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Show CARDINAL MERCIER ENTERS A PROTEST Prelate Says Taking of Church Bells for Munitions Purposes Is Sacrilege. LjONDON, May 4. The protest Issued by Cardinal Mereier against the requisition requisi-tion by the Germans of bells for munitions muni-tions and organs from Belgian churches forms a touching document says the Exchange Telegraph company. "The taking away of our bells," says the cardinal, "is sacrilege. The bell announced an-nounced your confirmation, your first communion, your marriage, and It weeps over your dead. It associates its prayers with all great memories, happy or unhappy, un-happy, of our country. "We should betray our church and our country If we are oowardly enough to witness, without an act of public reprobation, reproba-tion, the taking away of this metal, which the enemy will convert into engines en-gines of destruction turned against the heroes who are sacrificing themselves for us. In the name of the libertv of the church, in the name of the sanctity of Catholic worship. In the name of International Interna-tional law, we condemn and reprove the seizure of the bells and organs of our churches. We forbid our clergy and faithful of our diocese to help "in removing re-moving them; we refine to accept the price of the sacred objects which are torn from us by force. "Strengthened by an unconquerable hope, we await the hour of our God." |