EXCOMMUNICATION BY REGISTERED LETTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3307, 11 September 1872, Page 3

EXCOMMUNICATION BY REGISTERED LETTER.

{South. iXiKlon P'riW.)

Most people havo read and laughed at Irigoldsby's "Jackdaw of Rheims," where the bishop pronounces that terrible curse which seemed to make nobody any the worse—except the unfortunate jackdaw. Ludicrous as is fchat legend, it may be doubted whether oven Barnum himself could liave imagined'anything more ludicrous than a fact which conies from Berlin—sending a bull of excommunication in a registered letter. The person to be excommunicated refused to tako the bull from the bishop's messenger ; the .bishop, thun sentifc by post, and had it returned to him. He then sent it to a judge sitting in court, asking him to compel the 'offender to receive it, and the judge flatly refused to do anything of the kind.. So the bishop does.not know what to do next. If lie throws the bull into the professors window, tlie professor will, throw it out again. This is ono incident—a very amusing one—of the struggle - -that -is now going on between the old Catholics, as they"call'themselves-^tti'o Catholics, that is, who believe in the Roman Catholic religion mim* the dogma of Papal infallibility, which they, repudiate—aiid the Ultramontane. Another incident is that the Emperor lias removed the chief chaplain from <ho army, and has told the other chaplains that they arc not to obey the dismissed 'chaplain!* orders, under penalty of being instantly dismissed themselves;' Tho struggle, provoked by llie. Roman Catholic hierarchy, goes bravely on, nnd the State, whoso authority they bave defied, is determined' to have no impcr'mm- in, impei'to, as these and other measures prove.