The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-18

has been an incfable miracle Of the Almighty, yea,
the crown Of all Miracles, and worthy Mother Of
God; that she approaches as nearly 10 God as
created nature can do, and II more exalted tnan all
human and angelic encOmiums.
And therefore, TO vindicste the original innocence
and justice Of the Mother Of God, they not only
compared her to Eve, - yet virgin, Is yet limo
can't, as yet interrupted, and not yet deceived by
the most deadly mares Of the most treacherous
serpent, but they have preferred her with wonder
full variety Of thought and expression. For Eve,
miserably obeying the serpent, fell from original
innocence, and became his slave, but the most
blessed Virgin, ever increasing her original gift not
only never kant an ear to the serpent, but By vr-
tue divinely received utterly broke his power.
mother of God the lily amongst the thorns, earth
entirely untouched, virgin, undefIed, Immaculate,
ever blessed, and free from all contagion Of sin,
from which was formed the new Adam, . reprosch-
and delights planted by God himself, and fenced
from all mares of the malig nant serpent, incor-
ruptable branch that the worm Of sin has never
injured; fountain ever clear, and marked by the
treasure of Immortality, or the sole and only
daughter not Of death, but Of life, the seed not Of
ennity, but Of grace, which By the singular provi-
dence Of God has always furnished, reviving from
tied and common laws. But If these encomiums,
though most sOlendid, we're not sufficient they pro-
claimed in proper and defined opinions that when
sin should be treated OF, no question should be
cANItuluCu CVuSClAuB WV QOly virgin MARY,
to whom On abundance of grace was given
to conquer sin completely. They also de.
clsred that the most glorious virgin was the
reparatrix Of her parents, the vyiar of posterity
Most High, predicted by God when he said to the
serpent, will place enmity between thee and the
woman" who undoubtedly has crushed the poison
GUS head OF the same serpent and therefore they
grace perfectly free from every stain Of sin, sad
from oil contsgon Of body and soul, and mind, and
always conversant with God, and united WITH him
in an eternal covenant, never was in darkness, but
always might, and therefore plainly dt habit
alton for Christ, not on account Of her bodily state,
but on account Of her original grace.
To these things are added the noble words in
which, speaking OF the conception Of the Virgin,
stood trembling, not being able to proceed further;
for It was to be that the Virgin Mother of God
should not DO conceived by Anna before grace
should bear fruit. For she ought thus TO be con-
ceived a. the first born, from whom should be con-
ceiyed the first born OF every creature. They have
testified that the flesh Of the Virgin, taken fr,m
Adam, did not admit the stains Of Adam and on
this account that the Most Blessed Virgin was the
tabernacle created by God himself, formed by the
Holy Spirit, truly enriched with purple which that
new Beseleel maze, adorned and woven with gold;
and that this same Virgin s aud deser gedly is, csle
brated as she who wss the first and the peculiar
work Of God, escaped from the fiery weapons Of
evil, and air by nature and entirely free from all
stain. came into the world all shining like the morn
in her Immaculate Conception; nor truly, vas it
right that this vessel OF ele sion should be sssaed
by common injuries, SINCE differing very much from
others, she had community with them only in their
nature, not in their fault
Far more, It was ngnt that, as the Only Bsgotten
had 8 Father In heaven, whom the aera0him extol
three times holy, SO he should 1--we Mother on the
earth, who never should want the splendor of holt
ness. And this doctrine, indeed, so filed the minds
and souls of our forefa shes that marvellous and
singular form CT spec prevailed with them, in
v bich they very frequently called the mother of
Goo immaculate aud entirely imnaculsts innocent
from every stain OF sin, apure oil perfect the type
and model of purity end innocence, more beautiful
tnan beauty, more gracious than grace, more holy
than holiness, and alone holy, and most pure ip soul
all viz eDity, and has become the dwelling place Of
al the graees OF the most holy spirit, and who Goa
alone excepted, is superior 70 sll, and by nature
airer, more beautiful, and mere holy than the che
heaven and earth do not suffice to ex ol. No one 10
ignorant that these forms Of speech have passed. as
IL were, spontaneously into the monuments of the
most holy liturgy and tae offices OF the church, and
thSt they ,cur often in them and abound amply;
and since the mother OF Coz is iuvoksd and named
in them a. spOtess dove OF beauty, as rose ever
blooming and perfectly pure, and ever spotiess ard
ever blesssd and il celebrated as innoceDR which
was never wounded, and second Eve who, brought
forth Emmanuel
1t is no wonder, then, il the pastors Of the
Church and the faithful people have daily more and
more gloried TO profess with 80 much piety aud
teIvor this doctrine Of the immaculate Conce otion
OF the Virgin Mother OF God, pointed out IN the
Sacred Scriptures, &C ordng to the judgmentof the
fathers, handed down In SO many mighty testimo-
MES OF the same, expressed and celebrated in 30
many ilustrious monuments Of 9 revered antiquity,
and proposed, and with great piety confirmed, BY
the greatest and highest judgment of the Cnur Oh;
so that nothing would be more dear, more pleasing
10 the same than everywhere to worship, venerase,
invoke, and proclaim the Virgin Mother Of Sod
conceived without original stain. Wherefore fro a
the ancient times the princes of the Church. eccle
siastcs, and even emperors and kings themselves
have carr esty entreated Of this Apostolic See that
the Immaculate Conception OF the Most Holy
Mother of God should be defined a. dogma Of
Catholic faith. Which enJeaties we're renewed
also IN these our times, and especially we're ad-
dressed TO Gregory xvi, our predecessor OF happy
me mory, and to ourselves, not only by bishops put
by ne secular clergy, religious orders, and the
The eiore, with singular joy Of mind, well know
ing all bess toiDgs. and seriously considering tnem
scarcely had We, though Unworthy, been raised by
9 mysterious dlspensation Of Divine Providence 70
the exalted chair Of Peter, and undertaken the 60
errment Of the whole Church, than, following tine
yeneration, the piety and love we had entertained
for the Blessed Virgin from our tender years, We had
nothing q; heart more than to accomplish all these
things which as YET were am ,ngst the ardent wishes
Of the Church, that the honor Of the most Blessed
Virgin should be increased and her prerogatives
should shine with fuller light. Bat Wishing to
bring to this full maturity we app tinted special
congregation Of the WIFE. N.N.SRE. Cardinals,
llustrious by their piety, their vision and their
knowledge Of the sacred sciences, and We also So
ected eccesasties, both secular aud regular, we'll
trained in theological discipline, shat they should
moet carefully weign oil those things which re.
late to the Immaculate Conception OF the vir-
gin, and report 10 us their opinion. And,
although from the entrea.ies lately received
BY rs for at length defining the Inmaca-
ste Conception Of the Virgin, the opinions OF most
OF the Bishops Of the churca were uoders GOD; how
ever we sent Eucyclic Letters dated at Gaeta, the
I'd dsy OF February in year ls49 to all our veneer.
able brethren the bishops of all the Catholic world
in order that having offered prayers TO God III ~
would signify to We, in writing, what was the piety
and devotion OF t1er focks towards the linn a,uate
Conception OF the Mother Of God, and especially
wha; the b shops themselves Thought about promuI.
eating the definition, or what shey desired ia order