The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-06-10
The Catholic church.


The late historian, Macauley, sums up the
history, progress and present condition Of the
Catholic Church, in the Following terse and
expressive language: o 81 e:ia gihsas1s
There is not, and there never was, on this
earth work Of human policy so we'll deserv-
ing of examination as the Roman Catholic
Church The history of that church joins to-
gether the two great ages of civilization, No
other institution is left standing which carries
the mind back to the times when the smoke of
sacrifices rose from the Pantheon, and when
came leopards and tigers bounding int the
Favian amphitheatre. The proudest royal
houses are but Of yesterday when compared
with the line of Supreme Pontiffs. That line
we trace back in an unbroken series from the
Pope who crowned Napoleon in the 18Th cen
tury, to the Pope who crowned Pepin in the
9Th; and far beyond the time Of Pepin, tie
august dynasty extends till it is lost in the
twilight of fable. ss-s- s
The Republic of Venice came next in an
tiquity But the Republic of Venice was
modern when compared with the Papaey; and
the Republic ef Venice is gone, and the Pa
pacy remains. The Papacy remains not in
decay, not in mere antiquity, but full of life
and Youthful vigor. The Catholic Church is
still sending forth to the farthest ends Of the
world missionaries as thoxes who landed in
hostile kings With the same spirit will Which
She confronted Attila The umber of her
children is reafer than at any other age.
Her acquisitions in the New World have more
than compensated for what she has lost in the
Old-ReE spiritual ascandercy- extends over
the yast countries which lie between the
plains of Missouri and Cape Horn, countries
which a century hence, may contain a popula.
ton as great as that which inhabits Europe.
The members of her comm union are not fewer
than one hundred and fifty millions; and it
will be difficult to show that all other Chris
tian sects anitsd amonnt to one hundred and
twenty millions. Nor do we see any signs
which indicate that the term of herilong do
minion is approaching. gzs5tl Hsog5is
sa-{s e---------.-s-s-~---- rs
Decline OF Population in England.
In a late pamphlet it is stated that In 1853
the number Of proprietors In England and
Wales amountedto 30,3I5, whereas in tbs
year 1860 there were in the same countries
ESQ, 900.
This is at once startling and sad The MAJ
jority of the people are being gradually ex-
PEELED from the soil. The land is being mo-
nopolized by few powerful proprietors. The
race OF independent formers is dying ont. A.
landed nobility on the one hand--an .abject
tenantry ON the other: unlimited power on
the part of the one-slavish dependence on
the part of the other: such is the aspect of
rural England to-day. There are entire towns,
if not counties, in which the actual residents
do not ,cupy an inch of soil.
There appeared a few years since, remark
able article in BtackioooFs Magazine on the
1Declne of the Rural Population of Great
Britain. ts ~; 44lf sssfss s.
1t showed that the number of lardbolders
was rapidly becoming less that the middle
class farmers was disappearing; the country
for the centres of manufactory that in fact
what was once rural was becoming an urban
population. fs. s.s.s,,.F4 sr
The effect of this change upon the charsc.
ter of the people must be very marked. Its
effect upon the future Of the English nation
can hardly BE- estimated -. -.