New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-09-10

that this assumption opens the door to arbitrary
conclusions and the widest fancies, and that all
historical results must be Get aside II every one -
permitted to claim a supernatural revelation at
pleasure, and to propose ms assertions as the
immediate declarations Of the holy Ghost.
Paradoxical as il may sound. il is due 70 hstor-
ical Justice 10 say, that in this respect Cathoh-
cism has always been more stringent than Prot
estantism. The last, immediately alter its com
menct ment nav at the very time, when u gave
birth 10 it's regular forms Of Lstheranism, Calvin
ism, and Zwinglianlsm, also produced sects,
which, like the Anabaptlsts for example boosted
Of a Perennial supernatural revelation IL was
Obliged, in spite Of its opposition at first. to make
friends with Pietism which boosted OF lts enJ)y-
mept of grace in ecstacies and immediate reveal
tions and 10 acknowledge the Quakeis, whose
worship is founded on the perpetual ontpourlng oil
the Holy Ghost, az one OF its legitimate branches
Catholicism, which stood at a greater distance
from this dissolution into sects and was more oc'
cupied with the plastic moulding of the Christian
principles. has taken the most ngld precautions
against this distinct principle OF fanatlcIsm. u
is true Catholicism assumes continued revela-
tions but only in OF the grea 1est need, "hen
all the climate historical representatives OF the
Church have fallen into lnextrca6le COLLISIONS
and IL assumes only one organ, in whom the De-
liverer from such emergency Is mar mes ID
that is, the Pope. lie is more over true ina, Cath
olicsm does not wholly deny the possibility OF MIR
acles at the present dsy-but IL subjects the cases
in which they are said to have taken place 10
formal decision, in which nature ana reai'y W
not fail of representative for in all processes OF
the kind an ecclesiastical functonary oihciates IN
behalf OF error and doubt, as an ddcOcdtus dIaoor'
A Church, like the Catholic Chnrch OF tue
middle ages, which was concerned with such an
important historical problem as connecting the
Germanc and Roman races IN one great fam.ly,
and defending the faith of Europe against Ma
N the struggle with IMPERIAL
and monsycbcal power was called 10 deieni the
independence of morals politics, and for the
fiIst time in the scholastic world TO found unit
yersal system of scence,-such ChuTch could
not susi ain itself on special revelations, or even
hermit them TO be announced at the pleasure OF
prophets who should rise up.
Church. moreover, which like the Protestant
has adopted the principle OF free Inquiry, from
which modern science and criticism nave since
been developed, was Oblig' d, as Luther vehement
oppositiOn TO anaticsm shows, 10 ght with the
utmost decision against the pretenson 70 lmmed-
ate illumination. and the more earnestly, as that
principle, IN referring every one to hs own con-
science, brought with il the danger, that the
fanatic would announce the voice OF his conscience
as the immediate voice Of the GOdhead.
But in spite of the fact that the lrvlngte
CbuIcb compared with the standard CdthOll ism
ano Professionalism can be regarded only as an ne
retical sect, ! still assert that it is legitimate
production Of the present ate of the Church. ana
involves principles in its dog mas, which, although
modified, will be recOe nized as presenting relief
to the pres mt state Of ecclesiastical dissoutI0n
II the investigation, which demonstrates the
historical origin of Scripture, has been brought
to a close as in fact is now the case, there u no
more room for any theological science. ms
statement 10 confirmed by experience. We stnl
have universities, Dat for ten years they nave
produced nothing Of theological Importance. Inc
dispute concerning the Scripture and its interpret
alton has closed. All scientific discussion must
come to an end-the theOlogian can no more in
dulge in controversy WITH invest CATION. What Is
the conseq fence for the hurch and the faithful
Nothing ellie than the mOnstrOus consequence,
that the prIIci .lc of free individual inquiry is no
longer necessary that it has exhausted IT'S IT, that
il is now an evil - or in ono word that the eccle
siastcal authorities f7tter inquiry and form Judi
catsre which guards and pr ,tects the sense of
Scripture which has been sanctioned.
That IL to say, the consequence of the ter
mnatIOn of inquiry and Of the close Of the strug-
gle between nvt stigation and theology, is the
Cet1oliclsing OF Professionalism.
Therefore Irvingsm is of historical Importance,
inasmuch as it combines these consequences IN
itself; aud herein we have an explanation OF it,
spread and the friendly reception which IL finds
among the higher classes of existing society.
Ii depends on the suppostlon that the great
historical creative dtvelO .ments Of the two lead
ing forms Of the Church have reached their con-
cusiOn and IL therefore believes that we are ut
the end of history, and that the day Of judgment
is at hand
Ii is nght-both Professionalism and Catholicism
have arrived at the same stage, where as | shall
show hereafter, a crsis is impen ling for them
but Ivingism has only expounded this fact in
a fantastic manner. Bruno BAUER.