The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-12-09
The Pope's Lester.


TX, to the separate confessions Of the
Protestant world will, no doubt, be largely
on by all Christianity through
out the earth We give its genuine text:
PIus TX. By Dirine Proridsncs, Pope,
10 the Protestant and other non Catholic
Secfs:
1T is already known 10 all of yon that
we, although by no merit of our own, hay
ing been raised to the Chair Of Peter. and
for this reason charged with the supreme
government Of the Catholic Church, and
the care of her divinely committed to US
by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, have
judged it opportune to convoke the bish-
ops of the entire world, and to assemble
them in an Genmenical Council, to be eel
ebrated next year, in order that these, our
venerable brethren, gathered by our soil
citude, may aid as to adopt all those coun-
sells which may seem most opportune and
necessary, either to dispense the darkness
Of the many pestilent errors which, TO the
great injury Of souls, rule and pervert them
everywhere. or, in order to establish and
increase daily more and more among the
people committed to our watchful care the
reign of the true faith, true justice, and
the true peace of God.
And principally relying on the most
sweet and most intimate bond of
union, by which are so wonderfully
bound to this our Apostolic See,' these
our venerable brethren, who have never
omitted in the whole course of our
supreme pontlfcate to give the most es-
sential proofs of fidelity, love and obedi-
ence to this our see. we hope that, as in
ages past, this Gcumenical Council con-
voked by us may produce, by favor of
Divine grace, joyful and abundant fruit for
the greater glory of God, and for the eternal
salvation OF men. Being therefore sus-
tanned in this hope, and urged by the char
ity of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave
His life for the salvation of the whole hu-
man race, we cannot. on the occasion Of
the future council refrain from addressing
our paternal and apostolical words TO those
also, who, although they recognize Jesus
Christ as their Redeemer, and glory in the
name of Christian. do not. nevertheless,
profess the true faith of Christ, or follow
the communion Of the Catholic Church.
And this we do, admonishing, exhorting,
and praying them to consider seriously and
to examine whether they follow the way
prescribed by our Lord Jesus Christ, which
leads to everlasting salvation. 1t is GER
tain that no one can deny that Jesus
Christ, in applying to all human genera
tons the fruits of His redemption, has
built here on earth on Peter the only
Church, which is one, catholic, holy and
apostolic, and has conferred on her every
necessary power for preserving entire and
inviolable the trust Of faith, that she may
teach it to all the peoples tribes, and ma
tons Of the earth, in order that all men,
by means of baptism, may be united in
His mystical body, and so be preserved and
perfected in the new life Of grace, without
which no one can merit or attain eternal
life; and that the said Church, which forms
the mystical body Of Christ, may endure
and prosper in its own proper nature, firm
and indestructible even to the consumma-
ton of ages, and administer to all her chill
dren all the means Of salvation. He who
meditates and accurately considers the con-
dition in which are TO be found the various
religious societies divided among them
selves, and separated from the Catholic
Church, which from the time Of our Lord
Jesus Christ and His apostles has ever ex-
ercised uninterruptedly, and by means of her
sacred and legitimate pastors, and still con-
times to exercise the Divine power which
was conferred on her by Christ our Lord
Himself, may easily convince himself that
neither any one of the separated societies
in particular, or all of them collectively,
can in any way constitute or form that one
and true Catholic Church which Jesus
Christ built, constituted, and willed to ex-
list, or can pretend in any way to be MEM
bers or parts of the said Church while they
remain visibly divided from Catholic unity
From this it follows that these societies,
wanting that living authority established by
God which teaches especially those things
relating to faith, discipline and morality, and
directs and governs men in all that touch
es everlasting salvation, vary continually
in their doctrine, and this instability and
has never ceased to mark them.
EVERY one, may, therefore, easily under
stand, and clearly and openly discern that
such thing is highly contrary to the
Church instituted by God for the custody
of which the help of the Holy Spirit was
promised forever.
"No one can be ignorant that from these
discussions in doctrine and opinion are
also born civil divisions, and that therein
are originated the innumerabIe eommu-
mons and sects which are daily propagated
more widely, to the great injury of the
Christian and civil commonwealth.
For which reason, whoever recognizes
religion as the foundation ofhuman society,
must also recognize and confess how much
injury to civil interests has been occasioned
by the division of principles and religious
societies, and by their discussions, and
with what yehemence the negation of the
authority delegated by God TO the govern
ment of human intellect, and to the direc-
ton OF the actions of men, as much in
their public as in their private lives, has
excited, moved, and fomented those most
unhappy disturbances Of things and times,
by which almost every people have been
convulsed and afflicted in most miserable
degree.
All men, therefore, who are not
possessed of the unity and truth of the
Catholic Church should embrace the oc-
casion of this council, by which the Cath
olic Church to which their ancestors be-
longed presents fresh proof Of her inti-
mate unity and her unconquerable vitality,
and according to the need of their souls,
let them endeavor to deliver themselves
from state in which they cannot be sure
of their own salvation. Let them not
omit IN offer their most fervant nravers tn