The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-02

which the Roman Catholic priests have sustained IN
country over their docks The people Will not lis
| ten to them for q moment. l have seen and spoken
Ecumenical Council ana they ali say that they neveI
remember and never heard OF In olden times such
determined indifference. and indeed opposition, on
all political matters, TO their advice.
That there Is storm brewing in Ireland there car
be little doubt; but 1t Is still more certain that the
the agitators. The British government is fully alive
to the tronble that 1t believes to be In store =
BY last thursdays steamer SIX detectives were
graph to England any well known Fenians that leav
your sde Of the Atlantic for this country or these
detectives four are ex-Fenians, for it Is curious
| fact that whenever or wherever ten Irishmen con
spre together two or three are sure to turn inform
ers upon the others. With such precautions and
with an increased police and military force through
out the country. judge what chance so called re-
bellon would have OF anything like, even temporary,
success In Ireland. Judge also. II any insane at
tempts at rising against the government are made,
bow the hands OF the tories will be strengthened
back for the next ten years at least
| The Ecumenicni Councii-The Pope's Letter
| TO Archbishop MISUNDERSTANDING
Theological Aspcct-Church and State
Cathoiiciry in America.
| LONDON, Nov. IS, 1859.
Since my last letter on the subject of the Ecumeni-
cal Council there has appeared In the London news
papers letter IRON the Pope addressed to Arch
bishop Manning. or these two dgnitaries 1t Is DIM
cult 70 say which Is best abused man, at least by
the British newspapers. II his Holiness says moth.
ing he Is taken TO task for his silence; II he writes
anything he Is denounced for daring to write. The
| letter OF which speak is simply document by
which Plus the Ninth seeks to correct into
which great number OF English writer's the sub
ject had fallen. They have for long time been
abusing him for daring TO convene o council by
which these opinions would be condemned. The
D1pn xrrtta has hs
he says, is not called together to decide upon any
former heresy error, all Of which have been long
ago condemned. But what is meant is to discuss
and decide matters connected with the faith and
discipline OF the Church, and II Others not OF the
Church, wish their difficulties to be smoothed or
their way to be made clear, In order TO enter the
Catholic Church, they have only to come to Rome,
whore learned divines win show them what Is the
truth and forth. The letter Is that of simple
minded old man. fervent believer In his own creed,
and very anxious indeed that others should Join that
creed, or church, which he believes TO be the only
true one. But 1t has been met by torrent OF abuse
from the English press, and If the poor Pope had
ordered an invasion Of England he could hardly be
In greater dsavor than he Is with the wise men of
this wise land. But IN England men must not dare
even to think differently from the iniallible press,
which is the most intoerant OF all powers in the
world and yet always procIaming itself to be the
most tolerant. And now to return TO where left
OF In my last respecting what no doubt the coming
Council viii be occupied In discussing, namely, the
personal infallibllity OF the Pope, when speaking
er cdthedra, or officially, on matters OF faith.
AS said in former letter, there can be little doubt
that this dogma will be defined at the Council,
and believe, 1t Win become part and parcel OF
the faith OF the Catholic Church My reason for
thinking SO is, that OF the many Catholic bishops
Rome one and all seem to think that the great
majority Of the Council will DO In favor OF this
action Even those who are antsgonstic to the doc
trine and who do not think the question ought
| to be mooted at present seem to believe that II
mooted 1t win be carried by very large majority.
On the other hand those who are In favor Of the
dogma say that the denial Of the infallibiy Of the
Roman Ponsin is neither obscure, unobtrusive or
latent but that 1t is patent notorious, lmportunate
power, it did in France but it exsts still
its roots are yet In the soil and alive They look
upon this denial Of the infaoty as an error OF the
| OF active and hostile minds in England and In
Germany, and II has been taken up by Protesants In
botn countries as weapon OF controversy OF
tumelyt against the Catholic Church, and especially
the Holy See. Catholics, they assert, virtually
united on all doctrines OF faith, the Immac.
uate Conception but the nfalllbility of the Pope
there Is q divergence which the enemies OF the
Church thinK or pretend to think Is contradiction
Ia iaitb. AS Archbishop Manning VINO seems TO be
one OF the most active and urgent advocates in favor
OF the definition OF the dogma says In his pastoral to
his clergy, rom which have quoted before, 1.-THE
combined action OF Galhcanism within the Church
ard Of Protestants without has given this
and especially In France and England, which takes
1t out OF the category OF imperfect and nnocuOus
sorbed. has Inscribed ttsey u he HISTORY Or the
church, ana totA !iue ON unta By The Church 1t is
finally condemned"
Here, then, i may venture to say we have got at
what Is the great object OF the Council DR.. Manning
Is pre,ate In high favor at Home. He Is leading
| land, but throughout the world. And /
dom, ,tn believe That mat ns would on the eve Of
prominent part (and OF which, among the Whole
800 $50 bishops there assembled he viii be almost
the only believe the one only-convert from Pro.
testantisni ne would hardly, venture to submit,
put forth the words have marked In italics with
out some good reason for doing so, and without be-
earnestly WILL without doubt form a part and a
very important part. Of the discussions OF that
\ Council.
With the theological portion OF the question 1t ia
neither my mission nor my intention to deal. quite
agree with Archbishop Manning wnen he says, in
another part Of his pamphlet, that, from Catholic
point OF view, 1t is right that the should DC
known regarding this dogma. "Let the truth be de.
claredn he says, whichever way 1t CO." 1t In not
for Inc to investigate or give my opinion whether the
dogma Is true or false; but think have fairly
established my position that 1t win form one OF the
main questions OF the Council, and that looking at
| II from Catholic point OF view, IL Is most i'm
portant question. Let US now look at the question
as regards the outer world. What effect viii TINS
drawing nearer OF the Catholic Church to Rome have
upon the relations OF that Church with society and
with the liberties OF MANKIND and OF the different
patlonalitiss OF the world2
The theory am about to promulgate may seem at
first very absurd, but 1t Is one that has not been
formed III hurry and which on rejection WILL l
believe, recommend Itself TO many OF your readers.
! 1t is this. 10 begin WITH the Catholic Church all
over the world Is OF itself power that government
can afford TO ignore or despise. Even In the United
states IL 10 NUMEROUS compact and orderly spirit
uai army. II, as la your country and as In England,
IL Is Kept quite apart from the State II Will AZ a
| genera rule elect great good among the more I'M
educated portion Of Its followers. II, however, on
the other hand, II becomes state church, 1t s sure
| TO effect evil. Men are men all the world over,
| whether priests or aymen, and once the CathoIc
Church becomes part and parcel OF the State 1t
invariably to lose all that 1t has OF good and
TO work out ITS own destruction by working evil on
| others
| From this 1t follows that the Catholic Church,