Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-24
The Stumbling Block of Rome

The Roman correspondent Of the
London Times SAYS: Nothing evi.
IDENTIFY moves the POpe's wrath and
calls down his denunciation so readily
as the assertion, of which we, with
many others, have sometimes been
guilty, that the temporal power is a
stumbling-blOck rather than a help in
the exercise Of spiritual ascendancy,
and that the false position in which
lhe Pope-king is necessarily placed
IS injurious to the interests OF true re-
ligiOn throughout the world. The
ropes assertion on such matters, IS,
however, not an argument; and there
IS no doubt that, as the POpe's spiritual
authority aims at being universal,
While his temporal power must needs
ne local, the wider interests run the
risk OF being sacrificed 10 the more
ciTcumscribed considerations. The
very fact that the POpe's See is in
Italy, in the most squalid and cor
rupt district OF Italy, communicates
to the Papacy not a little Of that back
ward and sluggish character which
units 1t for modern progress. It may
be the fault Of the exhausted soil, or
ri the indOlent and supine nature Of
ITS Inhabitants, but the mere name
aud the very aspect Of Rome are re-
pugnant 10 the idea Of living faith.
From the days OF Petrarch or Luther
10 those of Decellinger and Hya-
cinthe, q chill Of disenchantment has
always seized the most earnest
believers when coming within sight Of
The Vatican. One can understand
how traditions and relics might bind
the head of the church to that seatiRa
oHRiiali geRtiisH which was once the
seat of empire, but the Vicar Of Christ
ought to be, at all events, anxious to
wash his hands clean Of the abOmina-
tiOnS by which he Is surrounded. He
ought to remove even the flintest sus-
piciOn that the desOlatiOn Of the
c0Intry aud the demOTaliZatiOn
Of the people, that the ignorance,
the prOtiigacy, the insecurity, which
make Rome Infamous among Euro
pean capitals, are owing 10 his mis-
rule. He ought to be anxious TO dis
sociate the idea Of "Papap' from that
% Roman. The Pope argues that
his a&miniOn stands on at least as
solid grounds as that of any other
monarch; but, Independently OF ''di-
vine right" which is nowhere OF
the least avail uuiess backed by
earthly I0Tce, al other mouarchs
base their power on the allegiance
oi their suhjecr. while the Pope does
not consider his 8. divine right" 10
dispense with the need Of a foreign
garrison and Of bands Of foreign hire
Gngs. He viii tell us that impiOus
men, Garib3ldians and Others, beset
his territory with treacheTy and viO-
ienCe, and that the number OF the
wicked is too great for the faith and
devotion OF the good 10 with
stand it, But this majority Of
The wicked IS evidently the ma
iurity Of The Roman people, the ma
iOrIty Of the Italian natiOn-Of that
Roman people whose souls and
bodies are still under papal sway, OF
the italian which was, til lately, in
the hands of absolute Princes, whose
rule was nodded after the POpe'S own
pattern. 1T Is Che Papacy Itself, then
which breeds enemies 20 the Papacy,
which sOWs am0ngth POpe's peOplea
spirit Of rebelliOn-that spirit which
the Pope mathematics - impiety
and sScriicge. Where the ruling
power Is at the same time divine and
human, opposition TO il must ncces- /
sarily DE religious and political. In
order 20 reach the Sovereign, revolu-
ton must attack the POntifL Hence,
by cliBging 10 the throne the Pope
the altar.