The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-21
BELGIUM NOT CONQUERED
awe Await Day Of Revenge" wrote
Cardinal Mercier

In the pastoral letter which is under
stood 10 have led 70 Cardinal Mercier's
arrest. he says that e was at Rome, dur
tns a visit TO the Pope, that he heard ore
after the other OF the destruction OF the
college OF Louyair, OF the devastation OF
tho town. the shooting and torture Of men,
women and children. and even while no
trer5led at the Thought Of those horrors
IN" telNgrap phi announced the bomos rdmeHt
Of the Metropolitan Church. the Episcopal
palace and large portions OF the city OF
Malines. The Cardinal says:
Far from my diocese. without means
OF communicating with you. was forced
20 concentrate and TO carry my grief In
my soul, with the recolleCt!ons OF YOU
chat never left me. to the foot OF the cross
Then / regarded my crucifx. looked
upon the face OF Jesus. tho gentle. Lowry
Lamb Of God. bruised and cnveloped IN
His blood 80 with a turic. and / thought
that heard from His lips the words that
the Psalmist spoke In His name. My God.
nv God. why art Thou 80 far from help
ing me- And the murmur died on my
lips as | thought OF what our Sav.og
r;tid in the Gospel The disciple is not
above his Master. nor she servant above
his Lord For no catastrophe
IN the world that can assail his creatures
Is comparable with that which our sins
provoked. and OF which God willed Him
self upon Calvary to be the innocent vic
Kim.
This fundamental! truth recalled. foit
more at eeso to ask you 20 face our COM
mon situation and to speak to YOU without
evasion OF our duties and OF our hopes
These duties [ give YOU in two words :
Patriotism and endurance
Our King in the estimate OF a., II
crowned upon moral heights He alone
does not know IL. for, like the simplest
~ his soldiers, he !s IN the Trenches
encouraging with the serenity OF his smile
those whom he asks to have no feag az
b to their land"
The rrst duty OF every Belgian citizen
the letter continues, was gratitude 10 :he
army. pray each day. my brothers" he
says FOR these 25O, 900 men and for the
leaders who lead them TO victory. Pray
for our brothers In arms. pray for those
who have fallen. pray for those who stlu
night. pray fOf the recruits who come for
ward T. night the battles OF tomorrow.
'W7!:e. .he aav TO- anai ''!c.c-,' dawn.
the honor will he for NJ all II is Just
that nov we should all suffer"
/ In tho concentration camp AT Munster
lagen, the letter goes on. are 800 Civilian
I prisoners. and thousands of others OF the
! citizeuse have been carried away to other
/ prisons. Then he says:
History with tell tire story OF the
physical and moral suffering OF their lorg
I Calvary Thousands OF the innocent have
been shot In my own diocese alone
/ know OF thirteen priests or monks who
! we're put TO death. \ rootnOte to the
letter gives the names of thesel one OF
them, the cure OF Gelrode. seems to ha We
died martyrs death.
We cannot count our dead OF measure
the extent OF our ruins Even where life
IL saved and buildings untouched. how
much hidden suffering Is there Families
! I'LL yesterday in comfort are in woe.
! Business Is stopped. The activity, the
! hustle Of work, is suspended. 1d.eness
-. 4.
/ and thousands OF workers are without
labor workwomen, shopgirls and humble
, servants are deprived of the wage which
brought Them bread These poor sous
turn on their bed OF grief and ask. When
will the end be- We can only reply.
| That Is Gods secret
God will save Belgium, my brothers,
How can wo doubt II" Nay, Mt this
| moment he Is saving IL.
| Through thr light o. hurnings and the
vapors OF blood can YOU not see already
( the proofs Of Ills love-
! "Is there a patriot who feels that Bcl-
GUM Is not greater
(which OF us would have tho courage
~ he could 10 tear out this latest page Of
our history"
(Which OF us does not look with pride
on the outshinlng Of glory on our
desolato land
we had nsed--leT us confess it-of a
lesson in patriotism.
"Belgians IN large numbers were using
UP their strength and squandering their
time In barren quairels OF class and race
and personal passion.
But when, on August . foreign
Power. confident in It's stFene''l and for
getful OF the faith OF treaties, dared "a
threaten our independence, all Belgians
/ without distinction Of party, condition
origin. rose az a single man. linked by the
side OF King and Government. 10 say &c
! the Invader, You shall not
I'VE do not regret our first elan
Writing In a tragic hour solemn page
of our history We wllled that II shoul,
he true and glorious. and we shall knew
how TO mako proof OF our endurance
Tie people have given US the example
Yet. II I may judge from the feeling
have found In the more populous quarter
Of Malines, and IN tho most afflicted com
munes Of my diocese, in spite OF the suffer
ing they stll have energy. They AVA
the day Of revenge. Courage, my brothers
our suffering will pass. hut the crown o
life FOR our souls and of glory FOR on
nation will not pass"