Show DEATH CLAIMS MERCIER V WAR AR HERO PRIMA PRIMATE IE OF BELGIANS Cardinal Who Provoked G Invaders to Frenzy Was Yas 74 7 DIES IN L BRUSSELS Hi His Pastoral Letters Stand Out ant as Features of Great Conflict BRUSSELS Jan By 3 23 By Tb The Pre Ca Mer-cler Mer Mer- Mer Mercier Ier- Ier der cier primate of Belgium and one ot of the heroic figure urel fl of the world orld war ar died tola al at the tile age of or 74 losing his long lone battle a th the thede de deline that set in after aftel an opera opera- operation operation operation tion December r 29 9 Death Nth came cam II at 3 S o'clock this HAS S HAPPY n Th aged prince of o-f the church slipped quietly Into the hereafter with all of at Catholic Belgium and France ranee praying for or a speedy te re rc- rc covery or orthe the race race of a happy dc as the church fn formula mula mula hits has hasIt hasit It it Hf UP was surrounded b b bi members of at his family the faithful of his archdiocese I the he papal In Brussels and anti a representative representative of King Kin Albert Albert Ibert when the end enoi came Special masses for the tao illustrious Illustrious ous dead will be celebrated throughout Belgium ard France to lo mark nark the cardinals cardinal's passing TALK T 01 OF H MONUMENT X Already AtrE-ady thc thc-rc 1 Ij is 1 talk Ik tn 11 n Brussels I ot or a monument nt to the I Incarnation of the war-time war lIOU oui 01 B Belgium oy Dy popular Lion The TIe funeral will probably p be beI bean bean bean I an affair of or state stale wic King AI Al- Al AlI Albert i Al-i I bert brn and Crown Prime Prini-e Leopold amon among the mourners i Cardinal r was stricken with Influenza 19 The I news of his Illness b bacame ame known when he was unable ta tp I attend the tue at nn n I I I belli received the gold goldi sent rose sent her by Pope Plus Pius In honor of hi fifth tw wedding anniversary I Shortly afterward 1 t was an- an an announced flounced that the primate would have to undergo an all Jn In Ina Ina j a pastoral letter h he deprecated fear of daiger His Ills ailment was I wasI explained officially 13 s r I dyspepsia making i 1 for tor the active lire life th tb I cardinal wished to pursue sue Ito Hi- was was as tran transferred to St SI Jean clink from the archbishopric palace lace at I I atI Matinee December 28 8 end under under- underwent underwent underwent went an operation the thc following following day day He was given ghen a Ie local al anae- anae anaesthetic and was able l t 10 the details of the operation Jie I stood the ordeal well SEEMS SEI- SEI IS 10 io I During the days das following the operation the j cardl-j I nal seemed to Improve l and lIls Jils complete recovery wI d by those In 10 attendance upon him Suddenly on Janu January r 6 howO however r It became known that the she h concH condi condition lion tion of the venerable churchman hurchman I had taken a turn for tIe the worse It was with difficulty that thai be he was able to ns food tood lie He began to weaken but his r robust conch conch- constitution tullon ani faith ailed al him to withstand the ravages of ot his sit all ail ailment ment much to the sur surprise of his hl hi physician During his Illness prayers were we-re said for his hili recovery Cry I Iii ii au all the churches of Belgium and the IheI heads of almost t all ail the nations or- or the civilized civilized civilized world Inquired about his hia condition Au- Au Am Ambassador Phillips of at the thu th States was a frequent caller at atthe atthe the hospital Once he hc hi brought the cardinal flowers from Secre Secre- Secretary Secretary Secretary tary of Stale Kellogg N rOil SE MOR-SE I I I I I I When the sudden turn lurn for h The worse came I the iho cardinal fully realized that his end Ond was as rela- rela relatively lively lIrly near at han hand Sly My y st sl stomach m ach itch has failed me there Is troth noth nothing ing more the doctors can do the prelate said to a priest at the bedside The holy sacrament wu was wa administered This pled the cardinal to sa say When hen hen my health was good I always said eald I wished to receive lve the last s not when 1 liS s comprised compelled to 10 to- to re receive it but while I 1 could stilt receive he it ana altO feel reel a 1 little better beUel now Artificial was resorted resorted re- re resorted sorted to during days of the primates primate's but this method served Its Us purpose poorly poor irMON U OF 01 H During hi illness on January Januar 16 the cardinal 1 l left ft his bed over I the protests of his physicians anti and conferred with churchmen conI con con con- I the Belgian flood situa situa- situa situation situation I tion lion Also Alia he was det deeply ply Inter inter- p I cited in the prospect of ot a n union of the Itoman Homan and anti Anglican churches a 11 movement In which J and held heldI he be was the tIle prime mover r numerous on 01 the Lite sub sub- subJect subject subject In the sick cham chamber er During the present week one of his vie vie- viea vis visitors a was Lord Halifax president of the