Rights of the State.—The Catholic Mirror condemns France because she is endeavoring to prevent the church from teaching in public schools. But why should the Roman Catholic be permitted to teach his religion in the state schools any more than the Protestant should be allowed to teach his? It is not the duty or province of the civil power to teach religion, or to use the public moneys for that purpose. The fact that the church has held sway so long in France is not a reason why such a regime should continue. We believe in religious instruction, believe it to be necessary to the individual, and even to the safety of the state, but it does not belong to the state to give it, or to the state thru the church.