The New York herald., 1870-02-13
The Rcumcnical Council and the In'shs-
haVs,v n.u.-rs. nld aud tho Now.


Council, and particularly to those proceedings
which relate to the question OF the personal
infalliblity of the Pope. When the Council
was first convened the questions to be con-
sidered and finally and satisfactorily settled
we're somewhat numerous We heard great
deal about the confirmation of the Popes de-
cree regarding the Immaculate Conception.
Next to the immaculate Conception dogma in
importance on which the Holy Father had
pronounced himself came the Assumption Of
the Virgin, on which the Holy Father had not
pronounced himself. What those two dogmas
or doctrines or questions meant not perhaps q
hundredth Of Christendom or 6ftieth Of
Catholicism knew or understood how to
begin to know. After the Immaculate Con-
cepton and the Bodily Assumption came
the Syllabus and the question of Infallibllty.
OF the Syllabus no one in this country knew
anything, until the HERALD translated the dog
Latin and presented it to the reading public in
English shape. 1t was then known that the
Syllabus was an unqualified condemnation OF
everything which, in these later years, we
have been in the habit Of calling modern civii-
zation. 1t was felt that If the Syllabus was
correct it had been better for the world If 1t
had been sleeping for tho last three or four
huadred years. If the Church was right
everybody felt that the world was all wrong.
After the Syllabus came the question Of Intal-
libility. 1t was asked what Infallbility meant!
1t was not long until the HERALD made it
known to the American public that Infalli-
bility meant neither more nor less than this
that we have yet god upon earth in the per-
son of very respectable, self-denying, gen.
tlemanly old man, commonly called the Pope,
who believed, or rather who was constrained
to admit that his voice, in certain important
matters, was the voice Of God.
1t was not generally known, although we
were in possession Of the secret, that the Ecu
menical Council was convened not so much for
the purpose Of justifying the Popes judgment
in the matter Of the Immaculate Conception or
for the purpose Of making it certain that Mary
reigned in heaven as Queen in her ancient
human form, or for the purpose Of endorsing
the Syllabus--and thus denouncing the steam
engine, the railroad, the telegraph, the print
ing press, and particularly the newspaper, 40
inventions of the Dcvil-as for the purpose of
making On end Of all doubt in matters Of reli-
gious belief, by having 1t proclaimed that the
voice Of the Pope, for the time being, was the
voice of the Eternal and the Almighty. This
really was the purpose; and although II was
somewhat dexterously concealed, the fact could
not be hid. Since the Council opened no one
has spoken Of the Immaculate Conception or
of the Bodily Assumption. Some have spoken
of the Syllabus; but, knowing that one steam
engine was any day stronger than . hun
dred Popes, these have not been many.
Inside and outside the Council, in Europe
and in America, the absorbing question has
been Infallibility. This is the one question
which has commanded the attention of all man
kind-Protestants quite as much as Catholics.
It was not wonderful that it should be 80, for
il there was still on the earth living human
voice that could express the mind Of infinite
wisdom, freedom of thought and independency
Of judgment were no more. It was not
unnatural, therefore, that many thoughtful
and anxious men were impatient to be
delivered of their opinions on this great ques-
tion And during the last two months it is
not to be denied that we have had a very fair
and very full expression of opinion, although
ws cannot say that the expression has been in
favor of this very ridiculous dogma.
A. the present moment it is well known that
the Council wavcrs and hesitates and knows
not what to do on this great subject. It is a
sorrow to the Pope and a sorrow to his friends
that the dogma Of Infallibility was
allowed to have such prominence in the
programme. It is felt that it cannot be
carried without destroying that unity Of
which Catholicism is so justly proud.
From the south of Germany, where the Catho-
lie dignitares have with so much skill been
fighting the Protestants on their northern bor-
ders for so many years, loud and emphatic
voices have gone sounding to the Council,
bidding it beware and look at difficulties.
Since the days of Luther no such voices have
spoken to Catholic authorities and the Roman
powers know full well that what happened
three hundred odd years ago may happen
again. Catholic Germany has spoken, and
Catholic Germany has not been despised.
Ranscher, and Schwarzenberg, and Dollnger
threaten another Luther. The best church
men in France have sounded similar note of
alarm. Italian learning out Of Rome is now
at q discount; but Italy has not been obsequi
GUS to the Council. In Spain the Council we'll
knows that though the Church is submissive
the civil government is not disposed to bow.
All over the Catholic world it is felt that the
Church is in antagonism to the State
and to the popular movements of modern
times; and from every section of Catho-
lie Christendom where liberty has found
a home warnings have gone to Rome ia regard
to this Infallibility nonsense. Rome does not
much heed the Protestant world, except when
the Protestant world is in danger Of harmo-