New-York tribune., 1870-04-30

INFALLIBILITY NOT TO BE PROCLAIhED.
After all said and done, it is very proDaoio
that Infalliblty cannot be discussed TIL june
while it is now highly possible that 1t VIII hoC
be decided at all. We accept the news, al
though it reaches us from London, that many
American bishops, dissenting from the dog
matte stand taken by ArchbshOps Manning
and Spalding, have protested to the rope
The points of this humble protest are, flrSt
that the discussion of Infallibility will show
want of union and unanimity; second that
ifs definition will not tend TO convert heretlcs; /;
third. that it will open endless questions to the
distraction of the proper work OF the ministry
Archbishops Purcell, Kenrick, and McCloskey
are, with more or less truth, we doubt not
said to be among the signers of these obJec-
tions. Apart from some Christian cOnsidera-
tions of which we shall speak, one thing seems
to be made clear by the protest,-that lnialh-
bility thus far has not come under genuine
Gcumenical discussion, and hence that the
prelatical battle in Rome has not been fought
in such worldly earnest as our English fTlehdS
would have us believe.
Essentially, we attach no more importance
to this protest of the bishops than we do TO
the utterance of such a divine as the Rev. Dr.
]. II. Newman. One of the most eminent ana
ACCOMPLISHED churchmen of the day, IN the
opinion of both religious friends and foes, IS
this Anglican convert to ROmanism. The
depth and vigor of his essays and sermons,
and the imaginative power of some OF his
poems, have helped him to reach variety OF
minds. His conversion is not to be accounted
nd fOrtabln theory
suggested by Mr. BrOwning's Bishop Blougram.
Such men as Newman reach the ground OF
their faith after religious experiences Whlch
Mr.. Carlyle would call tragic, and we
are disposed to believe that his CONVICTIONS
like bis enthusiasm, are deep. Dr' Newman
in declaring that while he has mot had mo-
"ment's wavering of trust in the Catholic
"Chnrch,n and "while practically, not to say
"doctrinally, holding the Holy Father to be
"infallible," cOnceives that the definition OF
the vexed dogma will only make the Catholic
religion less hopeful problem both to bellev-
ers and unbelevers, both to those who teach
and those who are to be taught. "Why can
"not we be let alone when we have pursued
"peacef" is his question, to which the Amerl-
can protest sounds like an echo. 1t Is to the
class of converts and cOnvertbles whose pecu-
liar feeling DR.. Newman more eminently repre-
sents than any other Catholic divine, that the
American protest seems so decided an aid and
comfort.
There is now, as we have said, more dis
tnct possibility than ever that the contempla-
ted dogma will not be voted. With such minds
as Newman, Dollinger Gratry, Maret, Stress
mayer, Schwartzenberg, Purcell, Kenrick, and
others of the best Catholic authorities of En-
gland, France, and America united against 1T,
its decision is doubtful, notwithstanding the
very large majority in its favor. Those who
oppose it simply affirm that 1t is unnecessary
and nopportune. Their protest threatens no
schism, and professedly abstracts nothing from
their faith. They are exemplars of the mystery
and miracle of faith in believing yet dlsbe-
lieving-just as the Pope in being held fallDle
yet infallible is another. To all who care to
form an honest opinion the subject is worthy
of study For the present we need but remark
that though Infalibility may not be decided
nv a vote of tho Council, IL VIII Icmdin IA
formidable doctrine. The embryo-even more
than the embryo-has been revealed, and time
will unfold the dogmatic flower.