The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-22
A NoN-cATHoLIc RE-sTATEs THE
TRUE FACTS CONNECTED WITH
THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARrHo-
LoMEW'S DAY.

THE MASSACRE OF ST. HARTHo-
LoMEW'S DAY.
Under the unique title or 1.-TWO and
Two Make Four Bird s. Coler, a
prominent banker of New York and
at one time Comptroller of that city,
has written very interesting book
in which he shows the utter lack of
historical truth in many a story that
has served to injure the Catholic
Church in the eyes of all not acquaint-
ed with the real facts of the case One
of the most interesting of these is that
in which he disposes of the scene in
Meyerbeer's Grand Opera, "The
Huguenots' which pictures the Car
dinal of Lorraine in the act of bless
ing the daggers to be used in the
massacre of St. Bartholomew Day.
That scene, says Mr.. Coler, one of
the most impressive in the brilliant
opera, has had much to do with the
quite general Protestant belief that
the Catholic Church instigated, and
through it's agents carried out, the
slaughter of Professionals in France
that was begun in Paris on August "a.
1872.
From what historical authority, from
what, in the form of record or tradi-
ton, did Scribe, who wrote the ibret-
to of 'The Huguenots," take the in
spiration for this great stage picture?
No historian of that time, Protestant
or Catholic, made mention of any
such occurrence. The written record
| is that at the time of the massacre,
and for some time before and some
time after, the Cardinal of Lorraine
was far from France: he was in Rome
attending conclave of cardinals as
sembled for the election of pope
Whence, then, did Scribe get the
idea of this scene? From the litera-
ture of the theatre, from another
stage production, the frankly admitted
invention of the Revolutionary poet,
Chenier, came this terrific arraign-
ment that has excited the honest hor-
ror of millions who believe it to be
based upon the facts of history. The
play was Charles *" presented for
the first time in Paris in 1898, at
which time Chenier published a
"Dedicatory Address to the French
people, containing this explanation:
AT the time of the massacre the
Cardinal of Lorraine was in Rome.
do not think it is right to change
history; but think it is allowable, in
an historical tragedy, to invent GER
tain incidents, provided the privilege
be used with moderation"
But the explanation is not read now
and, except by students of history
has been little read at any time; while
deep in the souls of men has been
printed the picture of the Catholic
cardinal blessing the blades for the
day of blood, and in their ears have
rung his words:
"a humble and docile son of the
immortal church and made a priest
of the living God by her hands, l am
able to interpret the divine DEGREES
If your souls are filled with burn
ing zeal to devote themselves to the
interests of Heaven, if you bring tc
murder religious hearts, you will &C
complish tremendous task. Serve
} we'll the God of nations, all of whose
blessings / now shower upon you
Know that in Heaven God now breaks
! the chain of your iniquities: by the
God who inspires me, declare the for
giveness of whatever crimes you have
ever committed. When the Church
impressed on my soul her ineffaceablt
mark, she forbade me to shed ever
the most guilty blood: but shall fol
low in your path, and in the name o
the avenging God 1 shall direct YOU
blows. Warriors, whom divine Provi
dence is about to lead; ministers O
justice, chosen by his prudence; i
is now time to accomplish the eter
nal decree Battle yourselves holil!
in the blood of the wicked"
These words were never uttered b!
the great prelate of the house o
Guise; there was no blessing of the
daggers. In France, as elsewhere
the so-called wars of religion" were
caused by politically the selfish anC
corrupt politics of the kingcraft, tina
were the same essentially as the
,, politics of the Tweed Ring in New
York City, and of other corrupt poll
tical cabals in other cities only too
familiar to modern American thought
More than once, in the article dealint
with the Huguenots. is this expressl!
stated by the American CycIopaedia
published in 1869, and edited b!
George Ripley and Charles A. Dana
"The Reformation, which was ia
from being entirely religious even il
Germany" says this work, twas mucl
more the result of secular and loca
causes in France" And again, 81
was during the reign of Henry l
that the Huguenots gathered sucl
strength as to entertain hopes o
becoming the dominant politica
,, party" -
He then describes the political stu
alton in France, and shows that tn
massacre of st. Bartholomew Da
! was the elimination of series o
political intrigues by the unscrupu
lous Catherine de Medici. TIL
Huguenots we're not inoffensive cit
=