The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-09-19


Catholic sources on the strength of
the announcement in the Vatican
Journal, the whole situation under
went sudden change. There had
been a mistake somewhere, or at
least a grievous misconc@ption, and
the Vatican set about it's immediate
correction. On July % this authori-
tative statement came by cable from
Rome:
''The report that the Pope has re-
voked the decree OF Ne Tenere' is
unfounded, nor is he likely to re-
woke it, as it embodies provisions
which have governed church pro-
cedure for two centuries It is prob
able that the misunderstanding with
respect to the revocation of the de-
cree arose through the suspension
Of the provision relating to mixed
marriages in Germany and Hungary.
The other provisions, however, are
in full force in those countries. In
the United States and England the
decree still applies in it's entirety.
By it's terms a marriage between
Catholic and Protestant without
the sanction of the parish priest is
void. It is declared that possibly
the United States and England may
obtain a mod36catfon of this regula-
ton"
This left the whole situation prac-
tically in statu quo, but the explana-
ton was by no means a complete or
satisfactory one. Shortly after the
original PRONUNCIATION off the 'Ne
Temere" decree, the Prussian min
lister in Rome requested information
of the Vatican concerning it's scope.
He asked, in plain terms, whether
it was intended to apply to Ger
many, and the Vatican's representa-
tive, approaching the significance of
the situation, replied that it was not
intended to be enforced in Emperor
Williams dominions. The answer
was concise and satisfactory, as far
as Germany was concerned, but
there were other governments to be
reckoned with. In England, where
the decree was presumably intended
to become effective, the Vatican
method" of dealing with mixed mar
Piages was repudiated by the people.
Huge public demonstrations were
held in London by the Evangelical
Alliance, at which the overriding of
the civil law by Rome to the detri-
ment of British subjects was UNI
sparingly denounced. At one of
these gatherings, the following reso-
luton was adopted:
"That this meeting of three thous-
and citizens, representative Of our
national Christianity, protests
against the publication in the Brit
ish Empire of the Decree of the
Council of Trent known as Ne
Temere,' whereby mixed marriages
contracted according to the rites of
the Protestant churches and the law
of the State are declared to be null
and void, and British subjects who
have openly and honorably entered
into such marriages are held up to
public reprobation as living in sin,
and their children branded as lille
ultimate; this meeting also repudi-
ates the pretensions of the Church
of Rome to regulate the conditions
determining the validity of mar
riages legally solemnized between
British subjects in any part of His
Majesty's dominions."
Other resolutions were adopted
requesting the British Government
to take steps for the relief of those
who were suffering through promul-
cation of the decree which put upon
such marriages the stigma of illegal
ity and upon their helpless offspring
the shameful brand of illegitimacy.
r. - s.@s.~ - H1vo 10