New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-19
ENGLAND.
,,..,o, 81 the Religious Question.

of the present religious CONDITION OF 'n' -
Ihave sought to show thst the Ha0''O- 81
Anglican Church, which is now aenou"O0s 49,
De,.ecuted "a intimately allied with hone l" '"o
~, bosom of tho English establishments roPie'
~! - Ct, 10 arrest the rapid progress
-. that it was rather an elect
" "P~- = .Ls reaction of opinion toward
cbucch The Roman Church being
..,1-.J az once as the center OF spiritual au'
-, and as a faithful depository OF a part oil
.Ls reIsious tradition repudiated by Protestant
;.n, and ret necessary to the wants OF the soul
The Catholic reaction is a fact sai generIs. This
fact is developed not only by the direct action Of
thu Roman Church, of its powerful organization
and Of that irresistible force which belongs only
10 unity of faith and discipline, bat by the sponts
neous action of the human mind arriving at more
ne,gact circumstances, and discovering by re-
faction the unity and universally of its force aud
~ ;ts in6rmity, the Catholicity, if may so ex-
n,ess IL of its power and of it's weakness, so COM
nletely embraced in the instructions OF the Church
This reaction is above all the effect the rebound
Of the individual liberty, which, after miraculous
AfIorts has come, will not say to be broken up,
flor this result is not fall on the contrary 1t IL
an elevation but to recognize Itself ana 20 uose
itself according to its true value Liberty, In us
erratic and toilsome course, fruitful In shlpwrecks
and in teachings, has perceived that individual
ism bore within itself, and even with formdsoie
vitality, all the evils, all the abuses, with which
the Papal organization had been reproached; that
it had, on its own account, the same ambitions,
the same aspirations, as those oil the Church which
proclaimed its unity, its universally, and its IN
falibility those points which are completely lden'
teal and which mutually suppose each other.
We cannot too strongly insist on the identity oil
these three terms.
The Catholic reaction in Europe dates from
1898, and even further back 1t proceeded from
the flames in which Servetus was burned by
Calvin, from the blood shed by all parties, one
after the other, during the French Revolution.
1t proceeded from the prisons, in which the repre-
sentatives Of new ideas were injured by Guizot,
Theirs and others as soon as these ideas went
beyond the circle of their personal horizon. 1t
proceeded from the dungeons, in which the philo-
sophers and journalists have attempted to con-
fine the labOrs Of those who came alter them, to
continue and perfect their work-the Fouriers,
the Saint Simons and so many others.
The germs of q still more energetic development
of this reaction are found in the proceedings with
regard to Socialism since l9is. The persecution
OF the reforming Republicans by the national he-
publicRns the persecution Of the Socialists by the
Republicans and the active warfare Of which the
advent Of Socialism the signal for each OF the
different sects,-an this has happened to illus.
trste those mysteries Of human weakness OF
which Catholicism has the secret, aud also the
remedy. l do not say that Catholicism has the
remedy for these evils at the present day. She
had not three centuries ago. because at that time
she was herself diseased, because health and
vigor were on the side of those who were seeking
FOR new paths, and who, ii they did not complete
ly discover them by themselves, have at least
served to point them out to Catholicism and cause
them to penetrate into her bosom.
The Catholic re action has advanced In London
and in all England, during the last few months,
while the bgOts and the fanatics OF Protestant
Ism have put forth their outcries and howllngs In
every meeting, while they have burned the Pope
and Cardinals in effgy, while they have calumni
posed to their own. !, va"..vs ~ A--i-l 49, -
whole effect of the excitement of passion raised
BY Lord John Russels letter will turn against
the bad elements Of Protestantism. Protestan.-
ism, when it becomes intolersnSs GemnMSs tne
ground of its existence.
But do not wish TO come yet 70 these last con
alterations There are other facts TO speak o. IN
order TO characterize the causes oil the Oathonc
reaction. Ii was produced In Germany oy the
labors of the philosophers, especially by those Oh
the historical school and of Rsnke In particular.
The historical school, born at Berlin, IN the very
centre of Protestanism, has furnished the human
mind with the elements which were wanting 10
it, in order TO appreciate the past Now tue past
of Europe, the past of Princes and OF peoples
is not Professionalism only,-the past OF Europe,
the tradition of civilization, the great esthedFals,
the great cultivated domains, the whole physlcai
and spiritual elements of our social educaton'
belong chiefly to Catholicism. II IS hiteen CEN
turies against four. Ill.
has produced its most extraordinary works-tne
Society of the Jesuits, among the rest IL mas
produced philosophers, thinkers orators, ana VII
ters of the first order. To speak only OF those
whom know, and whom believe Kno" thor-
oughly, De Maistre and Bonald are among the
cF the most AmInent and the most pro-
found thinkers and philosophers.
By direct efforts of propagandlsm, by gradual
reforms within its own bosom, by It's great men
and its great deeds, the Roman Catholic Church
has maintained and even developed its power
Still / maintain that external events, that @
counter proofs Of other doctrines have done more
for Catholicism than she has done for herself God
has reserved FOR modern times the greatest OF ms
miracles, without speaking OF those which he stun
reserves The most direct cause not OF the Cath
ole reaction, butofits rapid expanson-would you
know it In all its mysterious depths, ahrm'
Socialism itself.
The center of this reaction has been aud still is
in France but for several years past, its action
has been communicated with great power 10 Eng
land. France having pushed the theoretic aud
practical negaton Of the past to Its last conse-
quences, arrived more quickly at the extreme
point and has sooner experienced the reaction
Is not Socialism in its most essential principle,
reaction against indlvlduasm a reaction
against sceptlclsm reaction against al tue
contradictions the vantles, and the short cOmings
of modern science A reaction against the errors
Of the human mind delived up to its own tan'
taseis
know of no proteststion more memorable or
valid than the protestRtion Of Fourier against
philosophy, ethics, and political economy, agalns
what he calls the uncertain sciences There is no
doubt that this proteststion wished 10 conduct into
world altogether new, nor that this world, Ia
certain relations, was altogether contrary TO the
tradition Of humanity and 70 the doctrine of the
Church which is its most faithful depository But
the organic principle Of Fourier is notestablished,
il will not be established such, in spite of the
inexhaustble treasures which the genuine restorer
and constructors Of the sacred order will be able
10 find in the book Of this great man. Thus far the