The Republican Bishop Of Grenoble.

THE REPUBLICAN BISHOP OF GRENOBLE .

MONSEIGNEUR FAVA'S address to his clergy , assembled before their annual Retreat , contains a reply to the vehement polemic of which we ( The Weekly ^ Register ' ) gave some specimens from the Figaro ' s reports of some clerical opinions in Paris . The Bishop says : —

We have desired to give you , heart to heart , the reason of our public and solemn declaration of our acceptance of the government instituted iu Franco—that is , of the "Republic . It is obvious that every living Frenchman is de facto a Republican , since France is a Republican state ; bnt there certainly exist Frenchmen who do not

at heart accept that form of government—who do no more than endure it . For ourselves , Gentlemen , lifting up oar soul to that Providence which wills or permits the events of the world , we all unite in accepting the fact that what was the French Empire has become the French Republic ; and if ifc should please France one day

to adopt another form , in consequence of the growing intolerance of the Republic towards the Catholic religion , then also would we bow down before the mysterious designs of Divine Providence . Submissive children of the Church , we tarn our eyes to the Popo ; we accept what he accepts , and refuse what he refuses You will

remember that France in general made no difficulty as to accepting a Republican Constitution under Thiers and MacMahon ; few were dissatisfied except the Freemasons , who conld not realise their ideal , whioh was no other than an anti-Christian Republic . In 1878 thoir chief spoke in their name to the President a word whioh was later to

be addressed to himself : " Either submision or resignation . The Marshal , accustomed to meet enemies who faced him in the light of the sun , declined to match himself with men working in the mystery of their " Lodges- " he resigned . From that time our poor France has been in the power of Freemasonry and the Republic has been its slave .

After an exposition of the steady work of fche Freemasons in France during twelve years , the Bishop proceeds : — There were , moreover , a thousand other things to trouble onr hearts j and we asked , What is to be done ? To whom , after God ,

shall we turn ? To princes ? Noble , indeed , are some of their adherents , but what can they effect against the sectaries in power F And should we await , with arms folded , their possible return ? Should we sacrifice Catholic interests to their dynastic cause ? To Conservatives ? They , too , are impotent . Should we turn to the

Freemasons , the Jews , tbe infidels themselves , and persuade them to justice towards the Church ? That , too , has been attempted . It is to Rome that we turned , and we heard the voice of Leo XIII ., calling us thence to a struggle with the enemies of trnth , and through his example and his words , bidding us go to the mechanics

in the towns , to the labourers on tho soil , bidding us teach the lowly and love the lowly , for the exalted had forsaken . us . It is with the humble , with the Christian democracy , that we shall regenerate tho world , and shall carry to the ends of the earth , and among people still barbarous the adorable name of Jesus Christ , Thus it is

and the poor prefer the Republican form of government to any other , because it secures to them a part in the direction of affairs and recognises in them a kind of sovereignty . It is therefore reasonable , since the Republic is the form of government established in France , to adhere to that form , and to go frankly to the working classes and

say to them : We are with you , be you with us , and together let us so act that , as the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris has said , France may remain Christian ; we are Catholics alike ; let us unite against Jews , Freemasons , Freethinkers , Infidels , Atheists , the impious of every kind , who are all devoted to their

separate interests ; and then let us realise the wish of Leo XIII ., father and friend of the workman , of the labourer , of the populace , whose rights he has vindicated with infinite diligence , and let us prepare in our schools an army whioh we shall let loose upon the world , not with fire and sword , but to bring with them the flame of

charity . Hate is sterile . The hate of Jews and Freemasons is ineffectual in the world . Bnt Christian love makes the fruitfulness of the universe . . . . Now those missionaries from France , who are welcomed all orer the world , have almost all of them sprung , as we have done , from the ranks of the people , from the Cardinal who

labours to fertilise the desert , to those Apostles of the Faith who were before our armies in the extreme East . Let Catholics but unite , and tbe reign of Freemasonry will soon bo at an end . Yon , gentlemen , one with yonr Bishop and attached to your people , will form a preponderating majority in this diocese

able to direct the legislation in municipalities , and ultimately to take fche helm of the commonwealth . If in all other dioceses your example is followed , the victory is ours to-morrow . We shall bat have to present ourselves in a body before those who rule us , and to say to them : " See , here is the French nation , from whioh you hold

your power , and which comes to you now to say to yon that you have failed in your engagements , inasmuch as yon have made lawa destructive of distributive justice , such as the edncational law against religious schools , the military law for seminarists , the fiscal law against Convents , and others besides . Messieurs les sinateurs

et diputis , you must retract those laws ; the French people , yonr master after God , so wills it , and yon are bound to respect its will , being elected to that end . " What would our rulers reply to suoh an appeal ? To refuse would be to pronounce the sentence of their own fall . There is no resisting with impunity a nation claiming its lawtul rights . A government depending upon the people ' s suffrage tor its authority is bound to listen to the people . Christian govern-

