The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-06
HOB AND MOB WITH ANTICHRIsT.

HOB AND MOB WITH ANTICHRIST.
From the London Saturday Reoieto.
A star has fallen from the Protestant firma-
ment. DR.. Cumming has forgotten his own
teaching, and given the world another warn
ing not to Judge a man by his books. If there
is one lesson more than another which shines
in every page of the Doctors writings, it is
that the Pope is Antichrist. On the precise
date of the end of the world Dr. Cumming
has, we believe, permitted himself to waver
If he has not exactly halted between two OPT
nions he has at least held several consecu-
lively. But the character of the Pope has
been the adamantine foundation of all his
predictions. 1t is this alone that has enabled
him to draw the horoscope of the earth. If
the Pope be not Antichrist, what becomes of
the 1860 years? And with the 1860 years lost
there is neither starting-point nor goal left.
We do not know when they began or when
they end. For his own sake, therefore, Dr.
Cumming might have been expected to hold
fast by this faith. Perhaps it was this very
assurance that has brought about his over
throw. ''Is thy servant dog that he should
do this?' has always argued a spirit too
presumptuous for safety
The particulars of this melancholy catas-
trophe, as gathered from DR.. Cummings let
ter to the Times, seem to be these:-The
Pope has addressed Protestants on the assem-
bling of the approaching Council. Dr. Cum
ming thinks. or affects to think, that the Pope
has invited the Protestants; and we can quite
understand why the theologian of Crown
Court accepts an invitation before it was
given. The fact is, as we took occasion to
show at the time, that the Orientals were
asked to attend the Council, while Protestants
and mont Catholics we're only prayed for, but
not invited. But it suits Dr. Cumming not
to have read, or not to be able to understand,
the Papal address. Had DR.. Cumming not
been spoken to, he could hardly have spoken.
SO he imagines an invitation which was never
given, and observes that had this non-exis-
tent invitation been only addressed to the
members of his (the Pope's) own
communion or denomination it would
barely be noticed by those who
do not belong to the Roman Catholic Church.
AS, however, the summons is comprehensive
enough to embrace DR.. Cumming, it really
deserves some consideration and as a
matter of fact has ''created no little interest
among the nations of the earth. Every
where that the Bull of Convocation has pene-
trated, the first inquiry has doubtless been,
will this draw Dr. Cumming? The silence
on the part of the Protestants of Europe
which followed the receipt of the invitation
will be variously explained according to the
view taken of Dr. Cummings conduct He
himself probably holds that it was only
natural modesty which kept lesser Protestant
teachers silent until their chief had spoken.
Others will say that they have been merci-
fully preserved from the snare into which an
unchastened vanity has led DR.. Cumming.
At all events, for some time nobody seemed
disposed in answer to this request to offer
| to make an appearance. 1t
| therefore occurred" to DR.. Cumming, as to
| ''one in some degree acquainted with
| the subj mark the modesty which SO
well becomes the author of hundred vol
| umes-'and pleased rather than otherwise
with the Popes invitation, to take some pre-
| liminary steps with view to presenting him
self at the Vatican. We must pause for a
moment to congratulate the Pope on this ex-
ceeding instance of good fortune. Whether
the council meets or not, whether it DEGREES
what the Holy Father wishes or not, whether
1t is In other respects success or not, he has
been amply repaid for summoning it. DR..
Cumming has been rather pleased than
otherwise, and Plus TX has not lived in vain
The particular preliminary step which recon-
mended itself to DR.. Cumming was to write
to Archbishop Manning, 'begging of him, as
the Chief Minister of his Church in England
such information as he might find it proper
or expedient to furnish. DR.. Cumming ther
asked, first whether he would be heard
secondly, whether he would have freedom Of
speech-meaning, we presume, whether he
would be heard as long as he liked to speak
and thirdly, whether he would be allowed tC
show why Protestants stand aloof from tht
} Roman Church-in other words, whether he
would be heard, no matter what he nigh
: choose to say. On receiving this, Archbishop
Manning naturally suspected joke, and
rightly thinking that the best way of disarm
, ing Jester is sometimes to answer him on
Hc7CuG, he sent courteous reply to th
effect that his correspondent would ''mee
} with all charity and respect in making an,
, grave and earnest communication TO tn
Council 1t is very possible that DIR. Cum
! ming felt, on receiving this letter, that ther
4 might be some difficulty in making the Roman
authorities believe that any communication
} coming from him would be grave and earn
= est. Considering the woes DIR. Cumming
3 has from time to time denounced against al
who have any dealings with the Roma
i Church, and the warnings to come out of he
, that they be not partakers of her plaques, whic
: he has repeatedly addressed to her members
they might very well have thought it impos
: sible that he should be really in earnest il
a proposing to attend the Council. 1t wa
a necessary, therefore, to prove to them that n
d was at once resolved and cautlous-tull
0 aware of the consequences which his boldnes
/ might bring on him, and at the same I'm
II deslrous of taking all proper PreGau.ion Pu!aI
against them. In the appendix 10 hrelipisnI c| y ~
IS Nlannings England and Christendom,
found a Papal decree ordaining that peior
/, ANYTHING is discussed with heretics they shal
s first undertake to submit to the deternnaa !
IS tions of the Council, and that, in case OF thel
n declining this, they are to be dealt "ion
70 condemned schismatics Here was a dls
i covery just suited to Dr. Cumming y P'i