Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-27
Archbishop's House, Malines.


Mr. Chancellor-The Governor General of Brus-
sells Baron Won Fakenhausen, has informed me in
letter dated February that he will very shortly
proceed to seize the bells and organ pipes in
y churches.
In September, 1917, it already being noised
abroad that our bells in danger. We tried then
to pacify> the minds of flock by inviting an as
surance from the Governor General that in accordance
with the oftrepeated promises of his predecessors he
would uphold the rights of the church in Belgium the
Bishops of Namur and Liege joining their sigma
lures to mine. The of the Governor General,
dated September 20, was evasive. That of February
8 now announces that must no longer cherish any
illusions under this head and that failing the august
protection of his Imperial Majesty the sacrege will
be perpetrated in the of few days.
Our only remaining nope Excellency, is in your
gracious intervention.
Article 46, of The Hague convention, imposes
upon the occupying power the duty of respecting both
the exercise of public worship and private property
whether held individually collectively. Again Ar
tice SO limits all acquisitions in kind to the needs
of the army of occupation
1t is superfuous to add that bells and organ pipes
are not used to meet the needs of the army of oc-
cupation. They come under the head of private
property and used in the exercise of Catholic
ship.
In the name of international law, subscribed to
by the highest authorities of the German Empire
and the Kingdom of Prussia, beg your Excellency
to prevent the publication of the order with which
selves, your Exceency cannot be unaware that the
forcble seizure of a church bell is a sacrlege.
bell is a consecrated object, which that it is
irrevocably dedicated TO the service of God. The
bishop has not merely blessed it, he has anointed it
with holv oil and sacred chrism in order that accord
ing to the language Of the liturgy. it may be sane
titled by the Holy Ghost ('santifcetur spritu
sancto") and the faithful recognize in its can the
voice of the Church guumOnino hor chd~rn IN hoe+nn
TO her bosom ("Vasculum ad invitandos fos sanctae
ecclesiae praeparaum, ut festina antes ad piae ma
iris ecclesae gremium cantent in eccesia sancorum
canticum novum)."
The voice of the bell summoning you to lead
the life of Christian and which will summon you
again to the tribunal of God YOUR Excelencv recog-
nizes reveres and regards with affection Now that
you are chancellor of the empire its appeal still
reaches your heart just it did when you yet
q simpler member of the faithful. The realities of
The spiritual life and ecclesiastical law unchanged
by human greatness. You neither order nor au-
thorize the ordering of the proclamation of bells
secrated to Catholic worship without at the same
time participating in a sacrilege.
Let me add. Fxceencv, that this encroachm@nt
on the rights of tho Church announced by the Gov
ernOr General of Brussels would come great
shock TO a people who have never wished Germany
anything but good-a people Germany has bound her
self by oath to take under her protection and who
should by be spared fresh sOrrows
Among the cherished hopes of your comuatriots
Is assuredy that of day renewing friendly rela-
tions with our country. The remembrance Of viola
ton of religious rights dear to each diocese,
parish and every Christian family in country,
would lnger in the minds Of people for several
generations fostering hatred instead of love. Will
not your Excellency therefore to the conclusion
that the economic future of Germany is inevitably
hound up with the vindication of international law
and the rights Of conscience?
Our venerable colleagues in the German and Aus