New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-16
The Incompatibility of Professionalism with


| A LECTURE. BY OREsTEs A. BRowNsoN, LII. d.
A crowded audience filled the Broadway
Tabernacle last evening, occasion of lecture by o.
A. Brownson Esq, Of Boston. before the Catholic To-
stitute of this City In opening bis lecture, Mr. Brown
son said that II gave him pleasure to meet
his friends of -York,-a City where he felt more at
home than in any other place. Boston not accepted
He proposed to show that Professionalism incOm
pable with liberty, and In maintaining th. thesis, he
should regard the subject in three divisions namely
intellectual, religious, and civil liberty
Protestantism was incompatible with liberty Of every
description He would admi, that 1t was favorable to
license-freedon from all restrsnt-the absolute an
archy of the passions-but license Is thing and
liberty is another, and quite different True liberty
implies subordination to law and this Proestandsm
has no power to establish. The Catholic Church was
often reproached ss being the enemy OF freedom. He
would dsdaln TO reply to such charge. But he would
bring the same charge against Proestantsm aud snow
that under its prevalence there foundation for
freedom in either Of the three aspects just named
IL was the OF Protestansm thar mental freedom
was estasished by the Reformation. Luther was put
up as the grand champion Of the rights OF the NINA, as
il before his day inquiry was suhed ana thought mac
tive But What is implied in this boasted freedom OF
mind Either freedom from error or freedom from
truth But Professionalism cannot claim freedom OF mind
under either of these conditions II does not boast q
freedom from error for it Teproaches Catholicism with
the pretence of nfaltiiy But freedom from truth in
wolves release from obeyng the authority OF truth
Tnis would introduce utter intellectual confusion.
and render freedom negation- Protestants indeed,
pride Themselves on the Unlimited Indulgence OF tIee
inquiry But the importance they attach 70 II, shows
that t6ey asined TO the possession OF truth II
no inquire after we have arrived At kno"l
edge Before we have found the ltght-Vhe yet crop
ing In doubt and uncertainty, are instructed by the
Catholic auhoIiits exercise the utmost freedom OF
inquiry Men condemned because they will not in
OuiTe but having inquired, and found the TRUTH I'M
der the direction OF an inialiole guide, it is
less to pursue inquiries any further the
old schoolmen, whom affect TO despse,
were the most earnest and devoted seekers after truth
that lived Bacon who Is regarded as the very IN
carneon of Protestat iDele eRregous sophis
and his system of inductive philosophy of which w.
foOlshy boast system Of sOphistry from beginning
to end Such is the result of the Wanted freedom OF
MIND which in these days is held up characteristic
feature Of PIOtestsntism
Nor was Pro,estaI tism more favorable to religious
freedom He had no douot that II fosteret the spirit OF
ipfde freedom But religious freedom, which he high
ly priced the freedom Of religion, not the freedom
Of iIfdey. IL was the emancipation Of religion from
All restraint but that of Divine MISUNDERSTANDING IL
from subsection TO that IL might yield sponttne
Gus obedie nee God This done by CAtho!citv.
In its order Of men who had been made the legumts
repositories of Divine truth il possessed standard OF
firth. independent OF human authority. With Protest
hLtsu il precisely the reverse In that, religion
was subjected 10 the civil power taken out OF
| the hands of the commissioned messenger OF
God and placed under the control OF the secular
Prince. AT The time of the Reformation, II was the
influence OF the Government, by Whcn TT )testanusm
gained a foothold So ii has been since So IL remains
10 the present day. In Prussia, when the King wished
TO unite the Cslvinists and Lutherans in his dOmuilns
in one COMMUNION, he prescribed the liturgy, which
should be read for worship The faith of the people
| virtually under the control Of the Hog. The Angi
Church 10 mere creature OF the GOVERNMENT Her
ritual and octrines are prescribed by law. Thus for
ages were her Irish subjects made suffer from disa
biles, because they refused 70 submit their religious
faith TO acts Of PaTliement Aud the npt
| TO do justice to the Catholic religion in The
Ryfr ffysda
efforts ei the clergy for the welfare of their hscks
branded outrage the pferOgsycs OF the q
But what prerogatvesi Temporal prerogatvesi Ii so,
you admit the Interference Of the secular power with
religion. Spiritual prerogstves, Where did she get
ihemt Even in own country there is religious
] liberty among PTotostsnts. Nor has there been
No longer ago than the middle Of the last century
was hung in New iorks for being Cathoic priest 10
| New England, price set the head
| oil the devoted fStnet hasie' one OF tne po-
| neer missionaries Of the Catholic Church, and he
shot by detschm Of soldiers the presence Of
his flock AZ N0rrdgewak But II Is said by Protest
that they do not depend on the secular arm, but the
Bible But they have no Legitimate possession of the
Bble That udse ed is the Word OF God but not 10 the
explained by the conceited f>ncies of unau.
thoized individuals but forth by the y Ghost
The Word OF God receive an authoritative interpr
tstiOn from lhenSn OF God But this not done by the
Prosestsnt prest-bUt no said Mr. b will not say tnis-
Tor Proteatsutism has prestsbut il not done by
me Protestant ministers. The poor man has au-
tnory. He depends on the people He does not
SPEAK down 10 them from above, bat up 10 them
Iroiii below lie must consult their prejudces. lie
must Psnder TO their wishes. He receives from them
bis c, mmisson from them he gets his discharge Ii
be onends ihs tastes OF feelings Is all over with him
and he must pun up stakes with his wife and children
ard throw himself ON the mercy of a cold world In
less be VIII make bis pulpit the instrument OF Abolition
Ism, Of Womsns Rights, and Woman's Costume. he
will excite ne wrath Of the venerable spinsters of his
| parish and be compelled to quit short notice
| Civil liberty fares no better under the influence of
Pro,estaniism Essential TO civil liberty are the res,
rsnts of law. But these have no foundation under the
| Protestant system. You have all heard much said Of
the hg erlaw-s power above the Constitution. There
| issuch power The supreme law Is not the Law OF
the land, bat the law OF God The Christian Is not
bound to obey the law os the snd when contravepcs
the law Of God But who shall decide According to
the leading champion Of the higher law in this State,
with HE Free Soil followers is the viii OF the indv