The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-24


Church.
The attitude assumed by Father Hyacinthe
towards Rome has startled not Paris only but
Europe and the world. 1t was well known
that in France, in Italy, in Germany and in
the United States there were many good
Catholics who looked forward with alarm to
the Council which is to meet In Rome in
December of this year. All those who, in the
Catholic Church, believe that progress in
science, in art in literature, in life is or ought
to be in harmony with religion-and there are
many such in the United States and all over
Europe-feel Disguised with the spirit which is
now dominant near the person of his Holiness
the Pope. By all such the announcement of
the Holy Father to the effect that he
intended to convene general council of the
Church was received with suspicion and fear
1t was well known that the Pope was completely
under the control of the ultramontanists. The
Encyclical and Syllabus of 1864 were we'll
remembered Nothing had happened since that
time to indicate that liberal principles had
grown in favor. Much had happened to prove
the contrary. Later encyolcals, called forth
by the reform movements in Austria, Italy and
Span gave abundant evidence that the senti-
ments of the Pope and his College of Cardi-
nails were more of the fifteenth than Of the
nineteenth century. 1t was not necessary,
however, that general council should submit
to any narrow-minded dictation. The Church
in general council might he stronger than the
Pope and his immediate advisers. The broad
and apparently generous terms Of the Pope's
invitation to the Council led many to hope that
the real object of the Council was, if possible
to set the Church in harmony with the age,
and thus give it new start under happier
and more hopeful auspices. Time has not
encouraged these later hopes, while it
has increased and intensified the early
fears Murmurs Of discomfort have been
loud and general. South Germany has
been brought to the verge Of secession. The
advance party in all lands, the party which in
the last fifty years has worked wonders for the
Church, is chilled and disappointed. Love Of
order and Of unity has alone kept them silent.
The loud and emphatic protest and the decided
action of Father Hyacinthe have, therefore,
acted like bombshell. The silence has been
broken, and tho probability of another great
schism 10 the Church of Rome has become the
great world-question OF the moment. A monk
Of Wittemberg shook the world and divided
the Church in the sixteenth century. II will
not be wonderful if monk of N6tre Dame
shakes the world and divides the Church in
the nineteenth century. Hyacinthe may yet
be as great a name as that Of Luther. A little
more wisdom at the Vatican might have pre-
vented the first great Reformation. 1t will be
we'll for the Catholic Church if the wisdom
then wanting be found now. Is it rash
to suppose that the Council may yet
save the church, Let the liberals, the men
of advanced ideas, present themselves in full
force. Let them speak out. Let our Ameri-
liberalism which has its true home on this
Continent Let them tell the Pope and the
assembled bishops how Catholicism and liberty
60 hand in hand in the freest and greatest
nation the world has yet known Let the
United States be fairly and fully repre-
Pope and his medieval advisers be completely
discounted. Father Hyacinthe in that case
will be blessing to the Church.
THE New YORK DEMOCRACY AND THE
CHINEsE.-In his opening speech at the late
Syracuse Convention Mr.. Samuel J. Tldeu
took pretty strong ground against the intro
duction Of the Chinese into this country az
coolies and as voluntary immigrants. We
believe, too, that an anti-Mongolian resolution
was in the platform as prepared for the Con-
vention, bat it does not appear in the platform