The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-01-15
TIKI ROMAN COUNCIL.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the Council
1.-The Language OF the Council.

DIR. Ripley writes to the Tribune as
follows:
There are many speeulati0ns aloat
as to the duration OF the Council, but
of course they are mere s~peculations.
1t is impossible to foresee the turn of
events. If the question Of Papal In
fallibility m up, it will be the sig
nal for n protracted and bitter de-
bate, unless, as has been suggested,
it should be struggled through by
the J~osuits, who are not q little crest
fallen at the uulooked-for obstacles
that have como In the way to the reali-
zation oftheir projects. Their strategy,
however, will be met in the Council
with all the arts of ecclesiastical diplo-
macy. Their opponents are men per-
haps no less subtle and willy than
themselves, and certainly with more
Of the influence that grows out of q
reputation for integrity of purpose
and dignity of character. Should the
question Of Papal infallibility be
allowed to subside, it doubtless would
make a great chasm in the programme
Of business. It would be a sore dis
appointment to His Holiness. His
interest in the Council would lose its
principal spring. He is said to be
confident of the success of the
scheme. He has cherished the illu-
sion, if it be an illusion, so long, that
it seems like q reality. But, In fact,
of the issue of the plot, he knows no
more than the man in the moon. No
doubt, too, he is just as ignorant of
how long the Council will last. Mean
time, some of the seribes and
s~oothsayers, and chronologists,
are prophesying, from the expe-
rience of the past Councils, as
They tell us that with the exception
Of the Council of Trent, which lasted
sixteen years, and the fifth, Lateran,
which took FIVE, the great Councils of
the Church have dispatched their
business with remarkable speed. The
first Council of Nice, for instance.
broke up in about three months; the
first OF Constantinople in two; the
Council Of Chalcedon ia three weeks:
the first LateTan in eleven days; the
seeqnd Lateran in seventeen DAYS:
the third Lateran IN fourteen days.
and the fourth Lateran in twenty
days. Thus the Councils in Rome
AdNC ONNh ANLAdihdOAJ onOIb IAFGOY Ii
perhaps from this analogy, the eccle-
siastical almanac makers are disposed
to predict the brevity of the Vatican
Council, and with it to prepare the
minds Of the faithful for It's dissolu-
ton at no distant date.
Al unexpected obstacle to the facil.
ity of debate is said to have been
found In the confusion of tongues
which prevails in the Council. The
scholastic ecclesiastical Latin, with
its antique perfume of primeval times,
il seems, would not answer the pur-
pose. The Bishop Of Mantehooria
could make no Roadway with the
Bishop of Minnesota. Constantinople
and Cincinnati were barbarians to
each other. The ancient misnnder-
standing between Paul and Peter was
a trihe to that between the venerable
fathers from Brazil and the prelates
of Australia. Each nationality pro.
nounces Latin after the fashion Of
its OWL language, even supposing
1t So familiar to the mass of
the Bishops as to enable them to
handle it freely Ia grave discussions.
Ia this dilemma one of the members
of the Council suggested the adoption
of French as the universal language, |
but his motion savored of sacrilege,
as it seemed profane to treat of divine
things in such a secular language. !