The New York herald., 1869-12-08

semblasss frsn the Kixve Of Mise - the
First ef the Vatican.
The Ecumenicai Council summoned BY Pope
Plus TX. assemblies in Rome to-day. 1t Is
called the First Council OF the Vatican, and
will be registered on the record OF the Catholic
Church ss the twenty-arst General Council Of
the hierarchy Of that particular creed and
form of worship. The prelates, patriarchs
and other Church dignitaries have journeyed
from Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the
far-of shores Of Australasia to the Eternal
City, and win aggregate In round numbers one
thousand persons after the roll has been
called. 1t is an august, most reverend and
imposing convocation In its appearance, and
one which affords matter of very deep interest
to the Christian world. On this account we
devote large space in our pages to-day to an
elucidation Of the history Of the Catholic
Councils which have been held since the period
of the meeting Of the First Council Of Nice to
the present. the circumstances under which
they met, their work and consequences. We
also present all the Pontifcal documents con-
nected with the present one, including copies
Of the Papal invitations issued to the Eastern
and Protestant Churches to send delegates to
Rome for instruction" preparatory, as it
would seem to be hoped, to return to the
''one fold" or ''csntre of religious unity"
The peculiar, compact and almost universal
system Of organization of the Catholic Church,
it's manner Of government by an elective
Chief Bishop and the College Of Cardi-.
mails, with Its means and power Of
intercommunion and propagandism, are
set forth in such shape as will
enable our readers Of all religious persuasions
to understand why 1t Is that Its clergy have
been, and now are, so successful in the work
Of missionary enterprise. The relations Of the
temporal sovereigns Of the Old World towards
the Pontif and bishops matter of the utmost
consequence at the present moment-are
treated In order according to the power Of the
respective countries. Indeed we may claim
that nothing Of material value has been
omitted, and that the HERALD Of this morning
will remain in after time more faithful and
accessible register Of the Council of the Vatican
for the use Of all Christian peoples-that of the
numerous Catholic community of the American
Continent in particular-than any which has
been published Of the previous Roman episco-
pal congregations. The pens of our special
correspondents in Europe, aided by steam and
electricity, have enabled us to accomplish this
work, so that our readers can after its
perusal draw their own Independent inferences
as to whether Rome In her penetration sees
the handwriting, the meme tekel et euph0rsoas,
on the wall, and is preparing to meet its conse-
quences, or whether she will be enabled to
sustain her priestly claim that she Is s'ever
new and ever baptizing and being baptized"
and thus, after an adjustment, take q new
lease for the commencement Of religious
career In accordance with the spirit and
requirements Of tho age.
In this connection we print faithful trans
iation of the Syllabus Of Errors as it is termed,
or the Pontifical and hierarchical platform. It
is said that this document will be adopted by
the Council, vioa voce and without discussion.
should this prove to be true we can see but
little use in meeting undertaken at so much
personal inconvenience and cost. Indeed. we
cannot shake off the lay inflrmIty of thinking
that the Catholic Church would sustain very
severe shock before the eyes of an enlightened
world in consequence. Science and material
progress will have their apostles and advo-
Gates in the Council. The Archbishop of CAL
cutta, India, travelled through the Suez Canal
one of its first passengers-on his way to
Rome, while the Bishop of Honolulu, in the
Sandwich Islands, was carried from San Fran
cisco to New York over the Pacific Railroad
when journeying in the same direction. The
first, having steamed over the grave Of Pharaoh
and his mighty host, must certainly reflect on
the evanescence of all temporal power, while
the latter will speak to his compeers of what
man has accomplished and can do by the
subornation Of the agencies Of modern civilza-
ton.
The Council of the Vatican meets on the day
Of the Feast of Immaculate Conception. It is
also the anniversary ofthe birthday of Horace,
the Roman poet having first seen the light on
the 9Th Of December, in the year Go before the
birth Of Christ. 1t is one of those curious coin
cidences which occur in the course Of world,
The spark Of the Syllabus may have boen
lighted in the brain Of the satirist, when he
asserted that In ancient Rome memo conteatus
ciuas lila sorte sea- ratio dederit seu .fors
0lscerit-''no person lives contented with
the lot which reason has accorded or chance
presented to him." And then he went on to
show the prevalence Of the succus negro lol-
Hginis--the '.juice Of the black cuttlehsh"-in
the SANDERS, defamations, detractions and
belittlings Of personal worth and private
character which abounded on every side
around him. Indeed, he characterizes his
friend and patron Mmcenas ''the tutelary guar
dian Of peace, civilization and progress