Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-01-27


"Encyclical Letter. which is creating not
little commoucn in both civil and religion.
circles We find some of its points thu.
laid down
Among the "errors'' and "false doctrines''
denounced in this circular az calculated .'to
overturn the foundations Of the Christian Cath
olic religion and Of civil society, to destroy all
virtue and justice, and deprsve all minds and
hearts," are the following:
J. Thst the church must be separated from
the State, and the State from the church. In
the present day it is no longer necessary that
the Catholic religion sball be held as the only
religion Of the State, TO the exclusion Of all other
modes of worship. Whence it has been wisely
provided by law, in some countries called Cath
Ole, ihst emigrsuts shall enjoy the free exercise
Of their own worship.
2 That liberty of conscience and Of worship
is the right Of every man-s right which ought
10 be proclaimed aud established by Law in every
well constituted State and that citizens are en-
titled to make known and declare, with liberty
which neither the ecclesiastical nor the civil au
thority can limit, their convictions, Of whatever
kind, either by word Of mouth, or through the
press, or by other means
B. That every man is free to embrsee snd
profess the religion he shall believe true, guided
by the light Of reason.
4. That the ecclesiastical power must not eE-
ercise ITS authority without the liberation and
sent Of the civil Government
g. That the church has not the power ofsvail-
ing herself OF force, or any direct or indirect
temporal power
6. That in legal conflict between the two
powers, civil law ought to prevail.
:. Thst domestic society, or the entire fami-
ly, derives its right Of existence solely from civil
laws. whence Is TO be concluded that from civil
law descend all the rights Of parents over their
children, and, above all, the right cf nstructing
and educating them.
6. That the most advantageous condition Of
evil society requires that popular schools open
without distinction 10 all children Of the people
and public establishments destined 10 teach the
young people letters and good discipline. and to
impart 10 them education, should be freed fr, IN
all ecclesiastical authority and interference, and
should be fully subjected 10 the civil and poliii-
cal power for the teaching Of matters and opn-
ioI S Common 10 the times.
.. That the ecclesiastical power Is not ofright
divine distinct aud ndtJ e. dent Of the civil pow
IT. anu luhA 10 cAlAtNAN IL A4u hi'iNN -
this kind, can be maintained without the church
invading and usurping the essential ii shis OF the
civil power.
The above are but = 1.-THE Of the Crrors aud
false doctrines which are condemned and pro
scribed' iy his Holiness, and hich he wishes
may be ''rebuked, CONDEMNED and prescribed
hy all the children Of the Catholic Church. -
From these condemned errors, We derive the log
cal deduction that the Roman Catholic Church.
er at least it's Head (vho is claimed by all
Cath lies to e the vce-gerent Of God on earth,
holds the following, among other propositions
l. That there g ould be connection between
the State and the Church-the connection being
OF course, with the Catholic Church, As Catho-
lies do not admit the existence Of any other.
, That the State should tolerate no religion
but the Catholic, and that the law should not
allow immigrants OF others TO enjoy the free eI-
ercise Of their own worship.
g. That liberty Of conscience and Of worship
is rot the right Of ,vtry man, and should not
he guaranteed by law.
3. That the Church msy exercise its authori-
", by force, Unnecessary, without the consent Of
the civil power, and that, in conflict between
The two powers, the civil Law must give way to
the eccl, siasticaL
g. That the parent should not have the e1-
elusive control over his children, and, least Of
ali. should he have the right to EDUCATE them IN
his own way.
G. That popular schools open, without dis
tinction. to all children of the people, and free
from all ecclesiastical authority and interference
are no; advantageous TO civil society, and should
tot he allowed.
:. That the ecclesiastical power is Of right
divine, distinct and independent Of the civil
power.
1t would be difficult to frame a series Of prop
ositions more directly in conflict with those fun
damental truths, which every American consid-
ers "self-evident" than the above The worst
feature Of this circular Of the pope, is that, II the
doct rines which il enunciates are adopted BY the
Catholics of ihis country, they must inevitably
lead TO political sctOn. The doctrines, though
promulgated as religious. are essentially politi-
cal, aud Il carried out. would radically change
the whole theory and structure Of our Govern
meut
It must be added that the Pope's Bull
finds by no means universal approval among
Catholics. The French clergy and prcfs 'c-
nounce it freely, and the French Minister OF
Justice on the lst of January, issu,d cii-
cular to the Bishops of France relating to il,
in which occurs the following passage
As regards the first part Of the letter and the |
appendix, Your Eminence will understand that /
the reception and publication Of these documents I
which contain propCsiiiors contrary to the prin-
cipts on which is based the Constitution Of the /
empire, could not be authorized.