Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-14
NUMBER N.
AMERICAN ORGAN.



IcoSTIEUED.s|
In 1904, Peter III, or Arragon, travelled to Rome
and received his crown from the Pope and on be-
ing crowned, swore ''to be faithful and obedent
to my Lord Innocent, to his Catholic successors,
and the Roman Church. and faithfully to preserve
my kingdom in his obedience, defending the Cath
olic faith, and prosecuting heretical pravity."
Pope. deposed king of Poland and granted his
kingdom TO another
have given some specimens of the manifesta-
tions Of Papal power and the spirit ofthe religion
Of which the Pope is the infalble head and
which all true Catholics believe is to overcome and
absorb all others, and again TO be the universal
filth. Its long and eventful career, and its pres
cnt existence, with more followers than in any for
mer age, without any publication or reformation
Of its vices and defornlities, fill the mind with
curiosity and astonishment. 1t has never allowed
any question of its authority, truth, or divinity.
Free inquiry and discussion it denounces and
Furnishes as the blackest crime against itself, be-
cause II knows full well that it would crumble
and fall before them: and it therefore seeks to
fetter the souls of its children in eternal chains
of ignorance, superstition, and despotism. In
every generation of its being, the mind and moral
sense of man has risen against it, and grappled
with 1t i'll mighty battle. 1t was always prompt
in putting into requsition its own temporal and
| spiritual authority--to raise armies and thunder
its anathemas-to rayage heretical countries and
w cAtH puVc ucTcuCs Will uTc, ldppOI, anu bWOru
| and when it was unequal to the work. it called
upon the political despots Of the earth to come to
| the rescue OF II, the great mpersonation Of the
universal dcspotsm of the mind, the SOUL and the
body; and the combination was always victorious
The first light Of general learning and civilza-
ton that dawned upon Europe to bring to termi-
nation the dark ages, was among the Albigenses,
inhabiting Langucdoc and Provence, in the south
of France. They rejected the supremacy of the
Pope, and the benighring and bcnumbing dogmas
and spirit of bis faith. Being undisturbed for
many years, truth and peace, and the religion of
the Saviour OF the world fourshed among them
The faculties and powers of men there, after hav-
ing been enchained for ages, rapidly reganed their
innate strength and activity. Learning and the
arts Hourished-comforts, and wealth, and refine
ment aud happiness blessed their toll and their as
siduity, and pure, charitable, and holy faith shed
upon them Its hallowed inauonces. They boeama
tho admiration of the surrounding people and
their religious principles and freedom began
rapidly to spread. The Albigenses have no sin TO
answer for but that of their bright example to a
benighted world. They resided far from Rome,
but the fears and apprehensions Of the Pope were
thoroughly aroused, for he saw in theln rising
intellectual, moral, and religious power dangerous
to the universal dominion which he claimed. He
called upon the mailed warriors of the north,
whose arms in every field, from the western ocean
TO the holy sepulchre, bad never known defeat, and
sent them on the bloodest of crusades against the
Albigenscs and they were crushed in one of the
most savage and desolating wars that ever blasted
any portion of the GARTH Prone to the earth,
made red by its blood Albigensism, sustained by
the immortal truth and right Of its principles would
for generations fame up in holy beauty and bright
ness, far Illuminating the gloom of the surrounding
darkness but as often the inexorable Pope would
march his armed myrmidons and have 1t again
quenched in the blood of its martyrs.
About 1880, Wicllie began his vigorous refor-
nation in England He denied the power of the
Pope denouncing his usurpations, exposed the in
terpolatons and corruptions Of the Catholic religion,
and interpreted the Scriptures, and placed them in
the hands Of the people the rule Of their life and
their faith. The Loards increased greatly in Eng.
land spread into Germany, and soon almost pos
sessed Bohemia But the indefatgable and unre-
lenting Pope brought down upon them, too all
manner of prosecutions and the armed power of
his dependent kings. Another religious and ex-
terminating war swept them from the earth.
Papacy seemed now 10 be all-dominating and in
vincible. Its conuptions and the scandaious Inn
moralitics of the Popes and its clergy went on in
crcasing. One Of them denied the Immortality Of
the soul That faith was not necessary for the re-
mission Of sins, had become established princi-
pile Of Romanisin and the sale of written indulgen-
ces for the commission of sin, Of the sources Of
the Popes revenue. Tetza was pushing traffic
In these indulgences for Leo Y, and all the priest
hood inculcating that tenet throughout Germany,
when Luther began the great Reformation. Tho
| truths which be Numbered, in strong and burning
| words against Romsnsm seemed 10 be the echoes
of Gods spirit and the hoary ignorance and super
sttion OF centuries recedcd before him as from the
touch Of the spear Of 1thuriel
At the nstigaton, often repeated Of the Pope,
Charles summoned him TO appear before the
Diet of Worms TO answer for his heresies, for
which Leo demanded that he should be burnt, as
Huss had been more than century before. Tho
greatest spirit OF the world confronting Its great
est monarch, in such assembly OF warriors,
mobiles, and bishops, TO question and expose the
errors and power OF the time-hoDored herarch, In
the cause of truth, liberty, religion, and salvation,
was one Of the sublimcst spcctacles that has ever
been exhibited on the earth. God held Luther
under bis protection, and he was saved for an i'm
mortal work. BY his teachings aided by Melanc-
thon and Swingle, and othergeat aud faithful men,
the light and the liberty Of the Bible, and Of re-
ligous truth, spread rapidly and promised at once
TO regeporate Christendon. In less than fly
years, il swept from the Baltic to the Mediterra-
mean, and was going on, "conquering and TO con-
quer.n The danger tQ the Pope was mighty and un-
precedented He summoned TO the rescue every
power, every tributary which he could command,
and all his host, which had continued faithful
manifested extraordinary spirit and activity. Self
preservation, continuance or annihiation, was the
Issue, and the spiritual portion Of his forces in
The great Catholic powers few to arms in this
common causc Of despotism, and every energy and
faculty Of Romanism came up TO the eventful con-
ict The newly instituted order Of Jesuits brought
genius learning, enthusiasm, and an industry,
perseverance, devotion, and endurance that were
never surpassed. All caught their spirit, and the
trembling fabric Of the Papacy, over the largest
portion Of his domain, was upheld and become
steady.
The state Of things was different with the Prot
cstants They had rapidly become strong and COM
paratyely secure and withdrawing much Of their
attention from their foe, they divided into
sects, and weakened their union and strength by
mutual persecution. The voices Of the first great
refo1ners we're hushed In the tomb and there
we're no equal men to succeed them. Ferdinand,
the second Emperor Of that name, Philip II, Of
Spain, and Maximilan Of Bavaria, espoused the
cause Of Romsnism, wthno less zeal than the Pope:
Again, and again, they charged with their armed
Ieviona On the protestanta and the powers that de-