CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE

Evening Star, Issue 13003, 24 December 1906, Page 8

CHURCH AND STATE IN FRANCE

MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION. PARIS, December 22. The Chamber of Deputies, by 413 vote« to 166, adopted M. Briaud's Public Worship Bill, The. Minister of Public Woxebii stated that the Government bad given. the Catholics liberty in common -with all other citizens, and it was not empowered to give them more. They trusted to the good sens* of the communal mayors, who, under the Hill, were authorised to give the priests the use of the churches. It would be to the interest of tho majority to hand over the- churches to tho priests for tho purposes of public warship. The country was quiet, and approved of a patient, moderat'policy. Many bishops, when tie Government ordered cxmsideratkm to be shown them on account of their age and infirmities, were so afraid that they would compromiee themselves in tho eyes of Rome that they begged to bo expelled forcibly from their palaces, lest they should be inspected of taring an wndereianding with tho Government. The Vatican had been secretly and vainly hoping for persecution and viollence, in order to revive her religious faith amongst Frenchmen. The Government nnderstood the Vatican, and had rescived to legislate so as to keep the Papal Church within legal limits.