A Church in Chains

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 15, 1910

A Church in Chains

This church, according to the Independent of November 24, is the professed church of Christ when she is hampered by alliance with the state. Of the experience of the papal church in Spain, this journal says:—

It is reported that the Vatican will find itself able to renew negotiations with Spain for the amendment of the concordat. This is not good news for Spain or for the church. The desirable thing is that there be no concordat, and no agreement nor relation of the government with any church. Pure, utter, complete separation is far better for both, such as we have. It is where there is no concordat that relations are the happiest. Cardinal Vannutelli has gone back to Rome, and reported enthusiastically as to the attitude of the church in Canada and the United States. But in neither country is there any concordat.

Would indeed that all men might learn that a union of church and state accords no strength, either to the church or to the state. Each is stronger when left to operate in the particular sphere set for it by our divine Lord.