The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-06-27
The Religious Movements OF the Age.


Among the many questions which now agi-
tate the minds of men oil the world over
there is none of more Importance or of more
general interest than that of religion. In the
Old World and in the New mems minds are
deeply excited on matters Of faith and
morality. Old systems are losing their hold
upon the world and crumbling to pieces, and
new systems are being tried with questionable
success. Everywhere men seem tired of the
old, impatient Of the yoke which their fathers
bore without complaint and ready to embrace
any new thing. What is relgion9 Is it of
divine or human origine What are its claims
on head and heart and life? These are ques-
tons which all men are asking themselves.
and to which they are giving very different
answers.
In Europe what do we find? We find on
this question of religion confusion everywhere.
Rome, the headquarters of the Christian re-
ligion for at least fifteen centuries, has been
aroused from her slumbers by the electric
activities Of the age. The present occupant of
the Chair of st. Peter, though an old man and
in need of rest is so much impressed with the
fact that the times are out of joint that he
has convened an Ecumenical Council-an ex-
IRENE proceeding which has not been resorted
to in three hundred years. The Ecumenical
Council, which is to meet in December of this
year, is already commanding the attention Of
thinking men all over the world. Rightly
or wrongly, the opinion is general that
| the Council is convened for no good
purpose. 1t is admitted on all hands
| that tie disjointed character of the
| times is the main reason why it has been
determined upon. 1t is general conviction,
however, that the disposition of those who
are likely to rule the Council is to justify the
| position OF the Church rather than to sanction
the changes which have taken place every
where under the influences Of the modern
| agencies-steam, electricity and the printing
press. Free thinking is a characteristic of the
| times everywhere in Catholic as well as in
| non-Catholc countries; and we are not with
| out good reason for believing that this freedom
Of thought will be specially condemned at the
forthcoming Council. We have already told
our readers how the Council will be failure
from the ecumencal standpoint. All the
authorities Of the Eastern Church, including
the Church in Russia, the Church in Turkey
| the Church under the control of the Bishop of
Alexandria, the ancient and honored Church
Of Armenia have refused to have anything to
do with it. The Protestant Churches Of Eng
land, Scotland and Ireland and of the British
| colonies, the Protestant Churches of France
aud Switzerland, the Protestant Churches of
Germany and Of Northern Europe generally,
the Protestant Churches of the United States
have all gone against the Council. They have
| either disregarded the invitation TO take part
in it or sent unfavorable replies. The recent
Council at Worms shows how wide is the gull
which separates progressive Germany from
reactionary Rome. The Congress of Worms
struck chord which still vibrates.
We have just learned that the Professionals
of Austria and Hungary are making
arrangements for a monster meeting for the
purpose Of giving their adhesion to the mani
festo drawn up at Worms. The Bavarian
government and the Austrian government.