The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-12-31

forbearauce aud charity. But was the
church in the sixteenth century more corrupt
than in previous days? In the time Of the
apostles, under the eye Of Christ on earth,
there had been detection and incredibly
The chosen and select of God had faltered
in faith and denied the Saviour. Could bet
ter things be expected in that time, or now ?
A church Of saints on earth WAS fgment
Of the brain. II never had been, and never
would be, for such church existed only in
heaven. That there were errors, abuses
and scandals in the church in the sixteenth
century there could be no doubt But we're
these greater than at any other time? This
| question was not one OF principle for If
| there were any wrongs they called for
reformation, but were these evils greater or
less than before Here the speaker quoted
Guizot 10 prove that the wrongs were not
| greater than had before existed.
What were these evils aud scandals? f6
it was no part Of religion to defend them,
and the church desired not to cover them
up. They we're errors and wrongs arising
from human ambition and passion. The
cry for reformation had arisen in the century
before I.uthcrs time, and in l4O9 the as
sembled fathers had declared in councIlthat
they would not adjourn until abuses had
been reformed, including the head Of the
church and the people. Aud all the pOpes,
from Martin Y. to Plus IN had ackn0wl.
edged and declared against existing scan.
dals, and the supreme councils Of the church
has ever remedicd errors and faults. A
common idea, he said, prevailed that the
pope was uuapproachabIe, but he spoke
from actual knowiedgoi in declaring tho pope
more approachable, and the listener to more
plain talk than the president Of the United
States
Among the evils complained Of at the
time of the reformation were the plurality
Of offices, the too frequency Of great induIg.
ences, and the disposition Of offices to
iavortes not at all times worthy. These
offences were openly known, and no attempt
was made TO disguise them. There was
necessity for reform, but how should this
reform have taken place? Had it become
necessary to attack and attempt to over.
throw the church. and deny its authority by
going outsider To so assert were to deny
the perfection Of the church divine
The church had within itself the means
completely demonstrated in the celebrated
council Of Trent, when all the errors and
abuses complained Of had been checked
The lecturer here quoted Hallam to prove
| the wisdom of that body, and MaCaulay to
pr5ye the stay of the so called reformation
| outside Of the church after the DEGREES OF
| the councils had been enforced, and chal.
| lenred a showing Of any Of these scandals
the presentscatholc church.
In 1853 Luther was born, Of poor but
honest parents. and after his education in a
free Catholic school, had nobly resolved to
| devote himself to Gods service. He Joined
tho AugustiDians. founded by the good St.
Augustine. and soon became popular
prracber. and grew greatly in favor. The
wropgs then existing in the church had
or,psed nj, inst md homes. indignation, ent
he addressed a strong letter TO the Pope set
tirr forth the abuses in the indulgencel
,ro,,oa IN Germany. and tho evil effects II
the raoDle. In this he had the sympath,
and apnroyal of the people. But thcr
Luther yns in the discharge of his duty a
n,;sst of the church. Here the lecture
r..l a ln,tcr written nv Luther in 1919
n.1iipr the church while dcproca,inr th
oyiI. ,gb;oL had crant into its administration
oaj s,r,rrrr assortirg and orgning AMIN
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assert "ou'd De 10 10 aehy uo' "45", 'Ur u"
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P'e'%,,' against II 'lS'o'! n"u I'I I.,i
ms 0'N'"c p'oP1e1 90 y ~ L ""''l' ct
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