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Show PROCLAIMS HIS LOVE FOB FRANCE IN ENCYCLICAL. Speaks of Her IVussion and Greatness at a Time When the Republic Had Dark Days. The encyclical to the French bishops is written in French, and makes thirty-seven thirty-seven pages. It was prepared by Cardinals' Car-dinals' Ferrata, . Satolli and Mgr. Ta-barelli. Ta-barelli. But it was Leo XIII who, after having made the sketph of it, put the finishing touches to it. That encyclical, as is well known, was to appear early this winter; but the perfidious exploitation which the reactionists of all shades and -of all countries gave to the letter of the Pope to Cardinal Gibbons, and to the decree, of the Congregation cf Bishops an regulars caused the adjournment of its publication. The enemies of the Papacy Pa-pacy even announced that this doctrinal doctri-nal document amounted to a condemnation condem-nation of the socialistic Catholics, the democratic priests and laymen. To put a stop to this lying campaign, Leo XIII was obliged' to send to the Archbishop of Bourges a precise and severe letter, in -which he stigmatized the intrigue and reiterated his reoub-llcan reoub-llcan and. democratic instructions. CJm-menting- upon the. Pontiflclal letter. Mgr. Servonnet declared that it was aimed directly at all the reactionists, and that it condemned their policy. The present encyclical shows clearly that the enemy shotted victory too soon. It forms the logical development and the authentic confirmation, solemn and irrevocable, of the doctrines of Leo XIII. Everybody knows that the reactionists reaction-ists and enemies of the French repub lic have of late exercised considerable pressure on the Vatican, with a view to the burial of union on the one hand, and the separation of the Holy Father and the Papacy from France.. The Dreyfus episode presented a splendid opportunity to compel the Pope to keep silent and remain inactive. What was to be expected from a country riven over to discord and anarchy? What madness it was to fancy that the republic re-public could ever be wise, well balanced bal-anced and efficacious for the well being and advancement of the people -Without turning back directly, would It not be better to remain silent and reserved? re-served? But Leo XIII did not think that he should listen to such advice. He proclaimed his love for. France. He confirmed her mission and her greatness great-ness at the moment when all her jealous jeal-ous rivals and her enemies were preparing pre-paring to welcome her hopeless down- fall in a most wretched adventure. It would be fastidious to point to the value of that conduct. ? From a social and democratic point ' y - cf view, the encyclical to the French bishops is not alone the crowning of the -Roman doctrines; it is the approval and the blessing of the democratic and j i social priests. That is a long distance from condemnation. For this the Pope '. j names his conditions: on the one hand j rectitude, discretion and purity, anil I on the other, submission to. the author- uy ot tne oisnops ana nierurenic aevo- if tion. That is elementary. ; One would have to be bereft of all ? common sense before contending that if democra tic conduct on the part of the ' ' clergy would imply a diminution of hierarchic discipline and authority. Hhe democratic abbes in France are priests who have taken their doctrines ' I and their energy from the love of God! , j and of their fellow men. They are the I zealous servants of eternal causes, and 1 that is the reason why they have em- )f braced democracy which is bound to f become the lever of immense religious influences. Here and there there may t be differences that may lead to deser- t tions. arising out of personal questions, but they will be exceptions. The priests i ! have constantly declared that they g were the most devoted servants of f episcopal authority. They are Romans. I and that is saying enough. We have - f witnessed the refractory during the , past three years insulting the Ameri- jf can bishops in connection with the "Life of Father Hecker." ""We never j called down the thunders of Rome upon , t those Jacobite Catholics but the il slightest difference between a demo- j cratic pTiest and his bishop is sufficient il for all the adversaries of the Pontiicial directions to call for ecclesiastical cen- j sure of the poor priest. And generally ll all such disagreements! are the result h either of a misunderstanding or of per- secution of those Catholics who are strictly and absolutely faithful toi ; Rome. jf ! The third among the leading themes i of the encyclical has a general, perma- ) -I nent and historical reach. I mean the education of the clergy. Tradition and "' progress, classical culture, the renewal f of methods, the development of perma- . nent elements, and adaptation to mou- it f ern necessities in all these matters t ' Leo XIII has marked the exact move- t- : ment of ideas and things. There is also j complete sanction of the efforts of the . J clerical elite in France in favor of the ! rejuvenation of our methods o education. educa-tion. In many seminaries in France i ? the system of the seventeenth century J; introduced by Cardinal Berulle. Pere Olies and Saint Vincent de Paul, U piously preserved with jealous care. i Perfect at that period, it is now insuf- ti ficient. Leo XIII recommends progress and adaptation to modern conditions. h - That is something which is bound to last, and which will have a most salu- l tary effect upon the church of France. -? The Pontificate, the plan of campaign. ;f -or, rather, the maniere. traditional and ! t progressive, antique and modern, of . Leo XIII is developing. It is a glorious patrimony. ' I N N O MI NATO. . - i . |