The end of the empire, and of ecclesiastical efforts to hold sway in Mexico, has been fully treated of in other chapters. Freedom of religion has been secured in a manner that renders all opposition to it out of the question. The law of December 4, 1860, made it so, and subsequent decrees in following years further strengthened it. The government made its measures practical, ceding to protestant congregations buildings in Mexico, Puebla, and elsewhere. From this time several protestant sects established missions in the country, and though beset with difficulties — from the opposition of the catholic clergy, and from old-standing beliefs and prejudices not easily eradicated — made considerable progress.[1] Even the Mormons established colonies in Mexican territory, and an association of free-thinkers was formed in Mexico in 1870. The government maintains friendly relations with the ecclesiastical authorities, there being now an understanding that church and state are separate, independent of each other, and free to exercise their functions within their legitimate orbit.[2]
The popular dislike of monastic institutions began in the reign of Cárlos III., and increased with the development of thought among the masses. The bishops seem to have encouraged this dislike, and audiencias and magistrates exercised unstintedly the patronato, carrying out the royal instructions to crush the power of the clergy, more particularly that of the
- ↑ Violence, and even murder, has been resorted to in several places, but in later years the dissenting sects have not been interfered with. In April 1883 was opened in Jerez a protestant church, and another the following month in Toluca. Alaman, Catól. Hist., 1984, 162–3. The following authorities also treat of the subject: Am. and For. Christ. Union, xvi. 247-8; xvii. 179–80, 272, 311-19; xviii. 28, 181-3, 285–6; Tovar, Hist. Parl., iii. 553, 577-8; Mex. Diar. Ofic., May 4, 1870; June 29, Oct. 7, 1871; Harper's Mag., xlix. 177-8; Diario Debates, 7th Cong., iv. 5-6; Pan. Star and Herald, Jan. 20, Feb. 11, March 10, Apr. 12, 1875; June 19, 1876; Salv., Diario Ofic., Apr. 19, 1876, 741.
- ↑ In 1871 the clergy were deprived of the right of suffrage. Under the amended constitution of 1873, 1st, church and state are made independent of each other; 2d, marriage is a civil contract; 3d, no religious corporation may possess real estate, nor capital secured thereon, with the sole exception expressed in art. 127. Dublan and Lozano, Ley. Mex., viii. 397; Diario Debates, 7th Cong., 189, 193, 1266-7; Mex., Diario Ofic., March 29, 1871.
