The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-05


single one embraces matter which the older |
custodians of heaven and hell divided into |
twenty or thirty.
Having thus resolved to be more liberal
than his predecessors with the treasures of
salvation entrusted to his charge, his Holiness
proceeds to announce that all apostates aud
heretics, and all who refuse obedience TO the
Roman Pontiff, are excommunicated by the
mere fact of their disobedience, and can
only be reconciled by special application to
himself. Geographers, we believe, estimate
the population of the world at about a thou
sand millions, of which the Catholic Church
boasts of possessing two hundred millions,
including the Indians Of Arizona and Para
quay. Thus, as the mouthpiece of
Omnipotent mercy, Plus TX, at one
word cuts off from all rational hope
of salvation eight hundred millions of
human beings, with their innumerable pos
terity; and It is no wonder that tho official
organ of his court declares this act of crown
ing mercy to be ''une des plus bellies pages
du genereux pontifcal de Pie TX"
Even this however, does not exhaust the
resources Of his benignity, for he proceeds
to include in the same curse all those who,
without special authority from the Holy See,
knowingly possess or read any books con-
demned by the Papal court. Thus, of the
two hundred millions of faithful and obedi-
ent sons of the Church, very large propor-
ton of the educated and cultivated are at once
cut off. We tremble to think of the innu-
merable Catholic libraries which are condemn
ing their possessors to eternal punishment by
sinfully including on their shelves volumes
which have been prohibited by the infallible
Judgment of the Congregation of the Index.
Think of the Englishmen who have igno-
rantly INDUCED themselves by possessing
Bacon's DE Augmentiis Scientiarum, Glib
bon's "Rome," Swift's 'Tale of a Tub"
Robertson's ''Charles V, Roscoes '.Leo X"
or even Combe's "Phrenology!" Pity the
Frenohman whose historical researches
have led him to peep into De Thou's 'Histo-
ria Universalis' or Sismondis "Republiques
Italiennes," or whose literary tastes may have
seduced him into the forbidden ground of
Rabelais, or Montaigne's Essays" or La
Fontaine's ''Contes ct Nouvelles, or who, if
scientifically disposed, has studied Raspails
'Chimie Organique!" One would have
thought, indeed, that the perusal of Raynal's
''Indies' or Vertots knights of Malta" was
in itself sufficient punishment, but the infal-
lible Judgment of Rome has decreed other
wise, and the weariness of those interminable
books is but the foretaste of the endless tor
ments in store for their luckless students, nor
will the owner of Montesquieus esprit
des Loix' be allowed to plead ignorance
to avert condemnation. So the Italian
is hopelessly lost whose rash curl
osity has tempted him to look into Botta's
''Storia d'Italia' or Giannones 'Istoria
Civile di Napol, or Ginguene's "Storia della
Letteratura Italiana," or Dantes treatise "De
Monarchia." Not many Italians, we presume,
have incurred the penalty by wading through
ROLLS translation of paradise Lost'-but as
the condemnation of the translation doubtless
includes the original, we tremble to think of
the number of Englishmen and Americans
who may now be expiating their indiscretion
IN eternal torment. 1t is to be hoped that the
proportion of educated and ACCOMPLISHED
Catholics is not very largo, for we fear that
this manifestation of Papal benignity may go
hard with them.
Then the number OF the saved is still fur
ther reduced by the condemnation of all who
impede directly or indirectly the external or
internal jurisdiction Of the Church. AS Eng
lishmen and Americans are lost !jy the previ-
Gus clauses on heTesy and disobedience and
literary culture, this cannot do much harm t.
them, but as France and Italy and Austria
have resolutely set bounds to the external
jurisdiction of the Church, and as the States
Of Central America have been somewhat re-
calcitrant on the same subject, we fear that
some hundred or moro additional millions are
thus swept into perdition-especially as the
succeeding clause specifically includes those
who directly or indirectly subject ecclesiastics
those States are guilty.
Then Spain and Mexico are likewise brought
within the circle of condemnation by a clause
which includes in the common curse all who
invade or retain the revenues of the Church or
of her ministers, thus striking off at q blow
some thirty millions more from the rapidly
narrowing group of the elect.
All these being particularly heinous of
fenses, Plus then proceeds to withdraw any
prwers which may have been previously con-
ferred on any one to pardon them, and to in
| clude in the common communication any
| dignitary or prelate who may dare to grant
absolution for them, except In Grtjcu2O neOrtiS
and then only with q reservation in case the
| dying man RECEIVERS.
Ireland we looked upon as favored spot,
exempt from this contagious perdition, until
| We came upon a special clause, apparently
| designed to bring the Green Isle under the
| ban. This includes all members of secret
| societies engaged in open or secret machina-
| tions against legitimate governments, as we'll
| as all who favor or give aid to such societies.
! Remembering Ribbonism and Fenianism, we
| felt that the doom of Ireland was sealed, and
we grieved to think how few Of the Patricks
| and Bridgets of America who contributed
| their stamps to the ''Sunburst' could escape.
| Having thus weedod out the faithful until
few are left, except the clergy and the inhab
| itants of the Roman Territory, who are
known to be enthusiastically attached to theil
| paternal clerical government, his Holiness
| proceeds to decimate the scanty remnants ol
his flock by pronouncing the same terrible
| anathema against n number of less wide
spread offenses, such as holding converse
with eIcommunicants, farming out masses
simony, and q number of other peoeadilloes
| mostly of O clerical character
- 7 L IL Il