The Irish standard., 1913-05-03
.Me9QASsgS1s3ESa INTERPRETATIONS
s s, WHAT WAS (NAP0LE0N'S RELIGION? e g
Ssg2gaSssgasESSSN 9Egagsx.gEN13E5

SSESANaAS 2zA.zSSS
To a recently published work, ma
poleonic Studies" ]. Holland Rose,
the consummate student OF the great
Emperor, contributes a chapter deal
ing with the religious sentiments and
tendencies OF "our last great man."
as tho Corsican has been termed. 1.-The
religious belief OF a great man." says
Rose, us always of the highest in
terest. 1t is often a matter
of great difficulty to ascribe any def
mite religious beliefs to many Of the
worlds greatest men Of action"
though this English historian of the
Empire admits-with Il shade OF re-
luctance, perhaps-that there was
never any doubt in Napoleon's mind
as to which was not only the hest, but
the only religion. worth following.
And like most men, Napoleon derived
his religious impulses and principles
from his mother Letitia Charles Bona
parte, the father having been profess
sedly of tho free-t thinking schools Of
the Encyclopedias. Even as a Young
man. Napoleon was hostile to Prot
estantism, since Che said) it encour-
aged individual liberty of thought and
thus precluded harmony in the social
body; to 1t more than to aught else
were due tho civil wars and schIsms
Of the sixteenth, seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. he said.
His invasion of Italy in 1862, saws
Rose. brought him into close contact
with the Papacy. and his observation
OF the real power which religion OK
erted in those regions seems to have
re-awakened his respect for the creed
of his childhood, for he, too, had
shown during his unemployed" days
of poverty in Paris, a tendency to-
wards theistic materialism, though at
no time of his life had he ever been
an atheist, and indeed often expressed
a doubt that any man could be. While
In italy, he had been instructed by tho
Directory in Paris to uproot the
Popc's authority, policy to which he
lent deaf ear. Il covet," he wrote ON
October %, 1896. "far more than you
are aware, the title of savior rather
than destroyer of the Holy See" De-
spite his harsh and military dealing
with Plus VII and the Curia, he show
cd (says this nom Catholic hlstorian)
on many occasions his real respect for
tho Church as ruling power, and
sought to curb the anti-clerical ex-
cesses Of which the Jacobins had been
guilty. Here is part OF letter he
wrote to the Bishop Of Como on May
q, 1897:
Never throw oil. but throw water
on the passions Of men: destroy pref
udices and firmly strive against false
priests. who have degraded religion
by making it the tool of the ambition
Of the powerful and Of kings. The
morality OF the Gospel is that OF
equality, and henccforth 1t is most
favorable to the Republican govern
mcnt.' Again to the Archbishop of
Genoa: You even convert the un-
believer. How true religion inspires
when she has ministers like your
self"
When Bonaparte, the Consul, began
10 cream Of a. personal Empire, he
made no secret as to what religion
should be the national one in France.
The experience OF Reason" religions
had undeceived tho French and con-
WINGED them (said Bonapartc) that the
Catholic religion was better adapted
than any other to diverse forms of
government, especially to the ropub-
'lican variety. without religion"
Napoleon wrote. "a man walks con-
tlnually in darkness, and the Cath
Ole religion alone gives to main GER
tain and infallible information con-
tinually in darkness. and tho Catholic
religion alone gives to man certain
and infallible information concerning
his origin and his latter end" (words
used in an allocution to the clergy
nine days before the battle Of Mar
engo, 1900
When, says Rose. as virtual ruler of
France. he had to choose between
Catholicism. Professionalism, Theophil-
anthropy, and Atheism, there was no
hesitation. "Do not" said ho to a
Observation-Disclosures, talk to mo OF a
religion which only takes mo for this
life without telling me whence ] come
or whittier co." and he refused these
reason, worshipers the use Of church,
es. AS for Professionalism, it never
H(says the historian) had any charms
for him since he hold TINT tI,o ,.;rb%