tho English church union with whom he had a somewhat length lengthy conversation regarding the unIon of the two churches CUX mil FOR lOI jI iJ I When hen the cardinals net met to soled se- se select lect led a successor sor to op BeneI Bene- Bene I Ile ct dict X XIt X XV It was reported that the favored Cardinal French e Cardinal r butt but t was said eald saidI that the tho latter entertained no I hopes for tor the place In conferring the th degree re of doctor 1 doctor of or laws lawa of th lh University of Louvain upon Secretary Se r-lary r o of I State Slate Charles E B Hushes Hughes when I On Un lage l-ii l e Two i J NOTED BELGIAN CARDINAL DEAD Continued Page PaJe On One l he be Cardinal visited Europe in 1324 ISH Cardi Cardi- ardi nal Mercier Herder expressed appreciation tion of Americas America's service during the war Belgium and her allies ho he told tho the secretary owe you a debt of deep gratitude because If the United States States saved laved them every because one ono knows s that hat It ii was be- be be cause her entry Into the war ar was vos due In a large lare part to your our clear clear- your our tenacity and your courage Desire Mercier Cardinal of Prince of tle the tle Church and Apostle of Peace was one of ot the most moat striking figures brought prominently bythe before the world by the most ruthless war ar of all time timOR times LIttle known outside of Vatican circles or 01 beyond the borders borden of modest Belgium prior to 1914 this mod set est unassuming prelate was all as famous Armistice before the world on Arm Arm- Arm day as were the royal heads of belligerent states or 01 the Illus Illustrious generals general who ho led the allied armies to victory The role played by Cardinal Herder Mercier was one of the jiu stand stand- lug Ing features of the world war ar Al- Al Although though hailed balled as the Apostle of Peace throughout the civilized world Inthe he demonstrated ted early In I the great struggle that he also was wasa a fighter of the first magnitude when convinced that his cause was Imbued with righteousness j lie He was AI In ha Rome when news newl at ar rived that Belgium his Belgium his native land had had been stricken to earth by the mighty advance Cutting short the formalities which usually attend tho thu departure of II a high church dignitary from the Vatican he hastened back to Bru Brus- Brus Brus Brussels eels sels waved wed aside preliminaries and precedent exhorted his hla hi people to resist the Invasion with all the strength h and determination at their command denounced the Germans from pulpit and palace and end front then on continued as one of the the most formidable and nA In itt the side aIde of ot enemy mill mill tary tary authorities who were endeavoring endeavoring onuS oring to shape tho the destinies of ot con con- conquered con conquered Belgium to the best besl advantage tago tage of victorious Berlin COURAGE GE On countless occasions his cour- cour courageous cour courageous ageous attitude in defying the In- In Invaders In Invaders evoked admiration through through- throughout throughout out the worl His devotion to the sU subjected populace throughout the five IIvo most frightful years eara In Belgian history never faltered for tor forthe forthe the briefest moment even under pressure of threats and coercion bespeaking violence and death to himself Baron von Biasing BIssIng the tho German governor General of Eel Eel- Eel Klum glum who ruled over the little kingdom with an iron hand en- en encased en encased cased In tn a mailed fist flit we was forced In the end to acknowledge that his master had been met In this mild mild mannered mannered disciple of a cause causa which made up tsp In glory and devotion what the tha fortunes of war bad had de- de decreed de decreed creed it should hould lack In the power of cannon and sword FAMOUS LETTER The rhe famous Pastoral Letter Latter of December 1914 1314 prepared by Car Car- Cardinal Cardinal dinal Mercier and read in every Catholic church in Belgium hu has been called one of the most damn damn- damnIng damning damning ing Indictments of the German In- In In Invasion lesion Allon ever written The letter went forth to printer and priest despite every overy precaution the Ger Ger- Get Get- German roan man authorities could tak take to sup suppress press it Spies by tho score acore watched day and night ver thE prelate and arid his stiff staff for the in- in In Invaders vaden were aware that a letter contaIning condemnations condemnation of the I I I most violent nature was to be read from theland tholand ever every Catholic church In the tho land on New Years Year's day 1915 1015 They Thet were determined to forestall It at all costs but the letter was read despite their efforts and the wrath of the powerful von on Biasing Dissing was waa heaped upon Cardinal cler Her Her- Ier- Ier cier for his defiance Under orders from the generals general's office he ho was kept a prisoner In his home for tor two week weeks while von Biasing was bringing pressure to force his