The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-04

hohle III the Catholic creed OF doctrines which
they regard as contrary to the Scriptures, and to
the belief of the primitive Church. Replies Of
THIS character have beonp prepared by the Bishops
OF the Church of England, by the Supreme
Ecclesiastical Board of the State Church
OF Prussia by the Dutch University of
Groningcn, and other bodies. In our country
the General Council of the Lutheran Church.
the General Convention of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, the two Presbyterian Assemblies
and other Protestant bodies appointed COM
mittees TO reply to the Papal letter.
On Monday May 81, 1862 great assembly of
about 10000 people was held in Worms, to reply
20 the Pope, in the name of the German people.
The meeting had been called by the heads of tho
Liberal or Rationalistic party, the invitation to
1t having been signed by men like Professor
Schenkel, and Professor Bluntschl of TIeidelberr,
and many other leaders of the party The as
sembly issued declaration against the letter of
the Pope, and against recent "ultramontaue
attacks and encroachment5," and in favor of
change of the several Protestant State Churches
into a National German Peoples Church.
While the breach between the Roman Catholic
Church and the Protestant Churches is at pre-
sent either fully as wide as it was three hundred
years ago, or even wider, there are some nota-
bic exceptions. There are men and parties in
several of the Churches that have generally been
counted among the Protestant Churches which
regard union with Rome as practicable and
desirable. Others, while not going so far con-
slider the difference between the Roman Catholic
and the orthodox Protestant Churches as insig-
nificant in comparison with those which sopa-
rate the orthodox Protestants from the ration
alistic tendencies of modern times, and they
consequently advocate coalition of all Chris
tians who believe in the divinity of Jesus
Christ and the inspiration of the Scriptures
against those who deny these doctrines.
Guizot is one Of the best known representa-
tives of this class of men, and he, at n recent
meeting, expressed the opinion that Plus TX, in
convoking the council, exhibited an admirable
wisdom, and that from this assembly, perhaps,
will issue the salvation Of the world, for our
societies are very sick; but for great evils there
are great remedies" In Germany q Protestant
writer, Rcinhold Baumstark has issued PAM
phlet on the council which brcathes similar
| spirit, and has had very wide circulation
| But nowhere outside the Roman Catholic Church
| is there SO frendlya disposition toward the
| object of its cOnyocatiOn as among part of the
| Ritualists of the Church Of England. There is
| an organized party counting such men rs DR..
| Pnsey among its members, who arc even now
ready to recognize au honorary presidency OF
! who believe that the Thirty-niuc Articles of the
| Church Of England can be harmonized with the
DEGREES of the Council of Trent. This party
hopes and prays for the success of the council,
| and some of its members advocate the sending
of representatives to Rome to Stpuate the con
ditions of their submission.
| The Pope VS.. Dr. Cumming.
Even in very serious things there is oftcntime:
| IN ('uturniltr of Ion
who has been predicting for the last fifteen OF
| twenty years that the world would end in 1866
| Che has kindly deferred that catastrophe), was
| expected to supply it in this instance, having
challenged the Pope to enter into u discussion
| with him, before the council ON the difference
between the Catholic and the Protestant
| Churches, and the causes of this difference. The
| Pope, curtly answering that there can be no
discussion of errors already condemned de-
clnes the controversy. The fun would have
been to hear DR.. Cumming Cwhose knowledge OF
Latin may 90 to the extent of enabling him to
construe the few classical works read in
school and at college, rising up in an assembly
composed of learned prelates who have been
trained to speak Latin as if it were living Ian
guage, and attempting to make himself under
| stood. Independent of his want of fuency in
that tongue, his pronunciation of it would have
made him ludicrously uuintellgbc. 1t has
| been suggested that if DIR. Cumming, whose
passion Tor notoriety Graves perpetual cxhibi.
! lion, besides n bona tide controversy, he might
challenge DR.. TAFT, Archbishop of Canterbury
TO discuss in public the differences, in doctrine
and discipline, between the Churches of Eng
land and Scotland. Both diYines are eloquent
in English and may be presumed to be well in
formed on the points of controversy.
The following is the Pope's letter on the sub
ject of Dr. Cummings request to be heard q
the council. 1t is addressed to the Romish Arch
bishop OF Westminster
Pope Plus * TO our Venerable Brother Henry
| Edward, Archbishop of Westminster.
Venerable Brother, Health and the Apostoli,
Blessing,-We have seen from the newspaper
| that DR.. Cumming, of Scotland, has inquired o
| you whether leave will be given at the approach
ing council to those who dissent from thu
Catholic Church to put forward the argument
which they think can be advanced in support o
their own opinions; and that on your repl,
| that this is a matter to be determined by thu
Holy See, he has written to lis upon the subject
Now, If the inquirer knows what is the belle
of Catholics with respect TO the teaching author
ity which has been given by our Divine Sayiou
TO His Church, and therefore with respect to ii
iniallbity in deciding questions which beon!
TO dogma or to morals, he must know that tn
Church cannot permit errors which it has care
| fully considered, Judged, and condemned, to b.
again brought under discussion. This, too,
! what has already been made known by our let
) ters. tNiZ.:-Thc Letters Apostolic of Septonl
ler Is, 1865 addressed "Eo all Protestants an
other non Catholics.O For when we said, ri
cannot be denied or doubted that Jesus Chris
Himself, in order that he might apply to q
generations Of men the fruits of His redemption
> | built here on earth upon Peter His only ChUrcl
, | that is the one holy Catholic and apostOli