The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-19 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

ROMAN CA.THOLICS.
Ma. Enrross—As 'it is probable that the
question of Catholic Emancipation, as it is popu-
larly called, may be again brought under the
consideration of the,Parliament in the course of
the present Session, and as nothing can contribute
more effectually to the clear comprehension and
full understanding of this important question
than dispationate discussions upon some of the
leading articles of the doctrines of the Roman
Catholic Church, I submit, through the medium
of your widely circulated Paper, the following
observations, upon which I should be glad to
I learn the opinions of some of the more enlight-
ened, and best educated members of that religion.
The infallibility of the Pope as supreme head
of the Church of Rome is a point, as I have un-
derstood, universally insisted on by the superior
Members of that. Church. Whence they derive
this superiority. lam at a loss to discover—if
we revert to the life of the Apostle—we find
many traces of the imperfections of human nature.
If we avoid this point and look to the history of
the Church of Rome, I fear we shall find still
less reason to ademit this plea of infallibility.
The Pope is considered as the descendant and
representative of St. Peter, from which circum-
stance the sacredness of Isis character is dated—
but I believe a long period elapsed between the
death of St. Peter and the first appearance of the
Pope ; a question thence arises how the sanctity
and authority of the Apostle were delegated by
him to the Pope as his successor ; from the Re-
curds of History it rather appears that the autho-
rity of the Pope dates its origin from human and
not divine ordination ; indeed, at a wry early
[ period, if not at the commencement of this as-
sumed suprernacylthe Emperor of Germany con.
tributed very materially to, if he did not wholly,
establish the authority of the Papal See. It is
very true that, during the period of intellectual
darkness, the powers and influence of that See
were submitted to almost without being ques-
tioned, but it is equally true that, in consequence
of seisms in the bosom of their own Church they
have been compelled to resort to the aid and as-
sistance of Temporal Authorities to crush the
ambition of members of their own Creed, who as-
pired to therihonours of the Popedom. A singular
instance of this occurred some time back, when
the Papal Tiara was worn at the same time by
two, if not three, individuals ; and after repeat-
ed appeals to worldly arms to settle this reli-
gious dispute had'failed, and the world had been
scandalized for more than half a century by
these dissentious, the Emperor of Germany was
solicited to settle the question, which he finally
did by compelling the individual who had set-
tled himself at Avignon, and the one who, if I
mistake not, had retired to tke South West parts
of France, to lay aside the emblems of Papal su-
premacy, and to abstain from all interference
with the authority or acts of the Sovereign Pon-
tiff who resided at Rome, and whom, the Empe-
ror declared to be the true Pope, Even 1 be.
hieve at the present day the Emperor of Germany
materially influences, if he does not wholly de-
cide upon, the successor in the event of the death
of the Pope.
The authority tlaimed by the Pope of inter-
fering in the temporal affairs of foreign States, is
one of the most dangerous instruments attempted
to be wielded by him, and it is very essential
that good authority should be adduced for the
assumption of this prerogative, or that it should
be distinctly and officially disavowed. As it has
been hereto ore acted upon it cannot be passed
over in silence ; and the mischievous tendency
of the operation of it is too evident to allow it
to be admitted except upon the strangest grounds,
In the history of Germany there is a remarkable
instance of this interference when the anathema
of the Pope produced such an effect upon the
people, that they not only withdrew their alle.
giance, but, acting upon the letter and spirit of
the ban issued from the Holy See, reduced their
Sovereign to such distress that he was compelled
to proceed on foot. to the residence of the Pope,
to solicit forgiveness, and to petition or revesal
of the ban—after performing a weary pilgrimage
over the mountains during the severity of the
winter season he reached the residence of the
Holy Pontiff, at that time in the north of
Italy, in a most pitiable condition—here
however his sufferings did not end ; he was con-
strained to wait three days and nights in the
courts of the palace before he could obtain an
audience. When at length he was admitted,
and by the most degrading concessions had
atoned for his crimes (whatever they might have
been), and had averted the displeasure of the
Pope, his holiness, after placing his foot on the
prostrate Monarch's neck, allowed him to rise,
and to return home; promising, at the same time,
to remove the ban, and to restore the Sovereign
to the authority of his crown and to the rights of
society. Similar steps have at various times been
taken by the Pope, with more or less success ;
but the exertion of authority as exemplified
in those cases forms a strange contrast with the
temporizing conduct, but recently displayed to.
wards the late Governor of France. How far
this variableness is consistent with infallibility I
must leave to others to decide : to me it appears
very inconsistent. I make no observations upon
the austere conduct of the Pope, so utterly at va-
riance with the mildness and love of his Divine
master—nor do I dread a repetition of such
scenes in the present enlightened state of so-
ciety ; but it is right to know, upon what autho.
rity such claims to interference are rested, and
whether the authority is still considered as in
existence.
In the Church of Rome the sacrament is ad.
ministered to the people in one kind only,
namely, the bread ;
but about 300 years back,
both the bread and wine were given to all com•
municants, whence aross this alteration ?—The
motive for the change does not however so much
signify, as the fact—as it
proves that the Church
has not at all times been consistent, even in the
most sacred of its ceremonies:—and inconsistency
and infallibility are surely not synonymous
terms. I am induced to place more stress upon
this event, because I know from experience, that
in defending the various ceremonies of their

Church, the Roman Catholic Clergy dwell mush I
upon the infallibility of the Pope, and the con-
sequent impossibility that any part of the cere-
monial should be wrong.
Feb. 7, 1823. IGNORAMUS.
** Can any of your numerous readers state
the shades of difference between a Roman Catho-
lic and a Papist. lam aware that a distinction
is attempted to be drawn between them : but
whilst the supremacy of the Pope is acknow-
ledged, surely it must be a delusion to say that
a Roman Catholic is not a Papist.