The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-12
Sketches from the foreign papers received al
the Union" office by the Great Western.

Sketches from tie foreign papers received at
the "Union" office BY the Great Western.
THE SECOND REFoRMATIos IN GERaAsr.--The
European (continental) world is at this moment
In greater ferment, upon the subjecr of reli-
gion, than at any period since the days of Martin
Luther. His counterpart is John Ronge an OBJ
scure Catholic priest, who has sprung into
great notoriety since the LIST of October last.
Indeed, in this short period, he has managed TO ac-
quire position, and a commanding influence,
which Luther himself was for many years employ
ed in attaining Doubtless, the march of mind--the
spirit Of the age, which scorns the trammes Of an
tiquatod theories and superstltons social and polt-
ical, well as religious-the activity which prevails
over the whole intellectual mass of socictythe cner
gy Of the ptessthe power Of associated mind in all
its literary forms have given impulse to curiosity
and investigation, which circulate almost with the We
locity of the electric fluid through society. These
have prepared the way for the abors of Ronge. Yet
events show that he is the man eminenty suited for
theoccason-- that is, sufficiently bold, sagacious,
eloquent and enthusiastic, to lead great religious
reformation among highly cultivated people.
He is Roman Catholic priesti he is subject of
the Prussian monarchy; was born in Sesia, and is
said to have become disalleced and disgused by the
close discipline of an ecclesiastical seminary, after
the liberal studies Of the gymnasium, and his year
spent in military duty, which Prussia requires OF all
her citizens. The London Morning Chronicle OF
the Goth Instant says:
"The first cause of Ronge's outbreak was the re-
| fiaa of Tho In nrii pn hoice ma
the chapter of Bresau of liberal and moderate prel-
ate The vicar-general, in the mean time, admins
tered the diocess the ideas Of the Jesuit and ultra
montana school. Rongc, then clergyman at Croft
kan, wrote letter to journal, complaining The
Graham of the district discovered who wrote the let
ter, and Ronge was dismissed. He took refuge
amongst the miners of the mountains, and bded his
time. This time came, when Arnold, Bishop OF
Treves, set up the very coat which our Savior wore
at his execution in the church of Treves to be wo-
shipped. million and half of people made pill
grimagc to Treyes, to obtain thereby forgiveness OF
their sins. On the LIST of October, 1874, Ronge
wrote his Opinions of Catholic Priest" on this
matter. Fifty thousand copies were sold in LEIPZIG
in fortnight. 'Recoect,' said Ronge to Bishop
Arnold, that our Saviors fell to his execution
ers whilst HE spirit went to dwell with his disoi-
ples.' The letter Of Ronge evinces great talent"
or this coat, is said that the priesthood exhib-
it it but in "a years for "a days, and realize
about 62,o0O,eo0 by the trick at each period.
| We take from the London Chimes" Of the 18th
ult. the following interesting synopsis of Ronge's
celebrated letter, which throws light on the social
and religious condition of Germany:
at was on the LIST of October last, that the un-
known parish priest addressed his letter to the bsh
op; and not to him alone, but all the Roman Cath
olics of Germany, whether priests or laymen. you
have heard, says Ronge, speaking to the latter,
| of that which for time has sounded in our ears
like fable or tale. You have heard that the
Bishop Arnold, Of Treves, has exposed as n reli-
gious spectacle for the veneraon of mankind ves-
ture called the coat of Christ. You have heard this,
Christians Of the nineteenth century; German peo-
| pie, you know 1t; teachers of the German people
and of religion, you are satisfied that this is ia
| bic, no tale, but the truth and fact. The latest
accounts inform us that 500 600 souls have made a
pilgrimage the relic and other thousands continue
daily to pour in, hearing and believing that this sa-
cred vesture has healed the sick, and performed d.
vers miracles. The news has spread 10 every land
ami is carried to every people; and the clergy of
France think fit 10 deny the authenticity of the gar.
ment and to claim the regard of men for tho origi-
nal which they profess to have themselves Such
| is the opening Of Ronge's letter. Denouncing the
festival idolatroun and unworthy exhibition of
the Romish hierarchy, whom he upbraids for I'M
poverishng people who can afford neither the ex-
penses of the journey nor the extortions Of the
elected their work, and tho youth have been demon
allied by answering summons which bee c;.ccc
..c.c opened the to superstition, hypocrisy,
and fanaticsm, and all the wckedncss bound up IN
them. These are the blessings he continues,
(which the exposure of your coat has showered
upon our land; and the man who has brought il to
light who dvtrts from their lawful channel the
ligious feelings of suffering, creduous, and gno-
rant multitude-who gives his energies TO the cause
of superstition and vice-who wrngs goods and
money from poor and hungered people--who
holds up the German people to the derlsun OF nations,
and who adds TO the weight of cloud already hanging
over us--this man is a bishop, German bishop
the Bishop Arnold of Trevcs. Then, Bishop Ar
noldi of 1reyes, address myself to you; and call
upon you, in virtue of my office and vocation,
priest, as German teacher, on behalf of the teach,
ers Of the people, on behalf of the German nation,
on behalf of christnnltyto put an ed to the unholy
exhibition of this sacred coat, TO withdraw at once
the testure from the sight Of man, and to make our
scandal no greater than it is. Know you not--as
bishop you must know it--that the founder of the
Christian religion bcgueathed TO his disciples and
followers, not his coat, but his spirit His coat
Bishop Arnold of Treves, belongs to his execu-
tioners. Know you not-as bishop you must know
lit--that Christ taught God is a spirit and he
who worships Him, must worship Him in the spir
and in the TRUTH And He may be worshipped
everywhere, not merely at Jerusalem in the temple
not only at Treves in the presence of the holy coat
The jealous and offended pastor goes on TO state tha
the Christians of the apostolic times, and Of the frs
three centuries, permitted neither an image nor 4
rec-and of the latter they must have had many--ir
their churches; and that it not until the 18th
or lth century that the sound and healthy mind OF
the German people suffered itself to be charmed by
the Crusadcs into degrading alteration Of relics
Ronge denies that the bishop has had the good o.
Christianity at heart in his unseemly exhibition
for, If this were the case, he says, how mus
your conscience he loaded with double guilt for
having held back from suffering mankind this sacred
vesure until the year of grace lS44 and is tnot mos
objectionable, too, that you should receive offerings
of money from hundreds ofthousands of pilgrims
you, Bishop of Treves, from the starving popuIa
ton of our land--you, who saw few weeks ago
absolute wantdrving hundreds of miserable wretche.
to instruction and death' Do not allow yourself to
be deceived by the docking of the crowds or be.
lIeve that whilst thousands of credulous Germans