The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-16
The POpe,s Allocutfon.

, June in the hearing of upwards of five hun
, dred bishops and archbishops of the Catholic
Church. Looked at epart from the circum-
stances in which it was delivered there is little
in this allocution which makes it either inferior
or superior to the many allocutions which
b. we gone before it. There are the usual
| 90, lgratulaions, the usual statement of
erie vances, the usual expression of hope
full confidence in the Church's future,
the Us ual amount of thanksgiving. and the
! acoustic, ued benedicion Popes' allocutions
like roya and Presidential speeches generally,
seldom sta rtle us by anything new or surprise
us by any thing unexpected. In this latest
address OF Pio Mono, however, we discover
| fresh evideuce Of that amiable and kindly dis
position VIII ich by general consent is attributed
| to him; and we believe we but echo the undi-
vided sentim. mt Of Catholic Chrlstendom when
we say that biz children everywhere are always
and truly grnt, ,ful 10 the Holy Father for his
well meant bIea sing
This address Of the Pope is really unimport-
ant unless yieweAl in connection with the con-
vention Of dvnes before whom it was deiv-
cred, and especially with the deeply important
movements 10 which it is hoped the convention
will yet give birth. From the moment it be-
came known shat the celebration of the martyr
dom of st. Peter WAS to gather together in
Rome 80 vast an asse mbIage of the Catholic
hierarchy, the represen tati7es of the Church in
60 many different parts of The world, we have
been deeply attentive to the entire proceed
ines, and Lave, on more than one occasion,
taken the liberty of rendering the convention
some wholesome advice. We have done; 80
because in our opinion the condition of Chris
ti,nily all over the world, 10th within and
without the pale Of the Latin Church, loudly
calls for revision, and because 1t seems
to us that a fitting opportunity is pre-
serted by this convention in Rome for the
Cal hoIic Church to take the initiative in line
of policy which is all but certain not only to
be extensively inflated but to bring back to
her much Of the power and prestige which she
has lost.
No man can coml@re the Church of the
pre- sent day with the Church of the
APP ostles, with the Church of their imme-
dia to successors, with the Church, in fact, Of
the first two centuries, without feeling con-
vim ced that we have grievously wandered
frU first principles, and that in our attention
to , the letter OF tne law and to The mere FORMS
of worship we have neglected the spirit Of
bo tn. During the progress of the last fifteen
CO. ,turles Christianity has contrived to acquire
large, amount of civil power. to amass
w ealth, to locate herself in gorgeous cathe-
di ais, to bedeck herself in splendid vestmens,
I'd Otherwise TO impose upon the fancy and
i Imagination Of mankind. She has done more;
& ne has unnecessarily multiplied dogmas, and
through the exercise of an assumed authority,
to which she has not even the shadow Of
claim, she has compelled the assent of the
ignorant and the unreasoning. Such O state Of
things might be admirably suited to the pecu-
larities OF the middle ages, but it is not at all
adapted to the progress and enlightenment of
! the nineteenth century. Our times are different
We live in a reasoning or, if you will, rational
istic and practical age. Men reason and object
| where formerly they blindly followed. The
torch Of truth is now carried fearlessly into the
! most sacred domains and many in all lands
are deeply convinced that Christianity con-
sists neither in dogmas, nor in civil power, nor
in wealth, nor in gorgeous catheirals,. nor in
| splendid vestments, nor in any other absurdity,
whether pompous or palry, whether sane
toned by prelate or by parson, but in some
| thing different from all these-in something
| simpler, purer, grander, nobler than either or
than all of them combined. Christianity
can only retain her dominion over the
| hearts and consoiences of men by re-
| appearing with somewhat of that simple.
unadorned a1d artless beauty by which
she von her first and grandest conquests.
Could she so be seen again a. she was seen in
the days of her humility and sorrow, the world
would bow adoringly before her, and men
everywhere, would yield themselves captive to
hes will. The Roman Catholic Church, for
variety of reaeons-partly because Of her
venerable age, partly because Of her immense
following and power, and. partly, too, because
Of her fsults-is entitled to set the example oi
leading US back to the artless simplicity ard
attractveness Of earlier times. II is her dasy
power to do so if she will.
We are glad to observe that though the
idea has been abandoned of organizing a
Council out Of the Episcopal materials now in
Rome grand Ecumeuicsl Council Is to be
held next year. There will be time and OPP
portunity sufficient between then aud now to
venilate the subjects which ought TO come he.
fore it. In letter from our special correspon
dent in Rome. published in the HERALD Of
yesterday, we have it stated as a prevail
( ing rumor that one OF the objects o.
the Council will be to declare that the infali
| bilty which now attaches to the Pope wheI
! acting in council .hsll attach to him wher
{ acting on his individual responsibility. II th
: rumor be well founded cur hopes Romewart
r mus, be abandoned. This will be the crown
: ing absurdity, leaving the dogma Of the lm
q | Cn.aa..I;n.. IN In hado IL nj,