第775章

The ecclesiastical profession then had attractions which it no longer possesses； it had none of the inconveniences incident to it at the present time. A priest was not exposed to democratic distrust and hostility； he was sure of a bow from the laborer in the street as well as from the peasant in the country； he was on an equal footing with the local bourgeoisie， almost one of the family， and among the first；he could count on passing his life in a permanent situation， honorably and serenely， in the midst of popular deference and enjoying the good will of the public. - On the other hand， he was not bridled as in our day. A priest was not a functionary salaried by the State； his pay， like his private income， earmarked and put aside beforehand， furnished through special appropriations， through local taxes， out of a distinct treasury， could never be withheld on account of a préfect's report， or through ministerial caprice， or be constantly menaced by budget difficulties and the ill-will of the civil powers. In relation to his ecclesiastical superiors he was respectful but independent. The bishop in his diocese was not what he has become since the Concordat， an absolute sovereign free to appoint and remove at will nine curés out of ten. In three vacancies out of four， and often in fourteen out of fifteen，[69] it was not the bishop who made the appointment； the new incumbent was designated sometimes by the cathedral chapter or corporation； again， by a collegial church or corporation； again， by the metropolitan canon or by the abbé or prior， the patron of the place； again， by the seignior whose ancestors had founded or endowed the Church； in certain cases by the Pope， and， occasionally， by the King or commune. Powers were limited through this multiplicity and inter-crossing of authorities. Moreover， the， canon or curé being once appointed he possessed guarantees； he could not be arbitrarily dismissed； in most cases， his removal or suspension required a previous trial according to prescribed formalities， accompanied with an examination， pleadings， and arguments before the officialité or ecclesiastical court. He was， in fact， permanently placed， and very generally his personal merit sufficed to keep him in his place. -For， if the highest positions were bestowed according to birth and favor， the intermediate positions were reserved to correct habits and attainments. Many canons and vicars-general， and almost all the curés in the towns were doctors of divinity or of canon law， while ecclesiastical studies， very thorough， had occupied eight or nine years of their youth.[70] Although the method was out of date， much was learned at the Sorbonne and St. Sulpice； at the very least， one became a good logician through prolonged and scientific intellectual gymnastics. "My dear Abbé，" said Turgot， smiling， to Morellet， "it is only you and I who have taken our degree who can reason closely."Their theological drill， indeed， was about as valuable as our philosophical drill； if it expanded the mind less， it supplied this better with applicable concepts； less exciting， it was more fruitful.