The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-10-13
The Catholic Council Of 1859.

The European papers have lately been rife
with speculations as to the character and pur-
poses of the General Council of the Catholic
Church, to be assembled next year in Rome.
From explanations by authority, it would appear
that the Council is not convoked for the same
purpose as its predecessors, viz: the deciding OF
dogmas or condemnation of false doctrines. Its
object is, in the first place. to concentrate the
immense moral power OF the Church IN one
solemn protest against the unchrstlan Legislation
Of MANY Governments of the civilized and Chris
tian world Even in States that profess to be
Catholic. the law not unfrequently overrides and
defes. not only the discipline but the doctrine
of the Church Thus, for example, her teach
ing as to the holy; indissoluble nature of the
marriage tie is ignored or explicitly dsavowed
in the codes of all Catholic European govern
ments except in the Papal States. Perhaps all
our readers may not be aware that South Caro-
lima. while she was sovereign Commonwealth,
alone amongst her sister States, maintained in
her laws, and enforced by pains and penalties,
this same principle of the unity and perpetuity
of the marriage bond.
1t IS not unlikely that in view of the present
state Of modern society, the expediency of sever
| ing all connexion between Church and State
will be maturey weighed in the Council. Think
| ing men begin to say that the Church seems to
lose everything and gain nothing, by her Deepen
dence on the State. It pensions her Bishops,
but claims the right toappont them; it defrays
the expenses of her solemn pageants, but tram
pies on her laws and discipline Any motion to
| free the Church from State trammels will, doubt
less, receive the warmest support from the
Bishops of this country, aud of Canada, Great
Britain and her dependencies.
Another practical question may be raised as
| to the election. nationality and residence of the
Pope in future AS his independence is essen
tial, in order that his laws or decisions may be
respected by those who acknowledge his juris-
diction the best means of securing it will proba-
bly, come up for discussion. The Pope must be
Bishop of Rome; but it is not necessary that he
should be an italian by birth, nor resident OF
Italy.
There have been already held eighteen General
Councils of the Catholic Church. The first, that
of Nice, in the year 1926 the 18th at Trent, in
1915. The first eight Councils assembled in
Eastern cities but since then they have been
held in the West mostly in Italy, but some in
France and Switzerland, as those of Lyons
Vienne and Constance. ..-
The authority of Councils is not determined
by the number of Bishops who may be present
Sometimes they are few sometimes many, who
take part in the deliberations. The first Coun-
ell (Nice) had only 31S; the second (Constanti
nople) only $50, and the last of Trent about 220
Perhaps the most numerously attended Councils
were the fonrth Of Chalcedon and the fourteenth
of Lyons, held in 1874. The Council Of 1868
will far outnumber all those which have pre-
coded it. Over Thousand prelates, including
Cardinals, Patriarchs: Archbishops and Bishops
from the centres of civilization and from the
ends of the earth will assist at its deliberations
OF these more than one hundred will come from
the New World, and ffty-fve of that number
from the region that lies between Maine and
California; Communicated to the Wilmington
JourRuI.