New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-15
THE GCUMENICAL COUNCIL.

of the Pope to postpone it, The interest taken IN
the Council in very large portion Of the Christian
word continues and of late the attitude OF the state
Governments with regard to it has attracted partcu
lar attention. In the following lines we briefly
review some Of the principal facts which have OF late
come to light.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC AND THE EASTERN CHURCHES.
The whole Greek Church, which represents more
than nine-tenths of the population Of about $1,000
600 nominally connected with the Oriental Churches
has now officially declared its unwillngness to take
part in the Council The Patriarch of Constantl-
nope, after declining the Papal invitation for MS
own part entered into communications with tho
other Patriarchs of the Greek Church and with the
Holy Synods of Russia and Greece. His official or
gan announces that answers have been received from
all these parties and that all of them fully concur
with the Patriarch of Constantnoplc in regard 10
the Papal invitation as unacceptable Afull account
of the interview between the new Patriarch of Alex
andria and the Roman Catholic bishop who pre-
sented the Papal letter is interesting for giving
very explicit explanation of the view which one OF
the highest digntaries Of the Greek Church takes OF
their relation to the head of the Catholic Church
The Gcumenical Councils of the ancient Church,
the Patriarch says conceded TO the Pope only the
honor OF procedure, and he has, therefore, no nght
to convoke general Council without the consent OF
the other Patriarchs. 1t is further objected
that the Pope finds salvation exclusively
| in the communion of Rome; and that tho
Popes have introduced doctrines and festivals, un-
| known to the ancient and undivided Church. The
Patriarch advises the Pope, in conclusion if he sim
cerey desires the unity of the universal Church. that
he should write to the Patriarchs individually, and
endeayor to come to an understanding with them re-
specting the to be adopted renouneinR every
idea of domination and every dogma on which opin-
| ions may clash This view shows to what length
| some Bishops of the Greek Church are at present
willing to go in the line of compromise and as these
views are emphatically rejected in Rome all hope
for seeing Greek Bishops at the coming Council has
for the present been abandoned. Correspondence
from Russia to Roman Catholic papers of Franco
assert that there is strong party in Russia in favor
of union between the Roman Catholic and the
Greek Church, and that this party greatly reoices
that in the Papal letter the word schismatcs has
been avoided but no facts are adduced which could
give clear view of the strength Of this pretended
| union movement
| The Armenian Church, unlike the Greek which Is
divided into eleven independent groups has one head.
the sO-called Catholics at the monastery ID Etch~
moadzne IN Asiatic Russia. The Of the pres
| ent Catholics is Kevork w. To him the Patriarch
of Constantinope, BOgos. who individually. was not
altogether disincned accept the Papa invitation,
applied for advice The tenor of the reply of the
Catholics has already briefly been referred to in The
TRIBUNE The text of his letter, which is published
in full in the papers specially devoted 70 the Council,
Is the ablest document with regard to the subject
which has emanated from any of the Eastern bishops
According to the Catholics the doctrine that tho
Throne of Rome is the center of Union cannot be ac
cepted by the Holy Orthodox Armenian Church.
which, with the whole Eastern Church, recognizes the
| Savior Jesus Christ as its only supreme Chief lie
therefore directs the Patriarch of ConstantinOple to
refuse the Papa invitation and to reject the Council
and he all the Armenian bishops Of Turkey TO
be careful not to give handle TO misunderstand-
ings and discords" 1t remains to be seen, whether
the Armenian bishops of Turkey will heed the advice
of the Catholics who by is mistrusted because
| he is subject of Russia
| The latest Roman Catholic papers continue to ex-
press some hope with regard TO the Patriarch of the
! Coptc Church in Egypt. The Patriarch is bitter
opponent and prosecutor of the Protestant mission
aries in Egypt, and expressed to the special envoy
of the Pope who handed to him the letter of invi-
tation, his profound sympathy with the successes
which in the opinion of the envoy the Roman Cath
Ole Church is now meeting with among the Prot
| estants He also expressed the desire OF another
interview with the envoy. Not one single Eastern
bishop has up to this moment expressed desire to
| attend
| THE PROTESTANT WORLD.
The interest of the Protestant world in the COM
ing Council is considerably declining. Only one i'm
portant manifestation has been made during the past
few months the great meeting of the German Prot
estants at Worms, to which THE TRIBUNE has al
ready called attention The resolutions of the meet
ing are a vigorous protest which Is sustained by
very large portion of the German people, against
| avery bierarchical form Of Christianity. Though
chiefly directed against the claims which are still
made by the Roman Catholic bishops upon the State
and society the meeting declared with equal deci-
sion against the undemocratic and Protestant con
stitution which still letters the Protestant State
| Churches of Germany. Sympathy with the declara-
tions of the Worms meeting is especially expressed
in Austria and Hungary, and it has been announced
that General Diet of the Professionals of the Austro-
Hungarian monarchy has been called to pass similar
resolutions Most of the Protestant Churches at
present take no more notice the Councilman of any
ordinary ecclesiastical meeting aud the correspond
ents of the great journals of the world will be almost
| the only representatives of the Protestant world
| whom the Council will draw to Rome.
| MOVEMENTS IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC woRLD-AT"
TIrUDE OF THE BISHOPS, CLERGY AND LAlTY.
| All the bishops who have thus far spoken of the
| Councn-and the number of those who have spoken
is very large-are fully agreed in representing the
Council as one of the great events in the history OF
the Church, and in expecting from 1T important re-
suits There has never been in the history OF the
Roman Catholic Church q more perfect accord be-
tween tho bishops and the Pope A combined oppO-
sition of any number of bishops to any act Of the
Pope sas been unknown for long time. Still, It Is
| generally known, and will not be denied by any Ko'
man Catholic paper that with regard to some OF the
most important questions, which, according TO the
semioficial papers of Rome, are likely to engage
the attention of the Council considerable nunOer
of bishops do not share the views which are en'el-
| - =, Z A. Eranch and German