The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-23
Tho Pope md tho Council Of Bi.h.p,.

Since the celebrated Council Of Nice, in the
year Of our Lord 325, no more important as
sembly Of divines has ever been convened than
that which on an early day will meet beneath
the dome of St Peters, at Rome. Many deeply
important AMI numerously attended gatherings
Of the recognized heads of the Catholic Church
have been held in the interval; but there was
that about the first Council OF Nice which gave
1t character and . prom nenoe which
have remained peculiar TO ITSELF and there
promises to be something about this approach
ing assembly, which, unless we greatly mistake,
will secure for 1t as enviahle and az undying
distinction. At Nice the progressive and
unifying spirit Of Christianity was made visible
on . scale OF magnitude which was sur
prising alike to the Church and to the world.
Three hundred and eighteen bishops then as
sembled, at the request of the Emperor Con-
stantine; and In tho persons and costumes Of
the different ecclesiasics were to be seen
exemplifed the semi-barbarism of The West,
the North and the East as well as the polish
and refinement Of the more central portions of
the Roman empire. The assembly about to be
held in Rome will be gathered from o wider
area, and will be representative at once Of
more perfect civilization and Of greater va
riety of races. The former represented the
empire Of the Caesars this will represent the
world. At the Council Of Nice Constantine
declared the Christian religion to be the
official religion of the empire, and thus
effected that union between Church and State
which has remained until the present time-a
union which many have declared unholy,
which many more have declared unwise but
which, whether unholy or unwise, or both, or
neither, seems, by almost universal consent, to
lie across the pathway of modern progress.
The separation of the Church from the State,
Of the spiritual from the temporal power, is
the great necessity Of the day. It will be
strange certainly; but it will not surprise us
if this approaching celebration should resolve
itself into q council, and ii, by Its solemn sane
ton, the work Of Constantine should be
efectually and forever undone. The Holy
Father, we have reason to believe,
is anxious to como to an arrangement
Catholic Church, in council assembled, autho-
rixe and sanction the step which it is believed
his Holiness has long meditated, but from
which" according to good authority, che has
been forcibly kept back" It Is desirable In
the interests Of Catholic Christendom that the
breach between Italy and the Pope be healed.
The abandonment Of the temporal power on
the part Of the Head Of the Church alone can
heal it We can see no reason why the Holy
Father should not be encouraged to yield up
gracefully that which he cannot much longer re-
tain, and which 1t Is not desirable he should re-
tain, even If he could. The Church will gain
rather than lose by tho change. BY ceasing
to be q secular, she will become more and
more q spiritual power Freed from the gross
entanglements which have hitherto restrained
her action, she will realize more fully the true
character of her mission and will enter anew
upon . career Of growing usefulness and pros
perity. What course tho Papal government
may finally resolve upon will no doubt depend,
to q large extent on the unanimity of senti-
ment which shall be found to- prevail among
the assembly Of bishops. We can scarcely
doubt that the decision will be such as shall
prove to the world that the chiefs OF the
Catholic Church are neither blind to the char
scter nor deaf to the demands Of the age.
Meanwhile, the entire Christian world looks
towards Rome with An intensity Of interest
which, il it has been equalled, has certainly not
been surpassed for many generations