Star.
London, England, 1819-01-25 00:00:00

ROMAN CATHOLICS WI:MANY.

A very interesting work on this subject, arising out.
of the nomination of the Baron Vox VicssFmteac to
the Bishopric of Constance, has just appeared trans-
lated from the German, from which we cannot but
infer that the arrogant pretensions of the pretended
successor of Para are not far from the tombs of the
Capulets. Our Readers will form some idea of the na-
ture of this work from•the two following extracts—
the first from the Preliminary Advertliemeat and the
second from the introduction

" Our Catholic brethren in Germany have themselves begun
the work of shaking the remainieg foundation of the moulder-
ing colossus. Every enlightened Czotholie in Germany looks to
the cessation of the Papal power as to an event near at hand.
Whoever has recently travelled in the South of Germany, will
acknowledge the truth of this observation. Some idea may be
formed of the prevailing spirit among the Catholics in thet coun-
try, by a perusal of the Introduction prefixed to this publication,
written for the present translation by a Catholic Gentleman, oc-
cupying the distinguished station of Attorney-General, in the
service of a Catholic Sovereign, the King of Bavatia."
" The times of arbitrary power of any kind are past. The
nations of Europe, who could no longer endure the arbitrary
sway of their Princes, will scarcely suffer the dictates of arbl-
trary despotism, in the more sacred relations of their religious
faith; and as in earlier ages, political freedom found an asylum
in religious liberty, so will the latter now meet with protection
at the hands of the former. The relations of the Church can
only be considered and regulated by the Clergy of a Diocese ;
the interests of the Deans of a Bishopric can alone be decided by
the Bishops of the Country, elected by the Deans, and conarsned
by the Pope, and by the general Councils of all the Bishops of
the Catholic Chinch under the Presidency of the Pope. • It is
only by acquiescing in these limitations, sold by preserving the
liberties of national Church establishments, that the Papal power
can expect to maintain itself. The more rigidly this power is
exercised, the more will it, like any other sway, become odious,
the sooner will it be broken : hence the fundamental maxim of

Machiavelism—to use power with discretion and lenity. But
the Pontifical Chair seems to forget that severity and encroach-
ment may rouse the attention of Sovereigns and of Nations;
and that its ill-judged efforts to establish pretended rights may
call forth an inquiry into their siLture and origin—an inquiry,
which, it is presumed, prudence would recommend to tin Papal
See not to challenge. But the Court of Rome seems to Se in-
capable of moderation ; its spirit remains unaltered through a
series of ages, in spite of the change manifested in the spirit of
the age ; and for this reason will it hasten the more speedily to-
wards its downfal. It has, on the one band, no longer the dark-
ness of earlier centuries for ally; while, on the other, opponents
of a different mettle are to be faced. Formerly, the Popes, sup-
ported by the People, entered the lists against the Sovereigns
only ; now the people themselves, joined with their Princes and
Bishops, form fearful odds; and these three assailed by the Papal
See, will, through the obstinacy of their opponents, in the end, feel
induced and compelled to settle their ecclesiastical concerns among
themselves, without Roman interference. Thus separate and in-
dependent national Church establishments will form themselves ;
and notwithstanding particular differences on dogmatical points,
from which true morality derives no benefit, and which have no
influence on human actions, all Christians will Learn to consider
themselves as members of one universal Christian Community,
whose unity and universality will manifest itself by its adoration
of the Surma Beim, according to the spirit of the Gospel,
and by the love of all mankind. This spirit, and not that of
intolerance, is the spirit of the religion of all pure Apostolic
Catholics."

We learn that Baron Von Wessenberg is in the
highest esteem both among Catholics and Protestants
in Germany ; that he bears the character of a pious,
a moral, and a benevolent man ; that his piety is
without superstition ; his moral principles are of the
purest kind ; his charity is without ostentation, and
his activity unparalleled ; that like the primitive
teachers of Christianity, he frequently assembles the,
Clergy of his Diocese, instructs them in the Holy
Scriptures, and in matters of religion, and enjoins
them to communicate his lessons to their flocks ; that
on every Sunday the Priests are nude to catechize
the young and the old in their respective churches;
that he is like Luther, undaunted in his undertaking,'
and like him grounds his Reformation on the Scrip-
tures; that he was raised to an important episcopal
See* with the approbation of the Clergy of his Dio-
cese, by the united suffrage of his predecessor, of his
Chapter; and of the Government ; that this choice
was resisted by the offended Court of Rome, on
grounds which instead of degrading him in the pub-
lic esteem, have only endeared him the more to all
German Catholics, and procured him the support and
protection of all the Sovereigns ; and that in conse-
quence of the memorial from the Grand Duke of
Baden, secret conferences have been held at Frank-
fort for the purpose of asserting the true principles of
the Catholic Religion against the unwarrantable pre-
tensions of the Pope.
Among the valuable documents inserted in •the
publication, from which the nature of the reforms
which have been going on in Germany and Switzer-
land may be seen, there is one which we conceive
entitled to the most serious attention. It is an agree-
ment in spiritual things concluded between the
Bishop of Constance and the Government of Lucerne.
This document will skew how much better, in many
essential respects, the Catholic Church is entitled to
the appellation of Reformed than our own. An Ec-
clesiastical Seminary, upon an excellent plan, is ap-
pointed ; the income of religious foundations, instead
of being consumed, as in England, by men who have
no duties to discharge, are given to Professors and
Teachers, and to Parish Clergymen, no longer able,
from age or infirmity, to discharge their duties ; the
parishes are properly regulated, and divided into
classes, of which the income of the first is from 1600
to 2000 Swiss francs ; of the second, from 1200 to
1600 francs ; and the third, from 1000 to 1200 fr. ;
and a most enlightened course of study, including,
philosophy, and " the physical sciences more parti-
cularly," is made an indisputable requisite to the
filling the office of Parish Clergyman.
But we are afraid (says one a our contemporaries)
reforms in the Church of Rome are not much calcu-
lated to conciliate the enemies. to the Catholics in this
country. It is the abuses in our National Church
which most endears that Church to them. Their,

hatred to the Catholics. will only be increased when
they learn that the example now set by them may
be urged in favour of a similar purification among
ourselves ; and in particular, when they find that the
Catholics know how,to build new churches, and pay
their Ministers without imposing additional burdens
on the people. •
• Constance includes nearly all Catholic Switzerland, and a
great part of the• South Germary.

DANGER or DELAY.—At a parish church not many
miles from 'Liverpool, 12 couple appeared one
moi-
ning to be married but in consequence of the sud-
den. indisposition of the Clergyman, the weddings
were obliged to be postponed t►if the next day. Ac-
cordingly the Clergyman was in regular attendance
tby following day, at the same hour, when out of
those twelve coup.es, only seven made their appear-1
ar.re. lute marriage of the ..remalndcr Las been pot
oft sine die.