The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-12

as candidates for important Offices which baf
hitherto always been filled by ecclesias .ics.p A
school, with foundations, for the benefit of the
scholars was opened by the city of Cologne, but
when all the arrangements were made il apnear
ed that the new regent was a protestant Car
dinal Otto TruchSess built new university N
his town OF Dillingen, for the express purpose Of
combating Professionalism. In a few wears II
4 ourished, under certain eminent Spanish tbeo-
logians, but at their departure, no learned Ca
thoilc could be found in Germany to fill their
Iplaees. Even these were occupied by Protest
ants AT this period almost all the teachers in
Germany were protestants; the rising gene
ration sat at their feet, and with the first ru-
diments OF knowledge imbibed hatred of the
Pope"
! "Such," proceeds Ranke, 'Swas the condition
OF affairs in the north and east of Europe. In
many places Catholicism was entirely crushed
| IN all oppressed and despoiled; ana whilst ii
was striving to defead itself here, enemies vet
more formidable had arisen against it in the
south and west"
Such was the state of the reformation IN Ger
many The same writer adds:
'"The French had embraced the doctrines of
their countrymen with their national yehe-
mence; and in spite of all persecution, the
freheh churches were soon organised in Pro-
| testant form, on the mode of those of Geneva
| they held a synod rs early as the year 1859. In
| 1901 the Venetian Ambassador, BIichal,, did not
lind single province free from the Protestant
doetr mes He says; three feurths of the king
dom were filled with them; namely, Brittany
and Normandy, Gascony and Languedoc, Poi
tou, Touraiae, Provence and Dauphine' Sat
many places in these provinces, says he, meet
lngs are held, sermons preached, and rules of
LIE LAID down, entirely on the model of Geneva,
without regard to the royal prohibition. These
opinions are adopted by all, and what is most
remarkable, even by the clergy; not only priests,
monks and nuns-few indeed of the converts
remain uninfeeted-but even by the bishops,
and many Of the most considerable prelates."
'"These general changes in Germany, France
and England, Says Ranke) necessarily produc-
ed an effect on the Netherlands also The in
iuence of Germany was first predominant
Among the various motives which determined
Charles the V. to undertake the Smalcaldic
war, one Of the most cogent was that the, SYM
pathy excited by the German Protestants in the
Netherlands daily increased the difficulty of GO
vernlng that province, which formed so impor-
tant part of his dominions. In subduing the
German princes, he at the same time prevented
revolt of his Netherlands. Yet all his laws,
severely as they were executed, Gt has been cal
culated that up to the year 1860, thirty thou
sand Protestants were put to death) were una
valllng to arrest the progress of the new OPT
mons. The only consequence was, that these
gradually inclined more to the French Calvinist
doctrines than to the German Lutheran ones
In the year 1861 a formal confession was sub
scribed IN that country, churches were establish
ed on the model of that of Geneva, and the Pro-
testants, by uniting themselves with the local
authorities and their supporters, acquired poll
teal basis which seemed to promise them secu-
rity and success for the future
EEUnder thsse circumstances the earliest oppo-
sition to the Church Of sRome acquired fresh
force In the year 1862, the Moravian brethren
were formally acknowledged by Maximilian IL,
and took advantage of this favorable event TO
choose large number of new pastors in the
synods, to the number, it is reckoned, of hun
dred and Lightweight. In 1861 the Duke Of Sa-
voy found himself constrained to grant new pri-
vlleges even to the poor communities of " alden
ses in the mountains. The Protestant spirit had
extended its vivifying power to the most distant
and obscure corners of Europe. What an inn
mense empire had 1t conquered in the space Of
! forty years!-an empire reaching from Iceland
TO the Pyreanees, from Finland to the summit OF
the Italian Alps Opinions analogous to Pro-
! testantIsm, have already observed, even
| fonnd their way across these mountains, and
were dIffused over the whole territory of the
| Latin Chuteh. The new faith had been adopt
ed by the great majority OF the higher classes,
and of those who took an active part in public
ted to it, aHd it had entirely altered the consti
tuition OF states. This is the more remarkable,
since ITS doctrines were by no means mere ne
CATION or remuneration Of Popery, but, on the
contrary, were in the highest degree positive,
and contained renovation of those christian feel
ings and principles which guide and govern hu-
man life, even to the deepest and most secret re-
cesses of the soul"
The Historian then proceeds to speak of the
resources possessed by the Papacy for active con-
test, and says:
'EFor long time the papacy and catholicism
had maintained an attitude defensive it is true,
sgainst the encroachments Of professionalism, but
yet passive, and had been obliged to endure
them as they best might
: CHOW, however, things assumed as
poet.
awe have already contemplated that inward
development by which the Catholic Church be-
= gan the work Of self restoration.
FEWe may affirm, generally, that she was once
2 more inspired with fresh and living energy,
that she regenerated her creed in accordance
with the spirit of the age, and originated re-
form which, OF the whole, satisfied its demands
She did not qiloto the religious tendencies then
eristing igs the South Of Europe, to sro1O into
hostility; on the contrary she incorporated them
nth her 0t1n and gained the absolute direction
ofthem. This a0as the process By 'oiiich she re
neicedher strength, and repaired her disaster
s'The restored catholic system first gained pos
session of the two southern peninsulas Thi.
could not be effected, without the exercise Of ex
traordinary severity; the renovated inquIsitior
of Rome came to the support OF that OF Spain
and every effort OF professionalism was forcibly
crushed"
'eThe royal power was strengthened in every
Province, by the addition of spiritual authority
nor indeed, could the kingdom have been gov
erned without the aid Of the Inquisition
g The Pope's nuncio thought the ISSUE
of the council then assembled, was no les.
important to the royal than to the papal power.
For, says he, '"(he obedience paid to the King
nay his whole government, depends on the inqui.
sItion were that to lose its authority, seditions
would instantly arise"
He then says:
''A boundless theatre opens to our view, the
action begins in many places at once, and cur
attention is solicited to the most opposite and