New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-14
d" THE AMERICAN CHURCH,"

THE AMERICAN CHURCH."
Tie Chnrci-ortiodox and be,erodox-of this
country. presents q field of no ordinary dimensions
and Of no common interest for phllosopme specua-
ten in relation 10 the growth Of lunan CIVILIZATION
IfNr Buckle in lis laboIious inquest into tie vari
,tie or poiona character and national habits, as IL
,,atiye Of the general Progress Of tie race, should
ever reach that point in the progress OF his great
work. ,clcu he can present a careful digest of the
tbeocrsur OF rel cioIs Sentiment among he, he VIII
be able 10 caer such proof is nowhere ese to be
found. Il ne Necessary connection be ween intel
lecu.l ac.ivifv and q c advancement q civilization.
W .etl,r the inquiry takes the shape OF ethnoogr
rescach OF the profoundly pbilosophie form IN
which Ne. Buckle processes TO ln'egaie national
habits an. national progress, the ground Tor lnNest
ea,ion is alike promising. Tie student need 20 ont
sbol; wav t. lud lha, tie varieties which mark
dc oli.m Gf te American reolle and which are
wear by year migrated into tie growing stock have
no, prevented Tie national idosyncracy from becon-
inc a. strongly defined ss in races Numerically
distinctive in habits and tradition. Probably
in melting il the outline Of national Character
90 aaiiy ard clearly defined as in the policy The
temper end the thought witch we see evolved IN the
community W ich claims for itsef the distinction oi
the "Catlolc Church of America In these COL
uirns would he equally ou Of place and unprobi-
able TO enter upon any argument as to he causes
whi,n contribute 10 mase the Catholic Church here
ali organization 20 essentially different as TO It'd
roycruauco from what il IL in Spain Italy, Ireland
OF Ffanoe-iu all that pei as 10 Iaiiona Po'iiy u
1olnicsl social. sni individual liberty aud 10 III
relationship To other religious communities. II may
be Permitted however, 70 the secular Journalist u
mote tbe iacis - the, present themselves They ar'
sucye.,i,c in many regards. They show, VIC think
,hai the formal divorce between tie Church and th'
St9te. although il il a measure of common pohica
in.iice Which among people relieiousy divided Al
zye arc annie experience his usiitcd, Is yet bat an
o,,,~gyd separation after ali, aud that the nu'ua
Relationship between ile STATE and TIE Church il
still pe,maneit. binding and while in the separal'
histories # both.
Wela,e before us, 10 We write, thought e.
ssy on 4 ,i.iiau Union, 10y the foremost lay eXiosi
tor Of Catholic doctrine on this continent. We nee
moi raw we refer to DR.. Browneon. tic candid ear
net, and literal reviewer ia that article, whiei
aprear. % lave been suggested by work OF son'
celebrity by Father NamTon, oil tie doctrines OF tht
Council Of TItut, considered with view to tie
reunion Of ~ Christian commnnons, the reviewer
leaves le reverend Father TO deal with the question
foin his particular standpoint, while lie Oilers to the
American pub,ic the views which his own expert
encc enables ia 10 suggest under tie different rs
peel which the economy Of tie Church presents in
this country. We shall not, trust. be accused Of
unfairly Icryering Dr. BIownsons Arguments to a
subiec' foreign TO their original iGlen, if We employ
biz admissions 10 show in low much more liberal Il
light the policy Of tie Church Of Rome appears un'
der the influences and example Of free political H.
stiinions. In the immediate question for Which tie
essay was prepared We cannot claim the interest
which attaches 70 tie broader field OF phios' pho
reflection Which it suggests, apart from purely
ihcolocac belief. II is important, then, TO find
Catholic reviewer stating with TIE confession
that, however logical IN the Judgment of the Con
veItod may be the Method Of Authority which tie
Church employs 10 assert The truth OF iis doctrines
and the Justice oil Is claims tho argument has little
II any efficacy with Bon-Catholcs; and speaking for
hmself, the writer ualveiy ADDS: "Very few OF ne,
ifany, were ever moved by it 10 enter The Church.
Casiiog aside therefore, a. an exploded agency for
making converts, the doctrine Of Church authority,
The fact Is pointed out that = mis-. Onaries Of the
Church have ceo,ed 10 employ it, and in dealing
sheht Invisible, and mysterious operations cfdiyii
grace And il il added "When our coutfovereial-
r's have iail4d by their Arguments to convince and
convert they ascbe their failure not 10 he nsan.
c'ehey OF appropriateness heir arguinen,r but
to the bad disposition Of non Catholics. ard thew
hold That It u necessary tia, grace should subdue the
heart before logic can reach tie understanding" In
con'raventon OF this convenient argument. the re-
viewer takes the groand that nonC stboies are NOT
70 he denied the natural virtues OF Looked uron n,
mas Of corruption and that il IL nooe,sary TO Geek
Tor other re0sons fr the failure 10 coay,rt them
Than their Dickedness immortality, hatred Of truth.
Or love Of error" Ire reason they remainunc
sinsed Is that tie arguments fail TO their veal
intellectual difficulties. 1roth 10 always addr,ss.d
~the understanding, and it is only ruth Il az ber-
Mes " this is not propoei ion degrees in
sdVahee o. The Council Of TENT bearing upon the
fsht ofindivdaal Judgment, the following quotation,