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

Avn DL4S IN
Lecture OF Bishop Hughes ON the Decline OF
Pr0testanism.
Last evening, Right Rev. DR.. Hughes delivered q
lecture in st. Patrick Cathedral on the decline rro
tsstanism. The building crowded to excess Nst
only every seat occupied but also every standing
place In the sisss. As nfty cents were charged for
admission, the taken Ut the door could not be nm
der 81 500. There entire want Of asoommods-
ton for the press There not seat reserved
The reporters obliged to stand which together
with insufficient light, has caused their report to be
imperfect, especially the beginning oft.
The Bishop commenced In q very low tone Of voice,
by contrasting Cstholioity and Protestantism The
one, from it, very nature, calculated to endure
the other contained the seeds Of dissolution in the
very principle upon which founded the right
private judgment, and the denial Of all authority
This inevitable tendency Of Professionalism to decline
admitted by Protestant writer's themselves, and
among Them by Macauiey, the esssyist the reviewer
and the historian. To the Catholic church there was
always one rallying point-the unity Of the faith
Prom this central point its doctrines spread on eyery
side, and the heather converted in myrads The
cross triumphed wherever It was raised But the
Reformation came and not ouly our churches
but eur universities were taken possess
sion OF BY the professors of the new creed
Professionalism immsdistey seized all the wealth and
became master Of kings, and armies, and naviss and
senstes and nations and every thing which the Catho
lies had in course Of time accumulated, either for
charitable religious purposes. We will now regard
Protestantsm in its professions What does It profess
to accomplish What is its protested mission Its
mission according to It's own statement was to resu
late fallen Christisnity--to introduce pure and
perfect religion, as . substitute for that apostate
church. as 1t called the Catholic faith. from which
Itself smsnated. II such vas its purpose We should
think that 1t would take certain ground in
reference to its mssion for II IL really believed that It
was the form in which cd would save the world IL
bound to labor for the salvation of the wsrd To
speak In upequivocal language so that it should ao
complish in its own time something like what the
spestate church had previously accomplished Two
thinge, however 1t was bound to do first to convert
pagan nations and the other itself for
If It ost itself In aitem pting to gain over others t
would necessarily show that IL not what IL pre
tended to he. shall net attempt definition Of what
Protestantisn is. have sought in vain for any,
Thing like definition, nor, indeed, do I conceive
1t possible to give what may be- called a defni-
tion Of the word Professionalism. Ro~eyer L shall
tale II in the light of what 1t Is inspected to bs
and then endteyor to find idea of what IL ia
by the elements Of which 1t is com posed. think
Protestantism Ia generic term tho conditions OF
wnch are that the individual who calls himself BY
this name protests against the Catholic church i'm the
hrst instance, but protests i'm pcitly against ALI hu
man sutnority and on the other hand takes that
meaning from the Holy Scriptures reflected by his
own mind. viii take this period OF 1907 when Pro-
testanu,m Was comprised in three great divisions
the Lutheran, the Cayinist and the Anglican On
looking at the books Of that period i And
IL Is understood comprising two elements
EN- bodied Cream many OF the essential truths OF
primitive Christanity-I mean the doctrine OF the
Rely Trinity the Incarnation OF the Saviour Original
sin the Holy Eucharist, and others These were the
positive doctrnes while the doctrine of the Intsroes
sion Of Saints and Others These we're the
nssstiye faith OF Protsstsntsm You have therefore
these two principles, and hey ond them / cant pre-,
tend TO define what Protestanti,m is for N you
and ascs Il TO the present 'psS.as S a
be found these two elements the one embracing
jeelrs these and THESE doe,rSss We esnt t
this day but regret, THAI what was positive has
ceased 70 be So and II Protsstantian included all
the decline on the side Of latitudina risnism +
Or ssys ,rssp 70. .S, some sixteen
to put them all aside because IL AttsmP pied to quote
authorities IL would occupy my whole dime. The
Europs In Germany the doctrine OF the Trinity IA
held held at all only by sfsw and BY the Ignorant
no conception, OF any such thing Rationalisra
has taken the place OF Protestantism al.
though they still claim the ancient name,
ON the meaning Of which they have departed
youspesk to them OF the miracles, they were all done
through metmsrifm. This is their explanation OF
Scripture, and yet they enjoying ali the emolu-
Hents If m The old Instituted Tor
the support OF tbs Catholic clergy Do you 10 To
switzerland In Geneva they have patron saint, not
Calvin, but Bossau and hts sentiments those Of
persons calling themselves Christians In the DAYS OF
Calvin. man would b. burned 10 death for DENYING
will lot be burned TO death for believing In Il bat
be VIII be laughed at. Go TO France, and tra-
v'll.rs viii tell you that the churches represent
nookefJ. Go to Holland, ana the thing meets
the -Je. Go to Sweden and all is dark and cold asd
dreary and sta ss iron because freedom Of conscience
lie thing unknown We read Of q man Of genius who
wishsd 10 be a Catholic. baaishod and his property
eonrfcated Look over the history Of ProtestAntisn
In Ebflsnd See what that country has passed through
since 1901 Professionalism there to have pri.
vilsce, and II you lock for any propagation Of
froisstsDtsm there you will look In IL 4. long
time tihce II tlt the necessity OF attempting
thing like what sccs N pii.hsd by the Catholic
huich. in The conversion OF the heather; and we
IND that one hundred and forty year ago missionary
ttci.tiet established but what they have done /.
blank ss lar ~ history u concerned We know
thst within our own memories milions and millions
81 onsy have been received IN England and in the
United tatss for the purpose ons all OF which
has b,sn sacriosed, with thousards q m.sionsries
in sttem pting to do something TO propagate Pro-
tesant M aud will cay boldly all without success
We have heard much Of their success In the SANDS
I'sLes bot believe u will b found that the propags
ton Of there lnsive We know that the
population of those islands has diminished half
under the influence Of mi.sions and know that the
conversion Of those that remain h OF such kind that
the people ~ law driven into the churches With
canes These therefore. are symptoms Of decline II
" oecnnins on both sides On one eide Is the de-
cline Of all who have separated from TIA primary doc
trines. We must either admit that all Germany and
Holland has decline ed into inhdpty, must sti1
call ~ Protestant. But Proteetants will not admit
this but Il shows how fast Professionalism declines
Into inhdety IL declines the other side, for u
very consoiing reflection that many Of the best
and purest minds that embraced protsstsnism
have come one after the other In the direction OF thu
Cathslic Church. In Germany. too, hear
OF Tour hundred men connected with the unverities
becoming Catholics. not Ia body but one By one III
They remain they viii not submit 10 any yoke They
s@y the scriptures their guide, and they the
Interpreters ieu havs taue he they 10 disregard
suthority and you attempt 10 fa,ten your yoke upon
ne. IL may be taid that Catholic nations hsve turned
Gus many tnhdels, but they do under the
cry of Csthohety Protestante have no check them
III Protestsntism. Therefore, has declined. and is
deehnng, and 10 destined 20 decline, 10 may
pot be unreesonsble 10 inquire into the cause
o. w. think the fact itself 10 undebtsble for II is
admitted ON al hands The nnsstinn then la what s