submission A mere ver- ver ver bal verbal admission that the prelate bad no Intention of exciting or alarm alarm- ing alarming the population by the pastor pastor- pastoral pastoral pastoral al letter would have satisfied the governor general It W was said but no such Buch admission ever was se- se secured se secured cured from Cardinal Mercier BRINGS PERSECUTION Another pastoral letter sent out at the beginning of Lent In 1916 brought persecution from von Biasing Bluing The conviction or our final vie vic victory tory Is more moro deeply anchored In my soul than ever the letter said laId itt In part We e win will win do not ever doubt it but we Jave ave not reached ranched the end of ot our sufferings Pro Pre Prepare Pre Prepare pare your plans place your bat bat- batteries batteries bat batteries teries coordinate our movements Remember man proposes but God dIsposes Von Biasing Bissing flew Into a tower towel towering lug ing rage when he be read the letter leUer which Invocation he avowed was an on invocation Invocation tion of the cardinal to God for tor the extermInation of the German armies Purple with Indignation and on the verge ot of an attack he threw hi his helmet on the floor trampled and kicked It Into an unrecognizable mass then sent ev- ev every ev every ery cry orderly In his headquarters for Baron von der del Lancken and Count Harrach his advisors Cardinal Mercier must retract he told them They must secure an apology to German Germany and all the tho resources of 01 the German empire were at their disposal to get It r- r NEVER En AX APOLOGY Still no apology ever eyer came from Malines A little villa village hot not far from Briano was wu the birthplace of Cardinal Mercier In 1851 The family was as a a distin distinguished guided religious one several oth- oth other oth other er members having received high honors from the Catholic church Believing that he was destined for a II career other than secular the future Cardinal prepared for forthe forthe the medical profession and upon his graduation from front college studied surgery under Professor Charcot at Pari Paris Inborn love lovo of the priesthood however soon oon caused him to abandon his medical studies end and seek eek seclusion in a seminary where he lie prepared himself to talco the tho cloth Before he lie was aa reC referred to as the Great Cardinal the tho Abbo Abbe Mercier was known to Belgians Belgian as the tall priest as he stood well over six feet In itt height His men men- mental men men- mental mental tal endowments endowment proved to be on a apar apar par with his physical appearance hence it was not long before he at- at attracted attracted at attracted the attention of Influential p persons in the of the ch church Eventually when hen It was decided to create an Institute of philosophy In Ir connection with thu University ot of Louvain Pope Leo XIII recognized the capabilities of the young Abbe Mercier and had him placed In charge of the tho or or- or organization or work U UNORTHODOX TEACHINGS Great surprise Va was occasioned later however when It was noted that the priests priest's te teachings wore were tn in indirect Indirect direct opposition to doctrines of ot the tho themore themore more conservative element in the tho Holy See lIe He taught that Catho- Catho Catho Catholic lie lic dogma did not constitute j CathO-j an ideal which It was as forbidden to at- at tempt to surpass or a a frontier de fining defining the activities and limits of at atthe the mind Summoned to Rome by his ad- ad adversaries adversaries ad adversaries then constituting con a ma- ma ma mil majority In the College of Cardinals he argued his case so that Pope Leo Lee decided the con con- con I controversy afterward in his favor and soon af- af af appointed him bishop of He Ue was made a Cardinal tn in 1907 1307 by Pope Plus Pius X C and dropped from sight as far as the world orld until at large was concerned un- un un til t the Germans entered Belgium In 1914 Modest humble seeking no pe pet pet- per personal Ronal honors the prelate of Bel Eel Eel- glum Bel-glum glum spent the declining years of his life as he had spent the years before the lie war visiting war visiting his priests and congregations discussing their troubles consoling them in sorrow and preaching to them humility In success September Following the war in Septem Septem- bet ber 1919 1911 Cardinal Herder paid a I visit to the United States As his ship docked In New York he be was as met by General Pershing who welcomed him in the name of the American government and throughout his tour of the coun coun- country coun- coun country country try he received l many honors and degrees At tho thu time of his de departure he said I It If under the tho pressure of years ears or 01 for other reasons I have to re- re relinquish relinquish re linquish m my ministry in Belgium I Iam Iam 1 am willing to spend my last days das t your country and will not refuse An opportunity to come hero and ShOW how that I am worth worthy to bo be atrue a atrue true American |