The very dear
friend of Abdul Hamid, he whom the Turkish troops salute with the same
words as they use for the Sultan, has written to the Holy See,
announcing his gift of a plot of land to the German Catholic
Association in the Holy Land and adding "that he was happy to have been
able to prove to Catholics that their religious interests lie very near
to his heart."
Leo XIII might have replied: "Sire--Let your Majesty do even more for
Catholics; persuade your friend the Sultan to cease from killing them."
November 24, 1898. [14]
William II's journey to Palestine has completely proved the thorough
understanding which he has established with Abdul Hamid--that he should
take possession of the Holy Places, as head of the Lutheran religion
and as representative of the Catholics of his Empire. France is,
therefore, no longer _de facto_ protector of Christians in the East,
since she is not required to protect the German Catholics, now directly
protected by their Emperor. In the Far East, William II had already
refused to allow France to protect his Catholic subjects. The
advantages which he derived from this decision were too great for him
to abandon them elsewhere, since the murder of a single missionary had
brought him Kiao-ohao.
Thus, then, ended this journey, accomplished in pomp and splendour,
applauded at the same time by German Christians and by the slayers of
Christians. William II has attained his object in the matter of
religious influence and of the emigration of German colonists, whom the
Sultan will be pleased to receive with open arms.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202