New-York tribune., 1870-09-05
INFALLIBILITY.
LECTURE BY DIR. BROwNsoN.

LOWEST, near Wiloughby-ave. Brooklyn. This hall
was nied to overowng large number Of the clergy,
many OF them connected with the College, occupied the
stage Father 0Fauen Of st. Peters in this city intro
duced the lecturer
Dr. Brownson commenced ny saying that, In view OF
the fact that this College will be under the charge OF
catholics there better more appropriate SUD-
Ject Tor him to consider than the Papal Infalibty
am aware that this is not properly speaking subject
for ayman TO discuss. 1t is really theologicai
question Yet have been dabbnng In theology
all my lifetime. (Laughter.l 1 have studied
some; have thought more, aud on this question
whch we are to consider tonight have thought the
Dest mat was able have always ever since became
decree OF the Council the Vatican has proclaimed TO
me no new faith 1t among the first OF my teaehngs
could not err Not by virtue of his human sagacy but
py virtue OF the assistance OF the Holy Ghost br3nsea
the Apostles But what do understand by Papal In
iahphity Do we understand that the Pope speakng rs
man-not OicialycannOt errl that, even speaking on
matters OF faith he cannot man err When we say
that the Pope is infaibe say first that ne ~ @
Holy Ghost Even those who are not Catholics believe
tie, and as inspired Apostle, that he spoke and
Wrote infalbly SO of all the Apostles so Oh ,d an
the sacred writer's PTOtestants themselves, uniess
they have passed over to Rationalism and carried
tat choice which they make among doctrines mo inc
selection Of books which they will receive ana DOCKS
which they will not-in the same Bibe-hold that the
sacred writers were all inspired and Therefore inaDe'
Now we do not pretend that the Pope inspired TO e
veal truth the Apostles were, but hold that he Is
assisted by the Holy Ghost to proclaim declare to de
fine what has been revealed the beginning. Surely
there nothing harder in believing that he successor
oL ST Peter may he assisted than in believing tnat
he Apostles were inspired to reveal the truth wn9h te
Pope simply declares The only question TO be settled ~
Dd our Lord appoint successor for ST. Peter ana dd
e promise To mat successor the assistance Oh the o
Ghosf IL St Peter were here now speaking IN ms own
person and declaring what or Is not the Reyeatoh 4I
God, no one here that believes in Christianity at All
would hesitate to receive it the word OF God ltse
successor. and teaches in his successor and that
successor declare, to gs the WORD OF oh Goh
make ns Sns far i d The pope dPe Unf only by 5e
supernatural assistance Of the Holy Ghost that he Is not
virtue; He is appointed to I'LL office in which infai
biity is necessary and that infaoty we hold he mas
but he has IL only by virtue OF Divine assistance That
prevents him from errng in dschargng his duties as
teacher of the Universal Church.
The next point want to draw your attention to Is In
what matters ia the Pope nfallibe took up paper
here quite recently and saw that the editor looked upon
the French as bitter satire the infabiity of the
Pope What the cOncatenaton of ideas in that editors
having heard that the Pope had said the French should
succeed that Napoleon should be victorious, and the
| matter of faith nor was It defined to be mat
ter OF faith to be received by the Universal
more effect on the Catholic dogma than our own mis-
takes similar questions. The Pope is not only the
Now governing requires only an external assent or
submission 1t is not necessary that the Pope should be
| infallible. lie may make mistakes in appointing his
nuncio to this that country. lie may have erred IN
confirming this that Bishop yet that has nothing to 90
| Pope judged il best, under the circumstances. ,
Again. the Pope is infable in declaring what is the
faith. He introduce 20 new faith. He can impose
the faithful nothing that has not been of the faith
faith is controverted this that point, what il is and
SS W 9s S nS sy oy that @ Re pope
well you He goes to confession oftener
son sometimes. [Iaughter.l He may ecen be bad man;
as you may have n bad man t0r President, ana
yet IN his official character you bound 10 respect
n
composed of Judges not Of immaculate virtue or OF stain
less honor but be taken the Court defines
it, and especially the Court Of last appeal decides
So the Pope constitutes Court of last appeal differing
subm5 to it decision yet that decision may be alb
soutey right But in the case OF the Pope we are % not
faith, but in believing 1t We cannot possibly Dele'e
Those who suppose that the Catholic conscience is
loaded with burden that it had not before are
before. The Council Of Florence defines that the Pope is
the Vicar OF Christ that he has penary authority as the
| teacher and governor of the Universal Church.
Civil Governments in later times have had quaTres
with Popes: They want 70 en.laye the Church, make
widely difused. The Church has nothing to do with
politics sense in another she has Here we have
holding of sayes was NAHUM per SEA sin Of itself. The
country the subject, and it is not settled
Sovereign capacity have no right to do wrong than
the humbest individual that lives The people in this
| king or ruler over them, are not sovereign in
the sense that they may do what they please, and
10 settle that question The State has authority in
defining what The law OF Cod nor must she 90 COZ counter
you think best with the party which You think best
party in doing what the law Of God orbidsor instance
the Legislature OF your state In ITS infamous
Conscience ne and fail under the Of your church
| GApplause.l L think L have said enough 10 snow
nt %nat ,neTe o one nopt which want to bring up
begin by stating that the civil governments had begun
called il exercising their rghtful independence. In the
sixteenth century the people eesame ayerse to having
Papaey P and in doing that they protested against
| the law of Christ. They have prrspered-
some Of them-in a worldly point of yiew some have
not; but Rel on had declined in their minds from that
day to this We are getting to feel though can act
as we please and has right to eau us to account
We are getting TO it every day. All that
dered sacred and holy now sneered at 1t not only
II has been my lot often, since became Catholic, to
defend the Catholic Church against her enemies, and to
infaiiibility OF Popei "We" have answered, it is
with the Bishops assembled IN C9unci or lt Is the
Bishops dispersed each one teaenhg IN MS own @
We'll Nut" says the olgeetoT, now are you Sohg, 10
find out what each SRoP 5eacGgs Have IN Tns S apy
means OF finding il out = mo- m am com
ray of no use Well, then, Council But council is
called only occasionally We make 1t our boast that in
n % and always ready to decide every question it
up and we claim that this is the secret OF the ad
practically we may have many questions come up
whc need decision but still there will be some; but you
| cannot have a present llNlHS III tno
non can Won answer clearly and distinctly where is the
nfabiity your Church unless you can say that IT Is
m The sovereign Pontif the OF ST. Peter, in
| whom we must trust. lApplause.l
Az 10 the practical effects OF this new decision as am
neither prophet the son OF a. prophet cannot pre-
tend TO speak TO you But this much will say: think
- NH col, soIdate the Catholic body think it will have
tendency to up Catholic minds and make them 70
understand better tnan they have before what are te
rls rssiions between the Church and the State. It
VII have tendency to unite and concentrate Catholics
a. reaching of God. Let US fear nothing. There Is no
enon forged against the Church that Gan accomplish
~ The Church will stand, for she IL found