The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-25

10 Sucn superior WlSuOu, even III
tiers OF discipline should at least have the grace
even IN spite OF our notions 10 what may be
expedient, to respect and obey the decisions OF
legitimate authority.
ELM PLACE BROOELYN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Father Hyacinthe and the Christian Law Of
Liberty-sermon by the Rev. MIR. Powers.
Last evening the Rev. Henry POWERS preached to
large and highly apprec,aSive audience at the Con-
Hyacinthe ana the Christian Law OF Liberty" The
reverend gentleman selected his text from
three sources. The first from the Episte
OF James L., 25-"But whose ooketh into the perfect
law Of liberty and contlnueth therein, he not being
forgetrnl hearer but doer of the work, this man
shall be blessed in his deed" The second text was
the declaration of Luther at the Diet Of worms
Except be conquered and convinced by the ties.
timony OF Scripture, or by clear and sufficient
sons Nor put no confidence in the Pope or in the
Councils, because they have both manifestly both
often been mistaken and have often con-
tradicted each otherl l neither can nor Will
retract anything, inasmuch as 1t ia neither
safe advisable to anything against conscience
Here take my stand; can do no otherwise so help
me God. Amen" The third was an extract from the
celebrated letter Of Father Hyacinthe dated Septem-
Der 2o-"With language perverted by Q
COmmunu OF mutLateu Dy TeuCenCe snail
not ascend the pulpit Of Notre Dame. would
not be worthy Of the auditory Of the
archbishop of my conscience or of God II should
consent to act before them In such role separ-
ate myself, therefore, from the convent in which /
have resided, which, under the new circumstances
that have happened unto me, renders it for me o
prison OF the soul. In acting thus / am
not unralthful to my VOWS. l have promised
monastic obedience. but limited by the honesty
Of conscience and the dignity OF my person ana my
ministry. I have promised under the benefit Of
that superior law OF justice and Of royal liberty
which Is, according to the Apostle st. James, the
proper law of the Christian" Mr. Powers having
read these extracts said that his congregation might
be ready to ask, Why associate these three
declaratlonsa James they knew, Luther they
knew; but who was Father Hyacinthe? why
was ne associated with aonored names IKE Luther
remarkable man. He had recently landed on our
shores under circumstances exciting very special
degree OF INTEREST," was born-the honest child of
small farmer at Orleans. IN France-in 1927 and
was therefore forty-two years OF age All that was
known o. anytnng 10 ais early youth
He entered St. Sulplce at the age Of eighteen; after
four years Of theological study he was ordained
lite convent at Lyons, becoming brother OF that
order and by his sermons In that city excited great
asenuo5 DS S tine summer Of sSa ne went to
S Dame anne Sna Ss their e
place Of the very highest emnence for ssv various
culture well as for his extraordinary powers OF
speech an nee 9y the 20 s liberalism
iarly 81 mpaJhetic tone Of his voice and the sacred
earnestness OF his manner. He has always ident
mad never rendered an unreasoning submission to
the Holy see the characteristic OF the
the sers
devoted eoquence; deep, loving, yearning
spirituality, ana liberalism to Protestants not sur
markedly Illustrated In q celebrated sermon he
preached at Paris under circumstances Of special
interest to the citizens OF this city. lady, mem
Der OF Mr.. Beechers church. was on visit to Paris
and went to hear the father. Under that sermon
she became convinced OF her duty to become men,
Der of the Roman Catholic Church, and 1t was on
receiving this lady into the Church al Paris that
Father Hyacinthe expressed himself so literally in
reference to Professionalism His present notoriety
is the result Of this liberaty; he stands as the
representative OF advanced thought in his own
Church and Is liberal enough towards other Churches
future course. That Mr.. Powers hoped. would be
to remain In the Romish Church, where he would he
likely to do more. good than by leaving ner
antism. Earnestly did he the preachar) hope
That the father wo1ld, in the excellence
his yet lndeveloped future. He would not become
modern Luther because he has appeared IN an age
OF IDEAS. Luther lived and grew famous in an age
modern times to awaken that notOrlety that was
awoke then. The thought in the Christian Church
awakening OF that character should be necessary
In the Church, and its necessity would be regret
ted by all thoughtful aud well disposed Christians.
What was to be said, them OF this Romanlsh ChurchS
She was passing through crisis more endangering
from within than from without Mr.. Powers then
read the dogmas that are to be enforced az the
Ecumenical Council and showed that they were op-
posed to the progress Of modern thought
Queen Isabella Of Spain, who had sent the
been its devoted follower, was now an exile,
and the star OF her people was rising
through the war clouds OF Spain and her Western
islands. Austria had dened the Pope despite the
paper thunders Of the Pontin, and Austria might be
said to be no longer Papal. Bavaria had also
declined to endorse the letter by the Ecumenical
Council on the politics OF Roman countries. Nine
teen German bishops had met IN council and
declined to render submission to the Council. In
France the course adopted by Father Hyaclnthe had
awakened considerable thought and attention. Yet
amid all THIS dlssension the Pope was preparing
tablet on which the general result Q, n me nm
assured beforehand that 1t met and parted amidst
the applause Of the whole Catholic world and the
terror OF the power OF darkness. Yet strange as II
might seem, Komanlsm was growing in Britain, and
Archbishop Manning, not the least OF the cardinals,
had recently said that the duty OF Catholics was IN
obedience to the Holy Father, TO enroll themselves
as the opponents OF the bold and terrible errors,
liberalism, progress and modern civilization.
this, that It was not In poson to profit by Romsh
d lssensons Some OF the errors OF Rome still re-
NAMED in Professionalism. Priestcralt and It's power
was great yet among Protestants. John Milton had
said that Presbytery was only priest written large
He (Mr. Powers) preferred one Pope OF Rome to an
Innnite number Of contemplate little Popes
overthrowing the right OF private judgment.
The Protestant Church did not yet sufficiently
endorse the sroyal law OF liberty. IL did not yet
sufficiently allow conscience to talk OF the things OF
God and embody them In the things OF life. We
believed In this law Tor ourselves, but we were not
sufficiently willing to allow 1t to be believed In by
our brother and allow him 10 exercise 1t for him.
self. That law OF liberty must be adopted by the
Church II 1t would sufficiently battle with the Church
OF Rome. The Protestant Church, too, lacked
some things which the Romish Church had, namely
unity, Catholicity and its for the poor. Proes
tantsm was not united, sectaranism had split up
its forces, and these forces must be marshaled by
unity II u real decisive action was TO DC taken
against the enemy Of Romanism. There must be
more cathollcity too, In Professionalism; an acKnow-
Judgement OF the action OF conscience in q manly
and Christian Interpretation OF the Word
OF God. The Romsh Church had hold
upon the masses IN whioh ,ne ,s pro'e - ,ns