The New York herald., 1851-10-03


in reality, on small scale (whstever the preten-
sions of the church Of Rome may be), is the most
absolute and despotie sscerdotal power on the face
Of the earth.
Before, however, | farsher dwell upon this. its
most prominent character. / must point out the,
most striking popularity Of all Of Prussian protes.
tsntism in general.
state church of Prussia, exhibits the pscuiiarity
fully This was the fusion of Luthsranism and
Calvnism into one confession. 1t may be said that
this arose from religious indifference, and 50 did
partly. But it arose chiefly from that ustapdysic
turn Of thought that so strongly discrininates the
German intellect that is apt to find the ex.
plantations and, if not the solution, the dissolution
of all difficulties and differences, in some abstract
truth or feeling common to all-so predicting n
vague inward agreement between those who dis
agree most widely as to outward forms. Consub-
stantialists-those who see miracle performed
every timc the Sacrament OF the Lords Supper is
celebrated, and those who abjure the miracle, aad
see in the ceremony ouly natural commemorative
act, thus sit in Prussia at the table, enjoying
wlsa0us .snt Srean or s.' or any mutually sspsusns
communion with each other. Great numbers Of
illustrious men, of both the denominations mem
toned, Of whose deep theological convi ,tions, of
have done and do this. Besides indifferentsm, left
to itself, could never have been capable Of such
coalition.
furnishes the explanatory key to the character Of
German PrOtestanism and German theology.
The great majority Of she g Union" church OF
Prussia are very far gone in this metaphysical di
rection. These persons usually called the dis
ciples of Scheirmacher At least their minds are
very much tnctured with the views tina. celebrat-
ed theologian Though they would be far from ad-
their Christianity is q Christianity p,a.onizsd.
They extract from il the most subtle and atten1atc1
philosophy, and by this philosophy mainly defend it
and expound its do,rines, which thus lose all their
simplicity and direc. homely force. Belonging to
establishment, the pastors OF this division OF the
church necessarily under much restraint. Car
ried however, to its egitmate lengths their creed
would not only nbrace Lutheran and CalvanIsts.
but every denomination of Christians, and would
scarcely exclude-woud admit in a certain sense
Pagans, Jews, and Mahomedans, provided only
that deep earnest religious convictions an life were
This may be called lasitudinari anism but 1t is
not the lati.udinaranism of a careless, coldheart
cd indifference. II is jealous, warmhearted
latitudinarianism and the mon for the most part
who entertain it, however wide and expansive their
sympathies and opinions, live in private, in their
personal practice and experience On the gospel,
closets and by their domestic hearths they are
ChristiaM, but, in their studies, Christian philoso
pliers or theologians.
The great excellence of this party is their entire
freedom from bigotry; and their great and most
perniciors defect consists in their putting sway
simplicity to dazzle and blind their tanding
amid the infinite eros lights Of metaphysics
But, owing to that particular bent Of the Ger
man mind that have alluded to, everything clear
and simple is considered shallow, and everything
confused, perplexed, aud complicated deep.
Now, is easy to see Of what sort dissent viii be
testant dissent has done the pecularites, tho orig
ipal tendencies, Of the establishment. from which
there is departure. Thus, as in England, the
Anglican church protestantism has become ultra
protestant In dissenting societies. 30 in Germany the
metaphysic tuin Of the evangelical church has be-
come ultra metaphysical in the Stree congrega-
tions."
tions may be best described by phrase only the
more descriptive on account Of its yagueness,
"transce ndenta rationalism." These little scatter
ed bodies do not abjure religion, They cannot in
the Voltarian denying sense be called iniidels.
They do not repuiiate the Bible or Christianity.
but make much Of them, and the Christian rites Of
baptism, marriage, and burial they prize highly.
They may, indeed, in sense, be ernpha.l,a!ly call
ed religious men. But the spirituality of their re.
ligion resolves itself into mythes, and the error
common to all churchesthat Of ide ntifying religion
with the world, with society at large-has assu ned
with them an exceedingly malignant ultrsrdemo-
cratic socialistic character.
BY no recognized denomination of Christians
would these congregatonists be accounted orthodox,
grossly to misrepresent and calumnia,e hen to say
that their deviation from orthodoxy is a ,ishe so
wide as that of the Swedenborgians wbo are to!e-
rated here, or that of the Joanna Southcot:aus and
Mormonites, who enjoy perfect freedom 10 England
and in America
now return to the high dominent church party.
This is far inferior in number to the rest o, the
establishment But 1t reigns supreme in Berlin.
II is the "court party" the High PRIESTHOOD
From il the whole church, national institution.
receives its character; and when speaks OF the
church Of Prussia, this party, which absorbs aatho-
rity in itself, Is alone meant
Many persons have been struck with similarity
between this prominent party Of the evangelical
church Of Prussia and the church of Rome, and.
many have compared them to Puseyites. Bu. the
Prussian clergy not superstitiOus. They not
given to mysteries, and legends, and miracles, and
indulge in ecstacics, falfe scntine atal.ies and
frauds. Their resemblance 10 Romanists and Pu-
seyites consists chiefly in their magnfyins "autho-
riiy. The doctrine Of authority may carry fat,
and the practice Of it perhaps further, than Rome,
and no conc.ave Of cardinals who ever sat in Rome
have ever entertained more exalted idea 81 their
pries;ly power and superiority over the lay multi
tude than do the Berlin pastors bled in private
syncd here Indeed, IL is q received doctrine among
them, that the clergy alone form the church, and
| that laymcn only by "hearing tho church" can be
counted among the "faithful" Thus authority Il
exalted, and the I" church" is exalted quite In the
Romish style; ani, religious subjects, "free in.
qury" ]. exactly in the same proportion rspressed
and condemned.
| Hertin is tha. resemblance which strikes every
one between the "high church" Of Prussia ami
Rome. The very friendly juxtapoIi Iition ia which
| popcry and rrotestantsm stand to each other H.
.his country, has, no doubt, also prodased sorat
conformity In other particulars between lie N
ard the eclectic rropepstits Of the German intel.
ect, so apt 70 receive all Impressions and the "a 1oi
with which the present King Is known to regard Ro.
manism, have further contributed to essinlatc
'court rroiestantism' here to Prussi In (which is
rather mtigated sort of) popcry.
The name under which the high church Is here az
present recognized by all other denominations II
that OF the police church" For Prussian pas,ors
can exercise more power in their parishes and vii
lascs BY the high tone they assume, by esclesiag-
tical discipline, by public censurcs, ami by their
authority to ercomnunicate, &c, than tie Arch
bishop OF canterbury can any spot 10 Esgland
and hey have lately, under the iapllse o. synod
ich exhortations, used this poeef vigorously that
the court clergy are nov everJ whore pspaiarly
called the evangelical police"
From all that have above written il may be in
ferred-b1t / would not have Il infsrTed-.hat
found healthy protostantism exists not In PrEssia
That such is not to be found ia the constituted
church and in the theology Of the country, Is true
Very satisfactory symptoms Of itgcxstence appears,
ncyeItheeks. in Tie ~, .omc EnrlIsh nnh