The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-12-16
Tie EcuuenIcaI Council

which SO much has been said for some
months past, met i'll Rome On the Sth
inst The word ecumenical is derived
from the Greek adjective oikounaenilios,
which means of or from the whole world:
an ecumenical council is, therefore gen
eral council, or council whose members
are drawn from the whole inha bitable
world. The Greek word oikonaaesacs,
from which the above adjective is derived.
means the inhabited world, and was used
by the Greeks 10 designate their portion
of the earth as opposed to barbarian
Hands. So among Catholics while an
ecumenical council means a general one,
it also means one composed only OF the
dignitav;es Of their church. ss
The object of this council is the au-
| thortatiye settlement of certain doctglnai
questions which is presumed will be
| brought forward. These questions are
yaid to be the following: The power OF
1.-THE Church to inflict temporal punish
lnIent, including death: the political sa-
premacy Of the Pope, involving the de-
| posing power, as exercised in the middle
| ages: the s'unlavfulness' Of freedom of
| conscience and worship the condemns
| ton of modern civilization and the
principles of constitutional government,
after the manner Of Inocent LII. in an
nulline Magma Charta, and Leo XII in
conaenning the French Constitution in
1924, &c; the Assumption, that is, The
miraculous ascension of the Virgin Mary
to Heaven, and last the infalllbiity OF the
Pope. A~~
It is scarcely probable that any of these
doctrines, promulgated in the darkest
aces Of the church, and now held by half
of It's members, and often in centuries
past discarded by sume of the most learn
ed and pious prelates, will now be author
itatively promulgated. Yet the council
is largely composed Of Latin prelates, who
are more under the influence of the Pope.
are more ardently devoted to the old dog
mas of the church, than those who live
further away from the Vatican, because
they 1--we in those countries that are still
erve!oped in the mists Of old supersti-
ton, and it is therefore not easy to say
with any approach TO correctness, what
may or may not be done.
Eor the council solemnly to declare
that the Pope has the right to inliict
temporal or bodily punishment even unto
death is to revive the inquisition and
sanction the most dangerous and damna-
bic tyra0v that ever cursed the world.
so lar from such a declaration strength
ening the Church it would weaken it.
and we believe that it would be so looked
upon by large number OF the most en-
lighsened OF Catholics. 4 declaration
that the Pope is supreme political power,
and that he has the right to depose rul-
ers at his will, wouid provoke the rid
icule of the world rather than his respect
and obedience. especially as the Pope
has been Obliged to rely on the assistance
of the Emperor Of France to maintain hts
temporal power even in his own states.
In Tire days Of the greatest power OF the
Dapas their exercise OF temporal authori-
II over the rulers OF the earth was either
resisted or submitted to with i'll grace.
So far as the present Pope is concerned,
the declaration that p0pes are the su-
prcnJa political power would be most
foolish ceremony, and there is now no pros
meet hat a time Is coming when this
claim can be enforced any better than 1t
i now.
Liberty Of conscience and worship were
long conceded, by the mere enlightened
governments, 10 be among the inalienable
rights OF She citizen; and this coEvictlon
IS strenethsning and spreading with every
passing year, and TO attempt to turn the
tide OF ponular sentiment in an opposite
direction by the declaration of a council,
though composed ofnever so digniiled and
learned body, would be about as vain
as to issue a declaration against the shin
ing Of the sun. The time has forever
gone by when people will submit their
consciences to the keeping of any partl
cular sect CT order, unless general educa-
ton can be denied the masses.
Tn regard to declaring the infallibility
of the Pope, there are many arguments
that will be used against it, if free dis
cussion is allowed in the council. The
doctrine has been denied by many Of the
ablest prelates Of the Catholic church: IN
all ages some popes have declared that
to be orthodox which others have deciar
ed to be heresy; some ofthem have been
men of the worst passions, and guilty OF
great crimes How absurd then it would
be to declare that they are infallible, eth
ther in til II personal character or their
priestly Office. An assertion of any one
of all these doctrines by the council will
he a blow at the church quite as damage
inc to it III this country as any that 1t
has received from its enemies. Let the
Council discard ali these absurd dogmas.
and place the Church upon the liberal
erc11n I adopted by Hyaeinthe and othars
of like character, and the cause OF Cath
olicisn will receive an impetus such as
it has not experienced in many centur-