their sentence
the magistrate who fails to
strike will be put in the same
rank with all those Christians
who are placed outside the law,
deprived Of all immunity and
all defence, and only appear
to learn their punishment. Is
this tolerance or is it persecu-
ton? We do not hesitate to pro-
claim that it is persecution. Let
Bishops and priests and Catholics
mindful Of their eternal salvation
prepare to resist unfinchingly and
to suffer without fear or discour-
agement. y
One would think that no civil
lied land would desecrate it's stat
ute books with such an iniquitous
measure. All this is done in the
name Of liberty, equality, fraterni-
ty, as If these could bear their nat
ural fruitage independent Of the
ennobling influence Of religion. Is
there any hope, any future, for
such a nation? Nations, like indi-
viduals, have their Gethsemane.
As gold is purified by fire so hui
man nature is refined and perfect
ed by the Christening fires Of per-
secution. IL France can with
stand this soul-trying crisis she
may yet prove anew her right to
the glorious title Of saner days,
and once more shine amid the ma
tions as sthe eldest daughter Of
/ the Church. - Her worse than God
less schools, her theatres Of youth
full activity from which religion
has been routed by law, will prove
her undoing unless she heeds the
lessons Of history and restores the
saving Christ to His former niche
/ in the heart Of her citizens.