The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-07-18

me, dear sir, to be your ob't serv't and friend,
JAS. B. PHILLIPS.
Theory and Practice of the Roman Catholic Church
The Louisville Democrat having said "the
whole question of the temporal power of the
Pope is but theory, and the differences drawn
from it are only logical" the Louisville Jour-
nal replies with powerful review of the
HRACrIoE as well as the theory" of that
church, from which we quote as follows:
The Democrat cannot possibly maintain this as
sertion, made evidently without authority 1t is
true, that, in this country the temporal power of
the Pope is not admitted to the extent claimed in
the DEGREES of the Roman Catholic Councils and in
the Papal aocutons and edicts and encyclical let
tiers. This power is, however, fact every true
Roman Catholic is bound to acknowledge and obey
it, although, when the interest of the church re-
quires, he is permitted and even commanded to
deny it. 1t is the natural and necessary result of
the doctrine of obedience. The Pope is the head of
the church, the VicegeTent of God upon earth the
whole church, clergy and laity, are bound to believe
that whatever he does is right. All believers are
equally bound to obey him, ito do what he CON-
mands and not to do what he forbids;" they are
bound to submit to his Jurisdiction. This jurisdic
the political defenders of the Roman Church and
those who seek to resist its aggressive policy. VIII
fully or ignorantly, the enemies of the American
party either have confounded in their own minds
the ideas of the spiritual and temporal jurisdiction
of the Pope, or else they seek to create in the
minds of the public a confusion of ideas upon this
subject, so that the temporal may be completely
hidden in the spiritual jurisdiction claimed by the
Roman Pontiff and actually exercised by him
l..
and priests whenever occasion will permit.
This power is claimed to be uni versal. 1t is not
confined to the particular regions or countries or
States or communities in which the Roman Catholic
religion may predominant. Cardinal Bellarmine, a
high Roman authority, says: sour Papal govern
is representative and delegate of St Peter and the
Pope in has supreme TEMPORAL jurisdiction over
ChriStendom." This TEMPORAL Jurisdiction; without
it the Church would be unable to enforce its spir
itual power. Its exercise is commanded in gener-
al only when erpedient, but expectancy is the only
barrier to its complete and universal sway. Catho-
lie writer's Of unquestioned reliability assert that
this temporal supremacy of Christendom," the
power Of governing the Christian world with ex.
ternal jurisdiction, is vested solely in the Pope and
from him transmitted to the bishops and the infer
Or clergy 1t is given to the Pope by divine right
as necessary means of promoting the spiritual
good Of all Christendom. 1t is not merely the
may be prescribed to erring believers at the con-
fessional, but it 'exteuds to the disposing of al
the temporal possessions of all Christians, of the
crown and sceptre OF the sovereign, and the last
penny of the beggar, to the dspOsing of their
lives in this world, and of their in the dim
countless but still temporal ages of purgatory." 1t
reaches civil officers even though created by i'm
perial or royal authority, or by any government
or State whatever. ut includes the right lift to be
judged expedient, to proceed against all per-
sons DhdtSover by means OF pecuniary fines, by dis
tress upon the goods arrest of the person, and,
if there be contumacy, by shifting with the sword
of anathema." This is the theory that holds States
and Governments everywhere subseTvient to the
Pope of Rome, which summons the State itself to
plead at the bar Of the Church. its dvnely consti.
tuted judge" and which, whenever occasion has oc-
Cured has actually authorized the Pope Ito depose
ungOdlyrulers and TO absove their subjects from their
oath OF allegiance" Aud this theory has been time
and again put into practice. Its exercise has been
limited only by want of physical force to insure its
execution.
In past times, in the PALMER days Of the temporal
of the church, before Professionalism gave
civil and religiousberty to portion of the Christian
world, this power was continually exercised. The
1etestable inqusition perfected by Ignatus Loyoa,
was one Of its consequences and instruments. 1t
was exercised on many occasions toward such
nit to the arbitrary demands Of Roman Pontiffs.
Henry " was deposed by Pope Gregory VII; Ohio
w was thrust from his throne by Innocent III;
Frederic ii was compelled by Innocent " to re.
ceive eoadjutor in the administration Of bis govern.
ment; Clement vi deposed King Louis "; and ia
other instances almost without number has this
theory been carried into practice.
IL may be urged that these practices Of the Roman
Catholic Papa Jurisdiction confined to the past
II.
by that church. We bave the declaration
Of Plus TX, the present Pope in his allocution to
the Cardinals in September, 1851, that "he hath
taken this principle for basis, that The Catholic re.
hgiol teh all as RIGHTS ought TO be exclusively
dominant IA Hleh sort that erery oiLsr oorslip SsdL
be bd'aiShsd and inter dicted;" and, as evidence
OF the intention OF the inferior officers Of that church
TO carry out this principle, need only refer to
the address OF the Catholic Primate OF ireland to
the Catholics Of the UnitedEiugdom, in which he
says: "Our veuerated hierarchy and cler..y in the
fu6lment Of their duties, ,oH iseacate the strict
and religious duty Of selecting as representatives of
the people those men who best fitted to support
in the Imperial Parliament our religious ri0hts"-
In our own country, boldly told by the Pope.
10 his encycca letter of August 1852, that "!ibertv
IF conscience is most pestiIeHtiol error pest Of
Al others most 20 be dreaded in the State and we
are deliberately Informed by the Roman Catholic
Bishop Of ST. Louis that 'heresy aud unbelief are
,rimes: and IN Christian countries as In Italy and
SPAIN for instanei where all the people are Catho
les, and where the Catholic religion is ESSENTIAL
DaR ofthe law Of the land, they are punished a.
ltkeT crimes"
We night 20 on dinfAisa with similar extracts.
They all tend TO prove that the temporal power OF
he Church Of Rome is asserted by It's supporters
hot only in theory but in practice, wherever Is Is
sHpedient or practicable They show, too, that the
organization Of this Church is political well as
religious. that its political code Is altogether an
agonisto 10 the ideas of civil and religious freedom
upon which the future Of our republican government
based and THAI il asgressus In ss tendency aud
'nly wants the power 10 exhibit its intolerance and
Q pat an end to religious freedom in this country.
We kuow The secresy and cunning ever employed /
y this church 10 effect is objects. We know the /
Ibsolule power II ererciscs oyer IL ndhnrents. and