The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-27

| ton. The sumptuOusness OF puOllc Dtnquets, and
the brlliancy of nightly convvialities, Proffer
attraction than the hauuts of poverty, the scenes
Of wretchedness and despair, or the imposing So
I lemnify of bed of sickness. Thus the bishops and
clergy, and, by consequence, the whole body of
the Church Of England, which is now mass of
corruption and putrefaction have lost all the zeal
and ardor of religion which formerly characterized
their actions During this period of retrogression,
| the Roman Catholic Church-small, but vigorous,
oppressed, but indefatigabe-has been making
rapid strides in England and in the face OF meal
culable difficulties, has achieved conquests Of no
inconsiderable importance. From a small begin
ming she has gradually covered the entire length
and breadth of England. Some hundred years
ago, there was scarcely Roman Catholic church
10 be found and now there is not city, town, or
village in which they do not stand side by side
| with those of the Church of England. Re-
view the statistical accounts of the religious
history Of England, and they will furnish abun-
dani evidence of the rapid and almost incredible
extension of the Church of Rome throughout that
counuy-incre dible we say, when. we consider the
| almost insuperable obstacles and impedments
which everywhere opposed and obstructed her
! progress. There it will also be found that herfeld
! Of action was principally among the adherents of
! the Church of England, and that her conversions,
| or retrogressions, as they are sometimes called,
are not exclusively confined to the lower classes,
but that they embrace not a small number of the
eminent, wealthy, and most learned men in Eng
lend. Such has been the progress Of Catholiciiy,
and such have been the accessions TO the Church
of Rome throughout England, that the superin-
tendence of the whole flock has become too heavy
a task for one individual to perform. The princi-
pal of that church has, therefore, deemed it neces
sary TO appoint several individuals TO that office,
and to assign TO each his proper sphere of action
The establishment, therefore, of nominal sees in
England, is but the natural consequence of the
rapid extension ofthe Church of Rome throughout
that country The hierarchy, or rank, or subord-
nation of the ecclesiastical body being essential
point in the doctrine of Roman Catholics, it will
invariably be found that wherever the Church of
Rome has existed to any considerable extent, this
order has been established Nor does the Roman
Catholic Church stand isolated or,aone in this par
ticular Almost the same rank subordination
presents itself to our view in the ecclesiastical
body ofthe Church of England, and we find it to
be adhered TO in countries where che does not
Joy the royal prestige of being established by law.
If, therefore, the Roman Catholics are permitted
to exist in England to the extent they do at present.
it is evident that the hierarchy must be instituted
and observed, as the exIgency Of circumstances
demands il, and particularly as ii is an essential
point of their doctrine.
The erection of sees, or the partitioning of Eng
land into bishoprcs or docesses, by no means in
wolves the exercise of a temporal or political uris
diction over the parts thus divided 1t merely no.
mina, and only indicates that portion of the coun-
try 10 which the spiritual authority of each
bishop is TO be confined, in other words,
il pc ints out TO each the surveillance over the sp-
ritual welfare of the Roman Catholics in a certain
district or psrt of that country These newly no.
ninattd Bishops exercise no legal right over the
diocesses thus assigned TO them; they claim no
land tiles-they have no participation in the go
Vernmen; of the country-tbey hold no commu-
nion with political parties-they sgitate political
questons--nor VIII they occupy seats elmer
among the Lords or among the Commons in the
! House of Parliament. Their sphere OF action is
exclusively confined TO religion, their authority ia
spiritual, aud their whole office consists in watch
ing over the spiritual welfare of the locks com
miued to their custody. Such beisg the extent
Of their authority, and such the nature of their
Office, it orrcars somewhat probema,ical to con-
template how the action OF the Pope could have
caused so much excitement and CONSERVATION IN
has, with equal sudacity, presumed to portion ont
this couEtry, and we do not find the act attended
with such extraordinary phenomena, as has been
Witnessed in England. We have received the
Pspal bull, and no violent agitation has oonvlsed
our community. We have seen The Bishops, ap-
pointed to Office, take possession Of their new
diccebser, and no one has raised the voice Of
opposition or appreciation. We know that their
-. 80 q aud aa4
10 The members Of their church, within the boua-
dariee Of their respective bishopries. We like
vice know, from long experience, that they Gaze
fully shun al interference or meddling with qnes-
tiors If a legislative or political tendency, aud
we therefore compleoently view this new move
m,nt Of bis Holiness the Pope, without fear or
apprehension.
Nor can the mere assumption Of English titles
be- assigned o. a sufficient reason for such a
storm or excavation, which is now raging in Eng
lend; for % is obv GUS that these titles are merely
nominal ia their character, and serve only as
mark or distinction between the various bish-
crncs, vithou, conferrng any new rights or pri-
ultRes II, therefore, the English have tolerated
Bishop wissman In the penary performance 81
his episcopal duties, previous TO this movement, we
cannot conceive Why they should oppose his nomi-
I nation 70 the dignity Of Archbishop Of Westmin-
SER AZ be exercises more OF no lees authority,
/ whether he be Archbishop Of Westminster or
Archbishop Of Jspan. Nor can it be mlintAined,
thattbis violent agitation is the result Of sppre-
htusiou fcr the power of the Pope. We are all
sufficiently enl ghtened to know, that in the process
al time the power aud influence Of the PonHff
have undergone 9 material alteration, and tina; the
general mass Of mankind, by the universal dis.
tenirsGon Of science and literature, have assumed
different position towards spiritual authority than
10 ages gone by. Since, therefore, this extraordi.
Isy commotion and excitement cannot be ascribcd
TO the authority exercised by the lately nominated
bishops, or to the mere assumption Of English
ti.l,s, or TO fear Of the power Of the Pope, we
mustpy a little further into the motives aud de-
sicns Of the bishops md clergy Of the Church Of
| IL. II IL q