The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-27


persuaded many, and among them many
the most beautiful act of adora-
tion of the Almighty and the most noble
Christian heroism consist in this-that man,
his own spiritual light of self
gained understanding and disoernment, should
throw himself with blind faith into the arms of
our unerring Papal magistracy, as the sole sure
source of religious knowledge. And this re-
ligious order has indeed had great success IN
raising in the eyes of numbers intellectual
incidence TO the dignity Of a religious saori-
fee full of merit, aud has even moved men,
whose culture would have enabled them to
enter upon a historical examination, to
abandon the same. But as far as we may
Judge from their pastorals the German
bishops have not yet descended to this point
of delusion. They still concede to human
knowledge,to human search and examination,
o right to exist and a sphere Of activity.
They themselves appeal TO history, as does
the pastoral which has appeared under your
name.
In a pastoral letter which has Just been
sent to me Bishop Lothar Won Kubel in Frei-
burg says, on page ., ''Does the Pope receive
new revelations? Can he create new articles
of faith? Certainly not. He can only de-
clare that doctrine is contained in the Holy
Scriptures and in tradition; therefore, is re-
vealed by God, and must be believed of all.
do not doubt that your Excellency and all
other German bishops are fully agreed with
these words. But the question is, then, in
the present confused state of the Church
simply historical one, which is to be treated
and decided upon according to the means in
our power, and to the rules which are appli-
cable to every historic search, to every dis
covery of past faots-that is to say, of such as
belong to history. There are In this case no
special or secret sources of which the Popes
alone have the right or power to avail them
selves. Both Pope and bishops austin this case
necessarily, If l may use the expression, place
themselves under the common law. g., if
their resolutions are to endure they must
adopt.that course; must initiate that exauli-
nation of witnesses with the requisite sitting
and critical proof of evidence which alone,
in the Judgment of all men of capacity ID
historical matters, is able to give us truth
and certainty. There were, therefore, and
remain yet, two questions TO be answered in
accordance with this course. Firstly, is it
the truth that the three sayings of Christ
respecting Peter were understood from the
beginning through all centuries in the whole
Church in the sense which is now given to
them-namely, that of an infallibility and
boundless universal power granted thereby to
the Popes Secondly, is it true that the
eccesiastical tradition of all men in the writ
ings of the fathers and the facts of history
prove the general aokno gledgment Of this
double right of the Pope
If these questions must be answered in the
negative it is not permissible to appeal, as
Bishop Won Kubel and others do, to the assist
ance Of the Holy Ghost, as promised to the
Pope, and to the obedience of faith due on
this account to him; for what we are to eX-
anime into historically is just whether this
assistance has been promised to him. And
where has this been done? Not in the Coun-
oil fart tbara GordOpi'o ~ al
proves, even falsifcations were not summed,
and an entirely unreal picture of tradition has
been given and suppression OF the most
striking facts and counter testimonies. Andit
is precisely this which 1 am ready to prove.
And here beg your Exoellency to consider
that the doctrine which we are now 60 adopt
forms by its own nature, and by the decla-
ration of the Pope himself, by the confession
of all infalhbilists, a fundamental article OF
faith-that it is q question of the TegneG fdei,
Of the rule which must decide what is to be
believed and what is not. In future every
Catholic Christian could only answer the
| query why he believes this or that as follows:
II believe or deny it because the infallible
Pope has commanded me to believe or to
deny it,. Nor can this first principle OF
faith, as the Holy Scriptures necessarily
should most clearly show, ever have been
doubtful in the Church-it must at every dats
and among every people have governed the
whole Church like a brightly shining star
must have been placed in the front of all in
struction; and we all wait for an explanation
how it is to be cleared up that only after
! 1880 years the Church has started the idea OF
making an article of faith of a doctrine
which the Pope calls, in letter addressed to
your Excellency on the 28th of October
'ipsum fundamentals principium Catholicia
idei &C doctrinie." How can it have beer
possible that the Popes should have, during
centuries past, exempted whole countries
whole schools of theology, from belief in this
fundamental article of faith?" And, may
add, how is it that your Excellency yourself
strove SO long and SO persistertly against the
enunciation of this dogma? Because it wa
not opportune, you say. But can it ever have
been ''inopportune" to give to believers tht
key of the whole temple of faith, to announcj
to them the funda mental article on which al
the rest depend? We stand all of us giddy
before a chasm which opened before us OF
tho 18th of July last.
He who wishes to measure the immenst
range of these resolutions may be urgentl,
! recommended to compare thoroughly th
thiId chapter of the DEGREES in Council witt
the fourth, and to realize for himself what
system of universal government andspiritua
dictation stands here before us. 1t is tn,
plenary power over the whole Church as owe
each separate member, such as the Pope
have claimed for themselves since Gregorl
VII, such as is pronounced in the numerou
bulls since the bull "Unam sanctam," which
is from henceforth to be believed and acknow
lodged in his life by every Catholic. If hi
power is boundless, incalculable, it can, o.
Innocent III said, strike at sin everywhere
can punish every man, allows of no appeal, i
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