The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1869-10-31

In tho onarter of a century which has elapsed
since Plus TX assembled the ron.hnos, 'd bacT
what momentous issues have arisen anu .D.nI pech
decided both in the moral and the pohtlcai
world! Thrones have been demoisheS4-sce
Tres have passed into strange hands-tne Iaha-
moSlrs of EinCdoms and empires have been oD-
Iiterated--royal heads hRv5 5ongnb refuge IA
the hospitable capital of the Chflstihn Moiiu,
fho.rrl, ita ruIer was himself menaced by the
- 1o1,s;as of the reftlgees-ho himself has han 10
seek refuge in flight from the machlnaIions
and open force of the emissarles Oh I hs
snpported by the ungratefai people whom nc
had enfranchised. The Eastern and w estern
would have since been shaken by the most
Gigantic of modern wars, and the spirit OF ans IS
9Sn.Sha,,ce ia still brooding in every capital OF
Europe The past is lurid and the 1oture
gloomy but after all these years OF Vlclssituue
. 4ha 4lae High Priest OF the Universal Church
stands 1nmoyed and immovable IN the -" erasn
of empires and the ruin OF dy nastfes: " i 1l.e
Enrope stands armed cdp-G-pie, ana nafIons
baco1yl At each other across their FRONTIERS
one power contemplates war In order TO &VeFI
revolution, and another ostentatloHsly Pllauess Pln
its mower and demonstrates its efficiency ana
nrowess in elaborate mon9uVres ana MOCK
ea,npairns-while his own enemies are watch
;n,r Will the iynx-eye of cupidity for the mo-
,neSnt. when possible complications may leave
Rome ut their mercy-rne sovereign -FontiH
,zeummons round him the Preiates of the unlyer-
ael Church to deliberate on matters moment
ora To the whole Christian world, uninnuenceA
by the disorders of the present or the menaces
OF the future. .,..:.-A
to glance at the history of the Church during
. 1Pontifieate of our present Pope, with the
view of tracing its progress IN IN aii iands al, ha
represented at the coming Councll; Notwlth-
standing the conflicts in which the head OF the
Church has been involved with the powers OF
AZ ooTti, since the accession to tho Pontifical
Observation-Disclosures that hls whoie reign,
Extending over the ordinary limits of Pontih,
cal rule has been one long period OF trlal ana
ine--the reign of Pope, Plus TX marks an
era in the Church distinguished beyond all
others by the progress, the extension ana IN
faunnee of the dominion of the faith. A mill
tant Church must ever be in conflict with the
powers of evil, but the result of that conflict
with all its trials shows ehat nie pastors OF
have augmented the fold and extended their
jurisdiction to atdegree never before excesdeu
in similar period OF time, pnsoper ana IN :,
fbe peaceful progress of the Church abroad,
.oni he who commenced lris Pontifcate as the
advocaFe of human freedom in opposition 10
fI,e. absol,atism of the European lnonarclies,
fbhouCh he failed to accomplish ms glorious
ideal through the selhshness, 1ngratitude, ana
;ofdelity, of those for whom his large heart
vearned as that of parent--he has lived 70
see the human soul in all lands more '1niiy en-
franchised from the darkness and bonds OF IS
ISorance. and ChTistis rule triumphanS, despite
the subtlety of false friends and the secrei
lnachinations and open force OF public ana de
Tn the midst of his personal and political
dificulties, the Sovereign Pontif never lost
sipht of the higher duties of his august. ONCE
charasferiseds his advent to the chair of ST
II ifsEef Sc ssSs u ~
sa;T Ind with perfect Justice-that nSs canoe ~
fltsfgA iirrtdfgi62sfy sSfended and never did a
more gentle and benevolent Pontif watch over
4bo 1RpiritnaI interests of the human race. He
whose climateric has been SO often declared by
his enemies to be fateful to the faith and fatal
A., Rome has but Just celebrated the twenty
fonrth anniversary of his accession, and is now
preparing to preside at "a Council OF the Uni
versal Church, whose decisions VIII be laW'
Arn ,affD
81 fret their little h0ur upon the stage" VIII b.
foreveE:~hidden in the gloom of Oblivion, an,
their thrones-founded in fraud and cemente,
in bloodshed--shall have crumhled in the dust
The awards of history are nearly always Jus
in the end and this is the record we confident
ly predict-which posterity, In justice, mus
write when dealing with the Pontihcate o
since his accession what immense progres
has the Church not made. From Lands hithei
tn Unknown in the councils of the nations, an
bat dimly recognized by the great mass of tn
human race till within the last few years, "
read that Bishops have already set out an
ara on their way to Europe to be preseI
as the approaching great reunion of the Churcl
In America-tae future home and centre OF u
.EaYfaE- of the faith at the-PFeseRt- moIaeI
numbered nearly third of the populati91
and are increasing - aaEanolng % more ad aaPie
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa IN
India the progress is relatively as rapid al
ooually satisfactory. From Japan to Calfo
MA from Nova Zeulbla TO Tasmania, the fait
js vital and energetic, producing overyw whe
abundant fruit, and presenting IN the tto
sands of Churches which have sPTnng IN
form and beauty as If by magic visible eV
dencss of its extent and power. Oar own "a.
has carried the seeds of the faith iuio all land
and through the instrumentality of their re
and fcrvor it's feeupdity and force preseTv.
the traditional poty of their native land
ciimes where the cold chill Of PrUtestantis
had previously stagnated the ferfor and cha cha
itv of1fhe human heart. In Enrope The stron
holds of Protestant Ascendants are gradual
canitulatipg. In Germany, where tAc RetorI
alton has produced it's countcrpart-inhdeii
there is scarcely intermediate stage b
tween tho confines of free thought and u
reFnge of the one Universal Church, and in Q
tba States now under Prussian regime the
fboIin and Protestapt populations live on teri
: of perfect social and political equality. En- En-
land nlyygSs tardy in recognizing Justice Wit
nnnosed TO preindice is at last awakening to
sense of the iniquity of her past rule, an
however unconsciously, is lnanfestly addli
to fbe mower and progress of the faith. Iwen
wears since the English Government and peol
y were the most active and unseTupuious en-
la NJ TO-1.