seminaries, in which those who have the priesthood in view are educated from their early boyhood {Grands et Petits Seminaires), are now, as they always have been, under the sole control of the bishops. The re- lations of the Church to the State colleges wei'e, until the Revolution of 1848, not to the satisfaction of the bishops, although every college had its chaplain. The controversv between Church and State on this point was terminated by the law of March 15, 1850, wliich grants to the Church the liberty to found free colleges. This permission has called into existence a very consid- erable number of Roman Catholic colleges and board- ing-schools. Faculties of theology exist at Paris (the Sorhonne), at Lj'ons, Rouen, and Bordeaux, but, as the professoi's and deans are appointed by the minister of public worship, thej' do not enjoy the patronage of the bishops, and have but a limited number of students. Moreover, the course of studies at the three last-named is by no means superior to tliat of the Grands Semi- naires. In order to promote the study of scientific tlieolog}', which, on the whole, is cultivated but little, tlie bishops have organized at Paris an ecole ecclesias- iique des hautes eludes.
Nominally, the immense majority of the population of France is still connected with the Roman Catholic Church. Tlie census of 1851 claimed out of the entire population (35,781,027) 34,931,032 as Roman Catholics. At the last French census the religious denominations were not taken into consideration. In 18CG the Roman Catholic population of the French dominions was esti- mated as follows : France, 36,000,000; French posses- sions in America, 314,000; Algeria, 190,000; other French possessions in Africa, 133,000 ; possessions in Asia, 200,000 ; possessions in Oceanica, 30,000. A very large portion of these, however, are practicallj' not only without any connection whatever witli the Church, but even decided opponents of it. Among the dail}' journals published at Paris only a few are considered as Roman Catholic papers. The number of religious journals, in proportion both to the Roman population of France and to the religious press of other Roman Catholic countries, is small. The most impor- tant among the Roman Catholic papers are the Monde and the Univeis, both dailies of Paris, and counted among the most important organs of the ultramontane party in the world.
The following table gives the list of ecclesiastical provinces, witli number of dioceses, clergy, and relig- ious communities in each, as reported in 1868 :
Provinces.
Dio- ceses.
Curfs.
Siiccursales,
or Perpetual
Curates.
Vicnires, or Curates.
ReliR. Commu- nities.
Aix
Alby
Alger
Audi
Avignon
Besan^on. . . . Bordeaux.. . .
Bourgcs
Cambrai .... Cliambery. . .
Lyons
Pari?
Rheims
Rennes
Ivoiien
7 5 3 4
7 10 G 2 4 6 6 5 4 5 4 4 5
226
1S5
17
128 IRS 300 481
278
in
(>5 2SG 235 208 103 27G 153 133 192
1373 1S30
1G0 14G1 1303 3(>03 2834 202!) 1240
578 2754 1919 2401 1101 2821 1.350 145!5 144G
362
5'»2 54 4:5 5a 761 616 826 2S1 284 704 2:;7 216 142T 8'.10 120
16.3 114
22
('5
146
141
219
155
89
28
193
201
123
105
119
97
'I'oulouse
Tours
Total
247 77 743 153
<(-J 1 3Cfi5 1 31,8'24 i 9307 [ 2210 |
(2.) Protestantism. — Of the Protestant churches of France, two, the Reformed and the Lutheran, are recog- nised as state churches. The French government ap- propriates a certain sum of mone}' everj' year for their support. The liudget for 1861 gave, as the total sum of this appropriation, 1,402,236 francs — a little less than 300,000 dollars. It was divided as follows, namely: for the salaries of Reformed pastors, 890,400 francs ; salaries of Lutheran pastors, 415,750 francs ; in aid of
FRANCE
G46
FRAXCE
theological schools, 32,000 francs. The remainder was devoted to l)iiildings and repairs, to the support of widows, and to incidental expenses. The salaries are allotted bj' law, according to tlie population of tlie communes, or districts. The pastors of Paris receive 8000 francs ; pastors of communes with a population of over 30,000 souls have 2000 francs; from 30,000 down to 5000 souls, IMOO francs; below 5000 souls, 1500 francs. Thus a pastor in one of the state church- es in the poorest village in France, or in a remote coun- try parish, is insured a salary of 300 dollars a year. The communes are allowed to add to the stated salary where they are able and willing to do so. Some of the parislies, especially in the departments of the Uoubs, Bas-Khin, Haut-Kliin, and Vosges, have funded or real property, the proceeds of which are devoted either to the support of the pastor, or to repairs, church expens- es, etc. Collections for parish purposes, or for the poor, are taken up at the church-doors every Sunday. In general, theparishes have parsonages ; where they have not, the communes are bound by law to furnish a subsidy for rent, unless the funds of the parish afford sufficient income for the purpose. " A garden," to cite the language of the law, "is not de riijueur, but the communes are authorized to provide it" (^Napoleon's Decree of May 5, ISOG). The state also provides for two Protestant theological seminaries- — one at Stras- burg, for the Lutheran Church, and the other at Mon- tauban, for the Peformed Church. None but French citizens can become pastors. No doctrinal decision or formulary, whether called a confession of faith or bj' any other title, can be published, or be made the basis of instruction, without authorization from the govern- ment, nor can any change of discipline be made with- out the same authorization. No one can be admitted to the ministry before twenty-five 3-ears of age. No parish can augment its number of ministers without the consent of the government. No religious service at which more than twent}' persons shall assemble can be held except in an authorized place of worship. No preacher is allowed to inculpats individuals, direct- ly or indirectly, in his sermons, or to attack the Eoman Catholic religion, or an}' other authorized by the state. The highest Church judicatories are, in part, tilled with nominees of the government, and no real autonomy of the churches is allowed. The professors in the theo- logical schools, though nominated by the Church au- thorities, are appointed by the government.