M. Dergent, curé of Gelrode, found he was accused of spying for the English. Without any explanation he was brought to the town hall, ill-treated, brought in front of the church, struck with the butt-ends of rifles, then shot. M. Glouden, curé of La Tour, and two other priests who, by permission of the German commandant, were taking up the wounded on the Ethe territory had a machine-gun turned upon them, and were then dispatched with revolver shots, by order of the same commandant. The curé of Spontin was taken in his bed, dragged half-naked out of his house, and hung up several times, sometimes by the feet, sometimes by the hands. Afterwards he was stabbed with bayonets and then shot. There is no better picture of the hatred of the Germans towards members of the Belgian clergy than the proclamation about hostages which was posted up on the 6th September at Grivegnée, especially when we know the fate which was almost always reserved for them. The proclamation said: “_In the front rank were placed as hostages priests_, burgomasters and other public officials.” THE ARREST OF CARDINAL MERCIER The abominable behaviour of the Germans to the Belgian Catholic clergy was crowned by the arrest of Cardinal Mercier, Archbishop of Malines. The following is the account of the circumstances under which he was arrested, given by the reverend prelate in a letter of the 10th January, sent secretly to all the parishes in the diocese of Malines. “You are, doubtless, aware of a communication made by the German Government to the Brussels daily papers, to the effect that the cardinal archbishop of Malines had in no wise been hampered in the exercise of his episcopal duties. The facts show how far this communication is from the truth. “On the evening of the 1st January and on the following morning soldiers forced their way into the apartments of the curés, seized my pastoral letter and entered an injunction against it. They forbade the curés to read it to their flocks, threatening, in case of disobedience, the severest penalties to their parishes and to themselves. “On the 2nd January, at 6 a.m., I received the order to appear during the morning before the Government, to give explanations with regard to my letter to the priests and their parishioners. “On the following day I was forbidden to take part in the religious service at the Cathedral of Antwerp. “Finally, I was not permitted to travel freely to visit the other bishops of Belgium. “Thus your rights and mine have been violated. “As a Belgian citizen, as pastor, and as a member of the Sacred College of Cardinals I protest energetically against the violation of these rights.