The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-25
THE GcUMBNIcA1 COUNCIL.
Remarkable Address OF Catholic Lay
men to the Bishop OF Treves.

The North German correspondent OF July
S1st says:
The address of the Catholic 4sity of the do
cese Of Tfeves to the bishop is document at
once 80 interesting and so remarkable that we
believe We cannot do better than present our
readers with the te1t. Iu short introduction
the memorialists state the motives which IN
duced them to tread the un Tonted path OF ex-
postulation. An organ of the Church. the Civil
tn Cattolica, appearing in Rome, lately produc-
ed an article under the form OF communlcs-
tion from French correspondent. in which 1t
was asserted that while the liberal Catholics
were appreheasive tho approaching council
would proclaim the doctrines OF the Syllabus
and the intallibility of the Pope, and hoped it
would at least consent to modify or explain
away to some extent certain OF the PROPOSE
tions which the Syllabus contained, the true
Catholics, on the other hand, were ready to ac-
cept these dogmas with acclamation, and that
there are even very many in France who
earnestly desire the council will complete the
new tenets by adding TO them that OF the
glorious translation OF, the Blessed Virgin IN
Heaven.
The following is part Of the address:
When We fix our attention on the position OF
the Church to the State and to modern society
in general, it seems 10 US that the liberty an
independence Of the former imperanvely de-
mand that the approaching council shall leave
no doubt possible that it has defnitiyely re-
nounced every velleity Of reviving the theoera-
tic governmental forms of the middle ages.
The chief cause OF the alienation OF the minds
Of men from the church in our days is the fear
OF return to those times when the power OF
the State enforced by coercive measures the
teaching and laws ola religion based on su-
pernatural revelation, when the conscience was
consequently bound, and the dignity OF religion
itself, which cannot exist without the Volunta.
Legislative restraint, was gravely compromised.
We fully recognise that the existence OF the
State is seated on religious foundation, in 80
far as the social order established by it, and
the magisterial power, repose on the recognl.
tion OF living personal God and OF the moral
law implanted by him in the human soul; but
we are likewise convinced that the sphere OF
the State, which revolves like the church, COM
pletely independent in its own special circle,
is comprehended within those intellectual per-
ceptions and moral principles which are within
the grasp of the natural mental powers OF
men.
That State, in our opinion, is the most
Christian which most scrupulously respects
these limits. and while it assures to revealed
religion, 10 the church,. and the different con-
fessions which acknowledge its OVID religious
and moral basis the most perfect freedom Of
actor, and the projection Of their rights, vol
unfairly takes account. 80 far as that can be
done without violating the principle OF equality,
before the law, Or the religious sentiments OF
q people, and readily utilizes the higher under
standing of citizens instructed by Chris tianity
to obtain a still deeper insight into the law OF
nature, and embody it with still greater clear
ness and purity in its statutes. In this way
more perfect harmony. more fruitful activity,
more admirable conformation Of Church aud
State may be attained than history has as yet
witnessed; and if, Notwithstanding this, con.
fiicts between them still arise in the lives OF
individuals, they will only be such as more or
less necessarily arise on the one side from the
distinction which was first II all made by
Christianity between the claims Of the Church
and the State, or on other from the weakness
and fallibility Of everything 6at ia human.