The New York herald., 1870-04-15

radical difference between the two churches can
II no wise be reconciled IL Is impossible to expect
thet tue eastern Church, which for ten centuries
has defended apostolic tradition can forget its his.
tory Of thousand years. IL is equally Impossible
tnat the Bishop OF Rome should OF his own accord,
his predecessors
1t Will be seen at once that according TO the above
views, the cause OF separation between the East and
the West Is twoIold-the assumption by the Pope
OF temporal power In the character OF an earthly
monarch ana the claiming OF spiritual suprem acy
over the whole Church as vicegerent OF God.
In conversation which had some months ago
with the Patriarch OF Ccnstantinople asked par.
tcularly about hs views concerning the early condl
uo VI the Roman See as well as the position Of the
patriarchs and bishops OF the East ut the present
time. His answer was as f0ll0ws:-
In the universal Church. up to the time that
Rome fell away from the true faith and discipline
Of Christianity, no bishop arrogated to himself gu.
were considered equal and the bishop Of Rome
was nothing more than prhnus inter pdres-
was one Of courtesy alone. and accorded on
account OF the dignity OF Rome, gave him no right
fere in the affairs Of another I'll bisnopric In the East
the usages Of the early ages have been preserved to
the present day. The jurisdiction OF . patriarch
or bishop does not extend beyond the
church committed to his charge. The Patriarch or
ConstantinOpe is chief only within the limits OF his
the aars oftne Russian and other Eastern churches
although In constant communion with them
Here is clear statement from competent au.
thority. and explains sufficiently the difference be-
tween Rome and the East, and that difference may
be summed up In one snort sentence-the Papal
power. Now, all that gives Roman Catholicism It's
peculiar character has It's origin in the Papal
power-temDoral dominion, with political In
trlgne. As consequences the annihllation OF
position OF lieutenants OF Rome the obedent SER
wants OF ITS VIII; an unmarried clergy, without
local attachments or participation In the life OF ordi-
nary humanity; mass OF dogmatic definitions and
doctrines unknown to the churches Of the East and
Such are the means by which the bishops OF Rome
built up and extended their power endeavoring TO
the commanders OF the faithful. 1t seems strange
when We read Mohammed'S account of his going to
Heaven on MS supernatural steed and receiving re-
Violations from the Divinity. We have, however, a
stranger spectacle before our eyes to-day. An old
man at Rome contends that he ID the Viceroy OF
Heaven on eartn and possesses the divine attribute
| OF infanbllity. Well might the Patriarch OF Con-
sannnople call the pretensions OF the Pope not only
"monstrOus" but ''blasphemOus.n
II we examine for moment the bearing OF the
doctrine OF nfallbility shall find that It involves
one OF the strangest series Of subversIons OF the
history and spirit OF Christianity that 1t would be
possible TO conceive. First OF ALL 1t has been shown
beyond douDt that up TO the ninth century there
the whole Church, and that all the decretals and
documents used In later times to prove this
nalibility 1t is not necessary 10 make many remarks
the opinion OF the world Is made up as to It's char
acter. Ihere are rev VINO cannot understand thai
an infalllbe Pope would mean the disappearance o.
the Churcn-that is the Pope would be the Church.
In The East the case Is entirely different. There
few fundamental principles OF the early Church have
ever been kept in view, and they are as folows:-
The Church has no visible Head on earth: its Head
Is Christ who is always present with 1t. The equality
| Of bishops and national churches having their own
languages and local usages; the participation OF the
lay element in the affairs OF the Church, an ecclesi
astic being considered as man who has been duly
appointed to perform divine services but as having
no other difference from layman; the infalllbility
OF the Universal Church IN the totally OF Its mem
bers including the faithful OF all ages and nations,
1t s very natural that unLll recent times or the
men outside the pale OF the Eastern Church under
stood It's truo character. Many OF the nations be-
longing to IL being under political subjectlon ana
| on account OF various unfavOrabe circumstances
less developed than the nations OF the West, were
for long tlme unable to obtain that hearing whcl
would ensure real appreciation OF the true position
and character OF that Church which claims AZ IL
great and pre-eminent merit that It has preserved
intact the faith, usages and traditions Of Apostolic
times.
'The "Gossn in English ''voce," Is OF the pncipa
papers of this city.