Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-31
Reported for Tho Naiehman.
Bishop DcGocsbriand on the Council OF tue
Vatican.

Vatican
Bi.hop DeGoc.briand. Of the Diocese Of
Vermont, rave. on Sunday evening last, at
he church of 81 Augustine in Montpelier
nm account oftbe Ecumepical Council at Rome
whence he has lately returned. The follow
inc abstract Of his remarks. being made with
ont assistance from notes taken at the time
cannot pretend to do Justice to the logical or
der Of the Bishops discourse, and may leave
i'm the BACKGROUND some points deemed by
him most important. bringing others into un-
due prominence. And one can wish only toI
ropro.cut fairly his description Of what APP
pears to him, as to the Cardinal guardian OF
Lothair. "thc most important event Of the
nineteenth century"
Ills account consisted Of a series OF ques-
tions; asking, first, owbat is meant by
council 2" and saying that it is an assembly
for deliboration; and that in the church, are
four orders of councils. First that ola bish-
OPP and the clergy Of his diocese; neyt that
of 400 archbishop and his suflragan bishops
third. the Plcuary council, held gcnerallyaf-
ter some great civil disturbance. OF the
third class two have been held in the United
States one at Baltimore in 1852, the other
in the same city in 1866. Last, the Gencr-
al council called also EeumencaI' lhefe
have been Of these last eighteen held IN the
chur'h Of Rome. They consist OF an assem-
bly, Of bishops from the whole church. and oil
% few others who, as generals OF orders elc'
neutrality-suspicious. the bishops are prssi-
del over by the Pope. taking their name from
Che place whore held. The Council OF Trent
was the last until this present one OF the
Vatican SO called from holding It's sessions M
part Of st. Peters situated upon the Natl-
can HILL
To the question whether these councils are
necessary, the Bishop said No. They are
not made so by scripture or the canons of the
church, and are in ordinary times almost I'M
possible, from the difficulty Of assembling
members from countries so distant-and the
church has in herself without their help, all
powers necessary to preserve her integrity and
purity They can declare no new doctrine
can SIMPLY aiifm what Is already truth, ana
found IN the scriptures ana traditions Of the
church. These traditions are oil equal au-
'aority with Scripture but by them we DO
not mean what IS falsely attributed to the
church OF home by her opponents we under
stand them to be the very words OF Christ
spoken on earth and handed down to us
through ms church. ana hence oil equal au-
'nori'y with his written words SUM- though
not necessary General Councils are useful
as q consultation OF fathers IRON toe "hois
'atho'ic world each oil whom can upon any
point tell what Is the oehei OF mspeop'e' ana
what was the teaching OF his predecessors, and
VINO together can discuss the testimony oil
scripture aud tradition upon tnat point 30
thorough Is 'ner examination and such
|e'gh' nave their decisions that definition
once maze Dy general coun'H se''les the
matter forever ana 'here Is 'nereai'erho DIS
Delioi on 'na' point 'n the church
The present council was called by a letter
of the pope to the several bishops some two
years since, to meet on the 9th Of last Decem-
her The work.ior the council was prepared
by an assemb.age Of celebrated theologians,
and was when they met ready for their con-
sideratlon. OF the 80 entitled to seats in
this body, there were at one time present 1G4.
Among them came men from countries I'M
known at the time OF the Council Of Trent; ;
from North America, from Chill and Peru
from Europe, from Africa China Japan and
L D q.