The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-08
The Vaccinations Of the Vatican.
From the New York independently


The Ecumeucal Council Is serious fact. With
the few Protestant sneers which have saluted 1t In
advance we have no sympathy. representative
body summoned from the entire Roman Catholic
Church throughout the world is spectacle not to DO
Knocked at, but pondcred. Fifty cardinals aud eight
hundred bishops form q congress of great specific
gravity. No matter how much these preates are
given to mummeres, their Church to supersti-
lions, all religions have equal right to exist and
Rome Is entitled to fair play among the other eccle
sinstlcal powers Of the earth. Any serious human
soul that prefers to stake Its salvation the Catholic
rather than the Protestant faith Shall have from u.s.
speed. Whoever wishes to indulge in so
harmless homage as kissing the POpe's toe ought
TO have the general permission Of Chrtstendom to
perform the act unwhipped by any other scourge OF
Criticism than the gentle satire which the absurdlty
Of the ceremony suggests Accordingly, we look
forward IN no cynical mood to the majestic untm-
portance Of . great body watch af report be trae)
does not know why 1t IL assembled, even whether
it is to be assembled at all.
Eighteen Ecumenical Councils have been held
Of one 70 each century. Their records form pictu.
rescue chapters Of Church history. Each gather
s sa 81 Ssops great abS Sa
And yet looking reirospeCtively at the S sue.
cessve deliverances OF these great parliaments
OF the Church. one Ia reminded anew OF the laboring
mountain that brought forth O mouse The fret
presided at Mecca A. D. 325--is still remembered be.
cause 1t promulgated the Nicene Creed. Tue Coun.
Gil Of Trent which was called IN tho last days Of
years. rs memorable for the vigorous but Intellectual
Ism. with these two exceptions. the Ecumenlcal
Councils seem 70 student to have been devoted
ters Of doubtful disputatlon-mlnt anise and cum.
Bishop DdpshoapSs 81 s most ga able Sensible
that the approaching council win DO guilty Of de.
erecting the infal!lbility OF the Pope. The good
xs sn nov that such pu
which can better bear persecution than rtdicuie.
against St. Peters bombardins broadside 80, Of
ralllery mockery and scorn. The maxim that 'the
I Do y no ETSns R %sa ne on as
tho b nsad wrong % KING ws0 had
two centuries ago was exploded BY the State-a doc
trine which can take no abiding root In an en-
Claim to represent tho nineteenth but only the sew
man to be infslllDle thereby opens Don Quixote
the wnd@iiS Of God 70 GRIND |. excesdns small Pe''
One smiles at reading IN leading Ronnish organ
must perish outright or 1t will be saved by tpis
councii.N What stun. Human society WIN newer
from any cause, perish outright. Human society
Ecumenica Council Human society viii, IL ali
probability be as little Affected by the nineteenth as
i was BY the least important OF the previous sigh
It is nndenlabIe that great good could DO done Ia
Rome In md.August II only the potentates who ex-
pect then and there 70 assemble would set their
faces forward. instead OF backward. Progress, not
siagnaton, Is the watchword Of this day and gene.
aon Al Ghq 1 hes and al
menIcal Council recognizing the signs OF the times
would soomnly declare Itself in favor or free thought
and speech, instead Of the Index Erpur0dtortus; in
favor OF popular education, instead Of an enforced
ignorance OF the masses; In favor Of the right Of
private Judgment instead Of the er cdthedra dlctum
OF supposed nfallible p0nti1 In favor Of religious
liberation and llberaty, instead Of the unchristan
o. tue H9mlsn snd Of most other
clergy--if the Ecumenica1 Council should, like St
Paul, behold at noon great light above the bright
tempt to eniighten Church whose chief boast is
that II keeps half the world In darkness the forth
coming festival would send pulse OF benefit
There Is o party Of progress in the Romish com.
munion. Now Is its day-now Its hour. Let It's
voice be heard fortnight hence unless, indeed, the
a ray Of the Morning Star has always slanted down
Sthe naves and aisles Of the Church OF Rome. That
smp Ss goc 70 nsSS,
religious light For the last twenty years PioNono
the soul Of conservatsm-has been alarmed by
ns g SSe wn s diocese Ssr %
nor his Diisadvsing cardinals can qne the spirit OF
TSG Si 70 s ns ss
put itself In harmony with the present age. Since
Il 10 speak with great authority We hope II VIII
clesiastcal power, Its true influence will consist
only III tts words OF truth and sobcrnessv Cotton
Mathcr spoke profoundly when he said, .'rhe decree
IN the reason OF It," Let The Ecanenica Doctors
who are 70 speak in tne Vatican and 70 be heard
sense a. TO turn the Pspacy into O laughing stock
TOR we hp0aAR ra91 " ppst be very poor yr0tAgt