In the city that once proclaimed itself eternal there is war between the Quirinal and the Vatican, the government of Italy and the papal hierarchy.

In France the government of the republic and the Church of Rome are at daggers-drawn.
Before the world-war England and Germany--each claiming to be Protestant--were looking on askance, irresolute, not as to which side might be right and which wrong, but on which side "is my bread to be buttered ?" In America, where it was said by the witty Frenchmen we have fifty religions and only one soup, there are people who think we should begin to organize to stop the threatened coming of the Pope, and such like! "O Liberty," cried Madame Roland, "how many crimes are committed in thy name!" "O Churchism," may I not say, "how much nonsense is trolled off in thy name!" I would think twice before trusting the wisest and best of men with absolute power; but I would trust never any body of men--never any Sanhedrim, consistory, church congress or party convention--with absolute power.

Honest men are often led to do or to assent, in association, what they would disdain upon their conscience and responsibility as individuals.

_En masse_ extremism generally prevails, and extremism is always wrong; it is the more wrong and the more dangerous because it is rarely wanting for plausible sophistries, furnishing congenial and convincing argument to the mind of the unthinking for whatever it has to propose.
III Too many churches and too much partyism! It is love--love through grace of God--truth where we can find it--which shall irradiate the life that is.

If when we have prepared ourselves for the life to come love be wanting, nothing else is much worth while.