The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-01


CHURCH OF ST.. LouIs-WHAT's TO BE DoNE?-
The trustees T the Catholic c'urch o. st Louis,
in Buffalo, having refused to deliver over the
property of that church to the exclusive urls
diction Of the Bishop, have been * ommuni-
Gated, as our readers have teen informed from
the publication of the BIS ops manifesto seve-
raj days since, in our columns This awful
manifesto of Bishop T,mon pronouocas the fol-
lowing fearful judgment against the present
trustees, and all who may venture to assume
the Office as their SUCCESSORS
then declare the said trustees in St. Louis church,
in Buffalo, to wit: Msssrs Martin Roth Alexander Allen
brand Michael Mesmer, jacob Wilhelm George Fisher,
Nicolaus Oitenot J. Munschauner to be excommuni,
Gated with the mnjor or greater excommuncaton, and
through the authority given to His Church BY Almighty
God, Father, Son. and holy Ghost, do hereby then
communicate them declaring farther that all who may
church. continue the present unhoy opposition to the
church discipline will ipso fao-,hat is BY the very
fact-incur the same major accumulation
These trustees are, therefore, out of the
church-they are hcretics-they are consigned
to the chances of purgatory; but still they OBJ
stinately refuse to give up their church pro-
perty to the Bishop, notwithstanding he acts by
authority from headquarters in the Holy City
of Rome. Now, what is to be done ? Which
party is right, and which is wrong? The
Church of st. Louis, at Buffalo, as we are in
formed by one Of our contemporaries, " is built
upon property given by Louis lie Couteuex, one
of the founders of the greatness of Buffalo,
to be held in charge by trustees, for the purpose
of erecting thereon Roman Catholic place of
Worship The trustees in charge refuse to
surrender their jurisdiction at the requisi-
ton of the superior authorities of the
church, and the trustees, for their con-
tumacious disobedience, are turned adrift.
Meantime, the church is denied priest, the
flock is without shepherd, and wolves in
sleeps clothing are prowling around.
What is to be done? Shall the supreme au-
thority of the church submit? Such prece-
dent would be full of danger. But how are the
trustees to be reached? The modus operandi
was involved in bill before our Legislature
year ago. The bill failed; but till some such
bill is passed, the trustees, under the protection
of the laws of the commonwealth, are secure in
the custody of the property, though their souls
may be lost. Is there any hope now of the
passage Of law clothing the archbishops and
bishops of the Catholic Church with exclusive
and supreme jurisdiction of the real estate ofthe
church? There is none. The only alternative
left, then, is compromise between the trustees
and the Bishop; and to this end we ask for the
active interposition of Archbishop Hughes
For any legal advice that may be required let
him call upon W. II. Seward. This rupture in
the church, at this crisis, promises nothing but
mischief, if it is allowed to continue. We feel
anxious on the subject. For the sake of peace,
for the sake Of harmony, and for the sake of
saving the souls Of the contumacious trustees
from everlasting perdition, then, let the Bishop
of Buffalo and the Archbishop of New York
take counsel together. Let them look at the
splits which have resulted in the Quaker, the
Baptist, the Methodist, the Presby terrain and
other churches, from technical, local, and Sec
tional dissensions and patch up reconcilia-
ton. Let not the Catholic Church, like the
democratic party, be rent in twain in a SQUAD
bic over the spoils. Oh, no!