The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-06-30
Germany The Protestant Congress at
Worms.


The important movement on the
part of German Professionalism, in
tended as demonstration against the
pretentions of the Roman Church,
has resulted in q general conference
at Worsas, the particulars of which
we furnish you with, at the risk of
communicating most of that with which
you arc already acquainted. The
number Of delegates to this confer
ence, kaiing from. all parts of Ger
many, is estimated at 900, and more
than 10000 strangers crowded TIE
streets of that little city on the 3lst
ult. Even Austria and France were
represented by delegates. The open
ing prayer of the Rev. Mr.. Brieglcb
closed with the words, "Lord, give
the German people German church !"
Professor Bluntschli (born in Zurich,
but of the Heidelberg University was
chosen president : and after welcome
to the guests by Dr.. Schroeder the
point at issue was at opco entered
:tssupon by Professor DR.. Schenkcl, who
~dwelt strongly upon the fact that
Rome did not acknowledge the Augs-
burg Confession of Nalth, tho true
pillar of religious peace, hor Efforts
being directed to spreading disscnsion
throughout Germany. Such attempts
must be strcnuously opposed, and it
behooved the Protestant body to or
ganize and combine in order to give
genuine German answer to Papal
arrogance, consisting in renewal of
the protest Of their torefathers. 9th
er speakers followed, among them
Professor L. N. .HoltzendoriF and
D Reverend Lisco, of this city z,ttel
ana Schellenberg, from Heidelberg ;
Manohot, from Bremen, &C., &c.
The proceedings were conducted
throughout in tho most harmonious
and enele ,ic manner, and the follow.
ing declaration, as emanating from
the Conference of German Protestants,
was submitted to tho meeting and
carried unanimously -
|. We, Protestants at present as
sembled in Worms, feel the conscien-
tious necessity ty-while fully acknowl-
cdging the right of belief of our Catho,
lio fellow Christians with whom we
wish to live in peace, but also in the
full consciousness of the religious,
moral, political and social blessings of
tho Reformation which we eDjoy--to
protest publicly and most solemnly
against the imputation contained in
the so-called ,Apostolical Letter of
September l3, 1868, calling upon us
to return to the fold of the Roman
Catholic Church.
3. Always willing to unite with our
Catholic fellow Christians upon the
basis of pure evangelism, we do pro-
test to-day, as determinedly as Luther
did in Worms and other forefathers
sAdid in Speyer, $50 years ago, against
every hierarchical and priestly tute-
lage and against every species of op-
preston of conscience, especially with
respect to the noxious principles an
tagonistic to. State and civilization
expressed in the Papal Encyolica of
December 8, 1864, and the Syllabus
annexed thereto.
8. We extend here, at tho foot of
tho Luther monument, brother hand
to our Catholic fellow-citizers and CO.
Christians on the common basis of
Christian spirit, German sentiment
and modern culture. But we expect
them to unite with us in the protec-
"A. tion Of our highest national and spir-
y itual privileges in opposition to our
common enemy, the enemy of rcligi-
Gus poace, national unity and free
development of civilization.
4. We declare as the main cause of
the religious divisions which we so
much lament, hierarohioal errors, es-
pecially the spirit and the acts of the
order of Jesuits, which conducts a
life and death combat against Protes-
tantism, suppresses all spiritual liber-
ty, falsiies modern civilization and
dominates over the Roman Catholic
Church. Only by decisively repel-
ling hierarchical pretentions, which,
since tho year 1915, have been renew
ed and constantlyon the increase, on
ly by return to pure evangelical
faith and acknowledgment Of tho
triumphs Of civilization, can divided
Christendom recover and secure per-
manently peace and prosperity. ,q
8. Finally, vie declare all efforts
within the Protestant Church tending
to establish hierarcbical power of the