CHARDINAL MERCIER'S AREST.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 165, 17 March 1915, Page 3

CHARDINAL MERCIER'S AREST.

. TEES- OAKDiwAL-'S L-iITTLH. orTiiACrEOU,*; treatment. WELLINGTON, ilaixli !M. Some weeks ago :' London en hit message stated that German i ; n •:!••'■>■■'■ ties denied that rhe Cardinal P.'->.he;i ■■ Malines hail been impi isonvd by the Germans, as asserted by the Bellini Government. A Wellington resident in direct communication with France has received-a ltttei written by Cardinal Mercier while in prison. It v.*as .written in Latin, and was smuggled inn Amsterdam, whence its deliverance 1 the addressee was made easy. The lei tev, which is dated January 30i.1i, i. adressecl to the parishioners of I" diocese of• Mnlines, and it- refutes iv'.il no iMicoi'tair.ty statements BerJii ind Brussels that I l *.' writer d'in iu ' hawing is v tianstatioa of ihe l-U-r: communication mado l>v the Cere"; '.Tc.vci'nnient to the duilv press o 1 <ml>,, wherein it )■■■ stated thai the C : =" liiial Bishop of .Mulines lm* Hf* ;b e; restricted in his .liberty or in ibo e::rr eise of his episeopn) duties. Th's : -: ; far from the truth.- • On the evening of New Year's Day, and on /the fo!,;~ lowing day. German soldiers foreib'y penetrated into the presbytery &>.v" s seized my episcopal letter, upon v.-ltiyh-after perusal, they made a report to the authorities. They have now prphrbited parish priests from reeding it to-t-heir parishioners, threatening them, in case of disobedience, with penalties most severe on titer parishes ■:i:l on themselves. Three days ago, a! P , Vlofl? ill the morning. I was order '.o in the 'forenoon burro the Tcrmnn authorities in' order te g ; ve. '•• •xplnnaiion eoneevn'mg mv 'otter to priests and che«r pfirisliio: era. On the following day I v.r.s £o;b,iddcn to assist in the religions ceremonies in Mie Cathedral of Auvors. Meror.v--. authority was refuse:] me to"trnvel ': order to visit the other bishops of Belgium. Your right?; anil -nine li'r.Vf been violated'. As, a Belgian citizen, as your pastor; and as a member of the Sacred • College of Cardinals, I protest most emphatically against the violation of those rights. Whatever interpretation others have put oil nay letter,'it is proved by experience that it has not caused any semblance of rebellion; on the contrary, it has helped to calm my people. Belgians, I congratulate you. on doing.your duty.''