North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-01-05
The Ecumenical Council,


The Ecumenical Council.
A day or two since telegram from
Europe informed US that the General
Council Of the Roman Catholic Church,
which had only assem- led at Rome on the
9th instant, had adjourned until after
Epiphany, or until after the 9th of Jany.
and that it was expected much opposition,
or Mt best great lack Of harmony, woul /
be revealed when the body again resumed
its sittings. The adjournment was had
Immediately after the receipt of semi
official notification from France that any
declaration Of the infallibility Of the Pope
would be regarded by the French govern
memo as multiplying the Concordat or re-
leasing France from her political obliga-
tons to the Holy See. Inasmu:h as it
has been generally received in the Protes-
tant world that the endorsement of the
dogma of the Immaculate Conception Of
the Virgin Mary, promulgated in 1854 by
the Pcpe--and which implies his infalli-
bility-was one Of the leading objects Of
the Council, the sudden adjournment is
regarded as evincing the disinclination Of
the Papal party to press the point in the
face of France until the ground has been
carefully scanned, and the holy Father
fully posted as to the secular strength he
can summon to his support in such con-
test with the ''Eldest son Of the Church, -
as France is called.
1t is asserted that majority Of the
French bishops, together with ali the lib.
eral prelatcs of Germany and Italy, are
opposed to the doctrine of infallibiity, and
that so far as the Holy Father can see
now his main reliance must be upon the
American bishops and the faithful prelatcs
from Great Britain and her colonial pos
sessions. The most prominent supporter
of the doctrine of infallibility is Arch.
bishop Manning, the primate Of England,
who was formerly an archdeacon in the
English Church, but joined the Roman
Catholic Church eighteen or twenty years
ago. Among the most prominent oppon-
ents of the doctrine, is Monsiegneur Oar
boy, Archbishop of Paris, the acknowl-
edged leader of Gallicanism, and a
favorito with the Emperor of the French.
Between them, in the front rank of repre-.
sentative prelates stands DupanloHp.
Bishop of Orleans, power in the Church
in France, warm friend at the Vatican,
and a favorite with Eugene. Although
the latter is the bfavest and ablest defen-
der Of the Holy See in France, and proba-
bly, in all Europe, he has, in a pastoral
letter addressed to his flock previous to
his departure for the Council, fatty
denounced the mooting of the question OF
infallibility in the Council, and declared
his belief that it would not be attempted.
The Bishop of Orleans speaks for the
Catholics of France, the majority of whom
| are undoubtedly averse to admitting the
personal infallibility Of any man, although
upon the other points-the temporal pow
er of the Head of the Church, for
instance,-they are rcligiously faithful and
affectionate Papists. 1t is probable that
the development of this opposition startled
His Holiness. and set him to considering
whether, in fact, the present was an op-
perfume moment for securing the Churcls
endorsement Of his dogma. Undoubtedly
he might have gone forward and secured
such an endorsement from majority of
the Council, but it would have been at the
expense Of estrangement of his most
powerful parish.
We have, by telegraph from Europe
this morning, the points Of Bull pro-
mulgated by the Pope since the recess of
the Council which indicate the temper of
the Holy Fathers present reflections
While he claims, as earnestly as ever, that
the right Of making propositions in the
Council belongs exclusively to himself,
yet, in Difference to the spirit of independ-
ence SO strongly developed by the French,
he will permit delegates to the Council to
make propositions and to speak in their
support, upon certain conditions, and un-
der certain regulations, which seemingly
give the delegate some little liberty of
voice in the Council, but which in reality
do not. The Pope is not yet prepared to
acknowledge that it is within the province
Of a General Council of the Church to
establish new doctrinal points, but still
insists that the Council is called simply to
Affirm to points already established. and
he snjoins the assembled prelates to re-
main in Rome till the objects for which he
called the Council are fulfilled. The
Council of Trent expended some eighteen
years in its deliberations. 1t may require,
under Pope Plus plan, that length of
time TO develop and complete the objects
Of the present gathering.-Utica OLserr-
er.