The new Law of Separation (December 29th) abolishes the sequestration ordered on December 11th of all Church revenues, etc., till December, 1907. It turns over immediately to the communes and to lay institutions all the property of the Church. Yet on November 9th (_Journal Officiel_, p. 2461) M. Briand stoutly resisted the Left, clamouring for this very thing. “We must not raise illusory hopes,” he said. “No,” cried a deputy, “it will be like the milliard of the Congregations.” “There are fourteen millions of revenue,” continued M. Briand,” ...but are they ‘liquid,’ free of charges? The communes are stretching out their hands to receive. You will give them what? Nests of lawsuits. Yes, nests of vipers that will poison the communes with their venom.” To explain this change of policy M. Briand said: “We have acquired the certitude that the situation is without issue. It was impossible to expect that during the next year regular associations (of 1905) will be constituted to claim this property of the _fabriques_. We cannot remain another whole year in this uncertainty” (_Journal Officiel_, p. 3396, December 21st). A French proverb says: “Souvent femme varie bien fou qui s’y fie.” And in the same session M. Briand, to explain why it was not possible to lend the churches to _curés_ under the new law for any definite time, said: “In fixing no term the Government is logical. Having a law to execute (that of 1905), and having the conviction that the Church will end by accepting it, we could not give to uncontrolled associations under the law of 1901, which are a concession to the Church, the same advantages as to _Associations cultuelles_” (1905) (_Journal Officiel_, p. 3407, December 21st, 1906). The new law of December 28th, 1906, says the use of the churches can be obtained by the declaration of the _curé_ individually, or of an association formed according to the law of 1901, or rather according to _certain_ articles of this law _only_. The Church may not avail herself of the articles which permit the formation of associations called “of public utility”--like the S.P.A., for instance.