p. 10 | A Year of Mourning by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 18, 1912

A Year of Mourning

By C. M. S.

At the recent consistory in Rome, during which nineteen new cardinals were elevated to what is known as the sacred college, the Pope began his address by declaring that “the past year had been one of mourning for the church.” His reason for denominating this year one of mourning was that this was the year of “Italy’s jubilee, which recalls vividly the spoliation of the church, and also because of the impunity wherewith the Protestants and Free Masons oppose the Church of Rome.” The reports state that “he lamented the separation of the church and state in Portugal,” and attributed it to “the same iniquitous body,” expressing the hope that the “Portuguese nation, boasting of centuries of attachment to the church, would react against her enemies.”

In view of the teachings of the Scriptures and in view of certain developments and certain conditions in the United States, this declaration of Pope Pius X is worthy of some consideration. The Roman hierarchy considers all Christendom its field of operation, and in fact every soul in the world the subject of its sovereign domination, and considers that church despoiled of its rights and of its goods wherever there is a separation of church and state. This is demonstrated in the Pope’s lament concerning recent developments in Portugal. Those who have brought about the separation of church and state there, are denominated as enemies of the church. The Italian government is also considered the enemy of the church, in that by its action in 1870 temporal dominion was taken away from the Holy See. During the year 1911 Italy celebrated the jubilee of Italian unity. This Italian unity, of course, is coincident with the abolition of the temporal sovereignty of the Pope. Therefore while Italy rejoiced, the Papacy mourned. While Portugal was celebrating her independence of priestly domination, Rome was mourning for the loss of what she considers legitimately hers.

The apostle Paul in his letter to the Hebrews commends the members of the church in that they had “taken joyfully” the spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had in heaven a better and more enduring substance. But the Papacy has not taken joy in the spoiling of what she considers her goods. She has made her house a house of mourning, while these governments were making theirs a house of joy. Their time of jubilee has been her time of weeping.

The same apostle in his letter to the Romans says this: “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Rom. 12: 14, 15. This is an inspired admonition to the followers of Christ for all time and all places; therefore if the Roman hierarchy were truly what she professes to be—a true follower of the One who inspired this admonition—we would see her rejoicing with Italy in her jubilation, and rejoicing with Portugal in her new-found independence. On both of these counts we find this system refusing to follow the plain admonition of the Inspired Word. She is neither rejoicing with those who rejoice, nor rejoicing in the spoiling of her goods.

C. M. S.