The Republican Bishop Of Grenoble.

ments have for their mission the service of the people . Let them leave tyranny over nations to the pagan and the barbarian . Enow then , Masons and Jews who govern us , that we are weary of your administration—we Catholics , who form almost the numerical whole of the nation of France . Take heed to our pleas , against the time when , taking Catholicism itself as our political platform , we

shall ourselves assume the direct authority . Gentlemen , it depends npon yon , tho olergy of this diocese , that this shall be accomplished as far as regards this diocese . It depends upon tbe clergy of France that it shall be realised in tho whole of France . Gentlemen , the clergy have the future of the country in their hands . Let them petition the Bishops to urge their just complaints and

those of the people in their charge in the quarter where they will avail ; and the Government at the sight of this imposing majority , whioh . is practically the nation , will understand that there is no choice except submission or resignation . Should the decision be for resignation , the nation , resuming the authority which is its own , would take counsel . Our adversaries love to play with words , the

power whereof they well know . Thus it is that they seek to belittle us and to frustrate us by the mocking cry of " Gouvemement des Cures . " Gentlemeb , we know that a Government of priests is a Government by Jesus Christ , Who came not to be ministered unto , but to minister . The Popes call themselves the servants of the servants of God . And the Popes do , in fact , govern by preaching to the rioh the Gospel of their duty of serving the poor , the small , the

laborious classes . And do not the priests insist upon the same truth ; Our adversaries are displeased that we shonld deliver our message ; they would like to see us burrowing underground , or at least retiring to our sacristies . But the time for thafc kind of thing is past . Vive la RSpublique Ghretienne ! It will restore to the people all their lawful rights , and to the clergy the liberty to serve , to elevate , to protect the people .

The monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Robert Grey P . G . D ., President , was in the chair . Bros . James Brett and 0 . A . Cottebrune occupied fchir respective chairs . Bros . Pendlebnry Assist . G . Secretary ,

Dodd , and Lee represented Grand Secretary ' s office . There were also present Bros . Brown , Mercer , Vallentine , Dairy , Chapman , Bunker , Abraham , Vincent , Goldschmidt , Hopekirk , Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , Langley , Whitmarsh , Tijou , Mnlvey , Coop , Medwin , Brown , Smith , Vine , Albert ,

Earnshaw , Massey , Fuhe , Money , Harper , Catling , Taylor , Yaxley , Osman , Betty , Pointer , Westerhy , Klenck , Beaumont , Bryson , Gowan , Hamilton , Dove , Lucker , and Sadler G . Tyler . After the Board had heen formally

opened , the by-laws of the Board , on motion duly made and seconded , were taken as read . Bro . Grey said that before entering on their business , he felt that as President of this Board he would be carrying oufc the wish of its members if he moved a resolution . That was one of the

saddest days they had ever seen , and was perhaps nofc an unfitting one for people to pay a tribute of affectionate respect to the memory of one who was gone—Col . Shadwell Henry Gierke , Grand Secretary . This time last month when the Board met , Col . Shadwell Gierke was at

his home , then a dying man . He had shown sufficient proofs of the same energy and pluck with which he had stuck to his duty when he was but a young officer in the

army doing his duty to his country and his Queen . He was at his office to the last possible moment , showing his untiring devotion to the Craft , and there was no body of Masons who would mourn his death with more sincere

regrefc than the members of the Board of Benevolence . He would now propose the following resolution : "That the members of this Board desire to record on the minntes an expression of their deep regrefc at fche severe loss fchey have sustained by the death of Col . Shadwell H . Gierke ,

the Grand Secretary . His devotion to his duties , his benevolent disposition , and his untiring efforts to assist his brethren , will be gratefully remembered by every member of the Board of Benevolence . " If ifc was also the wish of the brethren that a copy of this resolution should be sent

to Col . Gierke ' s sorrowing widow and family , the sympathy of fche brethren might be some small consolation to them . Bro . James Brett P . G . P ., Senior Vice-President , seconded tho motion , which was carried unanimously . The brethren then confirmed recommendations to the M . W .

Grand Master , made at last meeting , to the amount of £ 510 . The new lists contained 32 names of petitioners . Five of these were deferred , and the remainder were relieved , with a total sum of £ 645 . There was one

recommendation to Grand Lodge for £ 100 , and two for £ 50 each . There were two recommendations to the Grand Master for £ 40 each , and four for £ 30 each . Seven grants were made of £ 20 , two of £ 15 , six of £ 10 , and three of £ 5 each .