The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-02-20

1s1ou"e gives the following sketch Of Dr. Man
ming and his sermon at the English College
Rome, on the feast of St. Thomas of Canter
bury:
After the vesper service, q discourse wa
preached on the occasion by Archbishop Man
nlng, who now holds o prominent place befor,
she Catholic public, on account of having beer
moter of the dogma of Papal Infallibility il
| the Council. DR.. Manning, as is we'll known
Is distinguished among the English converts te
| the Roman Church by his extreme Ultramon
tame views, and his strenuous advocacy of the
supremacy OF the spiritual power over the civil
governments of Europe For this reason, the
announcement of his intention to preach on
the anniversary of Thomas Beckett awakened
no little interest among the English circles in
Rome For myself was glad of the oppor-
t9nity both to see SO celebrated divine in the
pulpit, and to listen to the exposition Of his
political creed, which had no doubt he would
take the occasion to set forth. 1t was rather
late in the afternoon when 1 arrived at the
crowd of carriages almost entirely blocked up
the narrow street.. English servants in livery
who stood around the door, and the familiar
strange contrast to the Roman aspect of the
| environment. With some difficulty I forced
my way to the entrance.
DIR. Manning took his stand on the low plat
form in front Of the altar, his looks and man
ner betraying grave earnestness, but promising
no exhibitions of oratorical skill. He was
i OACSooO IL Guo pldluesG oCClcSl1SClCal costume,
an unpretending black robe, relieved with
white, but with nothing to my eye to designate
| dignitary of the Church. He is a little above
| the middle height, his form is slender, giving
the impression of great fragility, his forehead
high and tranquil, and his pale, intellectual
face bears the marks of profound thought and
study. You would not take him for a man Of
unusual practical energy, OF dispositiodto
engage in the management of momentous af-
fairs. He has not the features of q statesman
much less of a politician, and you do not at
fhn nf =, :,,a,, 80 A..
church, which is said to be scarcely less po-
tent than that of Cardinal or Pope But the
moment that he begins to speak, you discover
IN the tones of his voice depth and sincerity
OF conviction, almost amounting to the faith
which removes mountains. With no outward
display, 10 visible signs of emotion, it is only
of the inward fire. His voice is low, never
rising above the level of familiar conversation,
but singnlarly clear and deliberate, every syl-
liable adding to the force of his words not an
accent lost to the ear of the listener, who is
strangely drawn into almost breathless atten-
ton, and charmed into the surrender of his
sympathes, even under the protest of his in
tellect. In the manner of the preacher there
was not trace of oratory at least in the popu-
lar acceptation of that term. His delivery is
as quiet and simple as the voice of mother in
relating to her children the story of the "babes
IN the wood" In his enunciatiOn he has little
emphasis, little variety of infection, and no
approach to rhetorical effect; the very repose
OF MS utterance has something preternatural |
l have seldom witnessed any thing like it's !
power over the audience that day, whom he !
th on MS lips with the wierd fascination of
His style of composition is no less simple than |
his delivery. He puts forth no labored argu- |
M presents no pathetic appeals INDUCES
most entirely confined to statement, to a lucid |
expression of thought; but with such apparent
artlessness, such freedom from all designs upon
ms ms hearers such an absorption in the truth of
his words, with no carefulness as to the form
OF their utterance, as to give them a certain
oracnlar force. But he has not spoken long
before you are persuaded that beneath the
gentle dignity of his exterior there is con-
ceaied the heart of q volcano. The flame is
raised to such an intensity of heat that its
pure white rays are scarcely visible to the eye.
1 DO not wonder at his boast that he has
brought as many converts into the Church as
there are days since his own restoration to the
fold. WV
After announcing his text in Latin, eff the
Son shall make you free, We shall he free in
deed, he proceeded to say that in the principle
involved in these words was found the charter
OF the liberties of the Church. The Church
OF God was dependent on no human power
she derived no privileges from the constitu-
lions OF men: She inherits her liberties as the
Immediate gift of Jesus Christ, transmitted by
Him to the Apostles, and continued in the
hierarchy to the present day. Her rights are
Inherent and immutable. From the very com
mencement of her life, which finds it's source
in the power of God, she had the right of ex-
istence, the right of worship, the right of pos
session or property, the right of doctrine, and
VIC VI Inc exercise OF these
rights constitutes the essential liberties of the
Church. She brought them into the Roman
Empire when Christianity was accepted under
Constantine as the religion of the State she
took them with her to England when the Cos
pei was proclaimed by Augustin in that Pagan
island. The Church had never surrendered
these liberties under any changes of political | .
She enjoyed them to their full
est extent in the earliest days of English his
tory. Ttsa;bishops were less integral por-
tion of tbs Government than the no5Ies and
TO md I, ~. |
no visible distinction. St. Thomas of Canter-.
bury was martyr to the liberties of the
Church and the laws of England. His lif, was
! perpetual resistance to the encroachments of
he royal provocative DIR. Manning calculated
ms idea at length by IL mastery sketch of the
public career of Thomas Beckett describing II
MS contests with the King, the strenuous fitei, -
ty with which he maintained his principles =
md the heroic majesty with which he died in Il
heir defence. Could the sainted MARTYR adj I
lress us to-day, continued the preacher, what
would be his eXhortationf He would tell Ms
o be faithful to the liberties of the Church To
ustain them at all hazards, and iealously
guard them from the invasion of the civil
'ower, Independent of the Church, liberty is +
tut n delusion and snare There is no safety
liberty unless it is confined to it's true chan.
lei 1t must flow between two banks, the law
# God and faith in Christ, or it becomes the
leadliest enemy of human society The Church OF
mhodies these conservative elements, and is In
hus the only safeguard of civil government :,
Ter authority, therefore, is supreme and the 10
ings and princes of the world are bound to
ubmit to her behests. Could ST. Thomas
peHk TO us To-day, he would tell us further to
lalntain the supremacy of the Church without =
ompromise. Her power is weakened by I'M
INV