The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-25
ELEVENTH STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Rev. Charles b. Smyth ON the Ecumen
ical Council.

The Rev. Charles b. Smyth on the Ecumen.
icnl Council.
The announcement that the Rev. Charles d. Smyth
would deliver a discourse ON "The Ecumenical
Council" at the Eleventh street Presbyterian church,
"seats free" drew large congregation whom the
reverend gentleman held In Tapt attention during
an effective and instructive treatment OF his sub
Ject. After the usual preliminary services the
preacher advanced and selected his text from
Psalm xxi. l3:-"They cape upon me with their
mouths, as n were ramping and roaring lionn
The speaker began by abiding to the Papa bulls
which had formed so important part G. the ecclesi
astlcal history Bulls had been set loose upon
all doctrines which had been antagonstic to the
Roman faith and they had been no respecters of
persons or preates. But three hundred and fifty
years ago, said he. there arose an obscure monk
who took the bull by the horns, and backed the fero
cious beast into the fires until nothing remained but
his ashes. This was the achievement OF Luther, and
occurred IN the time Of Plus !. Now, the present
Pope, nine times Plus his lllustrious preae-
cessor has issued another bull convening the Ecu
menical Council, to Introduce new dogmas into the
articles OF faith which dated on the 29th day OF
June, 1868 calling Tor the gathering Of bishops on
the 8th OF December 1869. In the past history Of
the Church eighteen councils have gathered at the
shrine Of St. PETERS, Inc first met in a25, and the
succeeding ones IN $751; 43l 457 553 $780, in 1877 the
Council OF Nice which concerned image Worship IN
1l79 1915 1245, 1874, 1871 1882 1871 and 1916. 1t
was this last gathering Of the Council which met to
then overspreading Europe: and the one to
meet by Papal bull on the sth Of December
next is the only one in the crises OF the Church
that has been thought necessary IN the lapse OF 800
years. WHAT means the word ecumenlcalY 1t sig
miles catholic, universal-it means Uor p0puu. zoe
DEL. It's scope would therefore include all bishops
in the Christian world, whether Roman or not and
Plus IX., In this spirit, sent invitations 70 the
bishops OF all churches, but to this date 1t Ia not
mi hal a a n
ing OF the Council included monarchs princes and
heads OF ali petty naionalities, and the soverelgns
liberations OF the august body; but no lay
bers have been solicited to attend, and potentates
have been excluded. What do these changes sug-
gest? What has been wrought In an interval OF 326
yearsP At the beginning OF this period the
Reformation was in Its swaddling clothes
and every monarch OF Europe was q vassal Of
the Pope: now none are 30 poor as to DO
hlm reverence. Then he was the king OF kings
on earth, now Rome bends to the imperial purple OF
Napoleon III. Then Catholicism was the only reli-
gOn OF Europe; now Lapland Norway, Sweden,
England. Prussia and other great Powers are no
from Roman domination. Russia and the Eastern
countries sustain the Greek Church, and Bavaria
ae he e
Its once great stronghold. such are the transfor-
nations, and great and mighty have they been.
The population OF that world IS 1850 600 900. one
eighth Of which number constitutes the Romish
Church. and the rest OF the Christian Church, incud
ing Greeks, Armenians, Protestants and Eastern
branches is considerably in excess or this number,
and the bishops Of the Roman Church are much less
than one-half OF those belonging to the other de-
nominations. The Anglican Church has l07
bishops, the Episcopal in TINS country =,
the Moravan and branches 20, other churches So.
The HISTORIANS might also come under this treat
ment. In the aggregate there are about 929 bishops
who do not belong to Rome, and as the Bsnop OF
Orleans, an acute and erudte man, has estimated
the number OF Romish bishops at from 700 to 500,
there Will be an excess OF 100 in favor OF those who
do not esp0use Catholicism and that great body will
not be represented in the Ecumencal Council; hence
ecumenica which means universal, Is q mlsnomer.
Yet the Council will contain learning, cunning,
OF ages. The reverend gentleman went on to de-
scribe what the operations OF the Council would be
in parliamentary sense and then proceeded to In
qulre to the OF this important convOcatiOn
OF bishops The dogma Of the Immaculate Concep-
ton OF the Virgin Mary, as first advanced In the
TX, was one OF the innovations that Will
be brought before the Council for ratnca.
ton. The preacher illustrated this point by
coplOus quotations from authoritative announce
ments by the Pope himself The other subjects
to be traversed would be the press, destruc
ton OF church property, suppression OF monasterles
education of the youth, civil society, the reestaD
lishment OF The Church where 1t has been sup
planted and its extension to heather nations But
In order TO gain strength IN these directions it
ILL.,. who has no existence as q monarch in the eye
OF Rome, to lift the ban OF accommodation from
the head OF Victor Emanuel to secure popular and
plant king for the throne OF spain and to throw
a sop to the Emperor OF Austria, who has dehed
Roman power. What the Council should truly
guarantee was liberal education free press, free
Bible and salvation by grace through faith IN Christ
and not the cebacy OF the priesthood, the sale OF
lndulgences and other debasing influences that
have dragged the Church to Its present level.