The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-22

ie writer's have generally maintained that Cathsh-
ism il Inconsistent with republication. eorrec-
Jon, however, was made in future announcement,
and the word * liberty was substituted for rcpub-
canim. From the whole tenor Of the lecture, It is
quite evident that Dr. Brownson does not regard re-
pubicanism % synonymous with liberty, but its
very opposite. In the number Of his Rsviao for
January Of this year, in article entitled "Chris
tianity and Heathenism," he says'-"Speaking with
eye to the immediate future, there but three
great powers of the first order in the workable
United States, Russia, and Austria" He then
goes to say that Russia is monarchical absolu-
tism despotsm; and the United States is the de-
absolutism, or despotism. These two, he
says, win each absorb all the despotisms Of the
world kindred 10 them, and the only hope for man
kind ies-where does the reader suppose In
Austria! At page thirty-ons he says:-
These two absoutsms thus represented and supported
powers Of the age and they threaten ere long meet in
China India and the plains Of that old Asatis
tnent to dispute the empire Of tho world; and the tn
umph Of either will be the triumph Of heathenism and
the oppression Of the church Of God Between the
Of the other Of these two absoutms des
posms Austria with the other Catholic States
Europe and the hope Of social order and of Christian
freedom under God and the church. rests In saving
her from throwing herself into the Of either despot
kms and Of strengthening her by union within aud
alliances without that she resist and repsl both the
American absolutisnr and the Russian. y She
should therefore, be supported by all the Catholic States
with hers
It's therefore very plain what DR.. Brownson means
net that Professionalism is inconsistent with repub
lean liberty, but with the Catholic despotism Of
Austria, which, in his opinion, is the very model of
Christian liberty. There is no accounting for
tastes. DR.. Brownson is a native citizen Of the
United States, which seems to have been q misfor-
tune to him, as he would have been happier and
more at home under the iron rule Of Austria In
this free country. however, he has right to have
opinion Of his own and to express it, too, which
is more than q man can do in Austria.
But DR.. Brownson has no right to falsify history,
or to assume as facts what are not facts at
all, and which everybody knows to be the re.
verse Of facts. When he says that Professionalism is
incompatible with religious and civil liberty,
the facts Of history, both in this country and in the
Old World are all against him; and the only way he
can evade these facts is by calling such despotisn
as Austria liberty, and American republicanism des
potism. All the world knows that the principles Of
civil and religious liberty established by the
Reformation and that the civil and religious liberty
VI
est model Of presented to tho world
is the result Of that spirit Of free inquiry and
sistance to spiritual despotism originated by Luther
and the other reformers in Germany, thence intro
duced into England, but only here carried to its To-
climate consequence. by return to the first prin-
ciples Of MISUNDERSTANDING every man to
worship God according to the dictates Of his own
conscience without suffering pain penalty, or any
civil or political disability whatever.
This, DR.. Brownson may call despotism, if he
pleases, and its opposite extreme he may call lib
erty It is matter Of taste and opinions but he has
right to assert that Professionalism is incompatible
with intellectual freedom, for this is matter Of
fact In his lecture, he assumes that the human
intellect has become dwarfed by Professionalism,
and that, since the Reformation, there have been
great men connected with any Of the Protestant
chuyches Why, the very reverse of this is the fact
The vast majority Of the great intellects Of England
the most enlightened country in the Old World
have been Professionals, ever since. In this country,
the most enlightened on earth, and ut the very
head Of civilization, almost every great man has
been Protestant In fact, there is scarcely an ex-
ception. The art Of printing-the diffusion OF liter
ature and science among the people, (nstead of con-
fning knowledge to the fthe cloister)-are
all the results Of Professionalism Why, it is notorious
that Calico, and the other martyrs Of science, were
persccuted by the Popes and the Catholic Church
for the assertion Of doctrines in astronomy that
admitted by the Pope, the cardinals, and all the
Catholic Church, including DR.. Brownson himself
Human knowledge, since the Reformation, and par
ticularly in this country-where invention is ever
finding something new--has advanced far in
fhrao cepf, fho0 for ffaap al
before, or since the birth Of Christianity. The po-
tenable and absurd that Professionalism is incompat
BILE with intellectual Development.
On par with this is another position of the lee.
turer and reviewer, that Professionalism, by denying
the nfalbity of the Catholic church, subjects the
whole of religion to human authority. 1t is
just the reverse The very essence of Professionalism
s to deny all authority but that Of God and his
word. 'The Bible alone," says Chillingworth,
els the religion Of Professionals" The very essence
Of Catholicism is to obey the authority Of men,
Popes, cardinals, and councils and " the traditions
of the fathers" The first duty Of Catholic is to
use his private judgment to find out which is the
true church among oil the sects of Christianity; and
having made thi. discovery he is then to cast aside
his reason, and never to use it again in religious
matters, but must submit his judgment blindly to
the authority of the church, which is but an aggre-
gate Of men, DR.. Brownson has, therefore, misrepre
scented the Catholic church, when he says it not
only allows, but commends, free inquiry, and We
think he is in great danger Of being communicated
for his heresy.
AS for his project Of making the United States
Catholic country, with the religion of Rome cstab-
lshed and endowed, and all other sects prohibited
think the day is very distant, indeed, when that
wild vision shall be realized. As soon may chaos
come again We arrive, therefore, at the conclusion
that the learned Doctor is as great visionary in
religion, as Kossuth is in politics, or any Of the
improbable geniuses, who, for a moment, tickle
the ear with their vagares and then are cast
aside, and compelled to give way to new
delusion, equally insane.