The Portland daily press., 1871-10-21
DAILY PRESS.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2i, 1871.
The Munich Conference.
RESISTANCE TO THE VATICAN.
PORTLAND.

The M nmfch eOmfefeucvs
RESISTANCE TO THE VATICAN.
Correspondence Of tie Lvebirg rostl
MUNICH, September II, 1871.
We found this city perfectly oveifowing
with strangers. English clergymen and Cath
olic ladies halting on their way to aud fron
Ober-Ammergau; and university professors,
scientific and literary men, ard large sprins-
ling of priests, who had come TO attend the
late meeting of the ''Old Catholics" woieh
closed its session OH Sunday evsniDg. This
meeting was a most importan and interest
ing one; composed of men OF all shades OF
opuion, from thosewho rejected the doetrIue OF
infallibiily only, accepting all the other teach
ings OF the Church, To those who were ready
to shake off all Allegiance to Rome, and do
away with almost everything that constitutes
the difference between the Protestant aud
Romish churches
A committee of three hundred of the best
and most Intelligent promotes OF the oppo-
sition to the Vatican Council met bvE- lhs
public gatherings. 1t was In this meollng
that platform was agreed upon, whlch was
Immediately printed and has been widely cir
culateI. The committee was COMPOSED Of
German, Austrian, Hungarian, Russian. 8 Siss,
and even Euglsh delegates. In hls ms-lIng
the divergence OF opinion OF which have
spoken Was clearly manifest. But u though
division had been foreloid, II. did MT preva l.
Conciliatory cuunsels carlisd the daJ, very
much through the influence OF Doeilipger, u
whom the men of both extremes were wiling
to listen. The platftrm declares that tbo
"Old Catholics" will not be bound by ultIa
montane eensures aud e<communca't0ns;
that they reiect the dogmas OF Plus TX, and
that they will not admit that the K ,mau pom
tiff is the only diviney-ordained ecc esla5 l.
cal Authority. 1t pronounce, The VaucAn
Council not an oecumeDlcal council. 1t biDJs
its subscribers to lauor for the reform OF tho
church and TO seek fol union with the Greek,
Oriental aud Russian churches.
BY the reform OF the church the Old Cath-
oics hope tor better understanding with tue
Protestant churches, especially nAiDing The
Episcopal church. They demand better m
strucliun tor the priests, anu less al siOitraIy
Ur. .atment by their shops. They reject tue
dogma OF papal universal authority As danger.
GUS to the State. They declare the socirty
oil Jesus to be the author OF Tue present CO
lamItous state Of the church. T0ey cai Il a
teacher OF false and corrupted moral>, and de-
mand its destruction. Aud hualy, tuey ciain
The protection and public recognttio1 Of the
State. and their right 10 the church aud cotIe-
giate property. D9linger prevented his
trend3 from going further than be wished,
but he did so by making some veIy bold as-
sertions, such rs the following; "Uur boGy OF
OLD Catholics will be laembers OF tue cnutch
universal, iree from Italian errors, using lhs
German language, and abolishing Marolosy
aud the worship of saints ana relcs.@ Aud
SO, with ali the minor differences tor the mo-
ment laid aside, the great mee inSs OF Satur-
day and Sunday TOOK place. Men aione were
present. Tickets were issued, and every ooo
was obliged to record his naIne and profess
sion. Al the opening meeting over tv- thou.
sand persons were present, and more sae-
nest, attentive, intelligent audience it would
be difficult TO had.
The meeting OF Saturday was addressed by
Huber, Reinkins, Mlchelis, Scnulle, Sch win-
ker, Pere Hyacinthe and Others. The me,t-
ing was opened by Wof, the President VI the
Munich Committee oi Catholic Action, who
stated in few words the object OF the meet.
ing, which was to claim ineIr rights. PIoss.
sor Huber, who, IT Will be reuie III 0eied, was
excommunicated, spoke OF The two-fold char.
acter OF the confIcG; OF the political as we'll ~
religious rights trampied upon, and gave q
terriO,e castigationto To the Jesuits whom he
accused OF being the true au .hors OF Paris
Communism. cannot quote at leDgth nom
the addresses OF the speakers, but uiust add
one bon-mot OF Professor Schultz! "Ruue
has branded the Old CatIollcs rs here'Ics,'
said he, because ON the 17ih OF July, 1870,
they held the same iaith as On the lin OF Ju-
ly, 1869"-a sentiment which was received
with immelse APPLAUSE.
On Sunday delegate from the Rhenish
provinces, Mr.. Targermann made use OF this
very significant expression: If Rome will
return TO true Christi unity, We will noi cut
loose from her." MichelIs, who Ia convert.
ed ulti tiamcntane, made the concluding speech
of the occasion, in which he osclaied tnat
twenty years more OF Jesuit influence n G-c'
MANY would be the ruin oI Catuol cism.' TusJ
have no rigni". said he, .under the laws VI
oar new empire" On Monday, meeting f
ladies' only was beld, at which addresses by
several OF the committee we're maze.
1t was strange sight. The large hall OF
the Museum, rectangular Ioom, hung with
long mirrors, and lighted by rows OF w'n uws
in the upper portion ot the wall, was flied
with women, seated at hrst on Cushioned
benches, but at last crowding the alsl-s, 90
| that there did not seem 10 he square incn VI
vacant room within lbe doors. They were VI
the middle class generally; merchants wives,
professors families, DC, with spIinking ot
the higher circles.
On raised platform were few chairs aud
long table, where the speakers were seated;
the only men in the hall. 1he separation vi
the sexes was most ieiigiously kept up. Tbs
speech OF the occasion vas Inaoe by Fato.r
Hyacisthe, who has now entirely lad asl,s
all distinguishing diess, and appears TO have
given up every attempt To bee ,Ine reconci ed
with his older or with the Vatican Ia hers.
| HyaciEthe, while declaring confession to hs
! divinely appointed, deprecated tnat "morai di-
| rection" witch has been OF late days suo-titu-
| ed for it, He painted most admirab, the Jesuit
| direeIOr and his description OF this man, wuo
| usugped tue place OF the husband aud ta.ber
| in the family of his penitent, br ugbt down
| the feminine no Ise, as did Ills warning 10
mo, hers with regard to the catecoixing OF their
children. "There is" SAID he "tnis question
| In our cateeblsm, lis the Pope Inialhbles The
| answer 10 that question was, No. Now the
| answer Is, Yes In the Irish calechism, The
| question was the same; the answer was No;
| belief in tue infallbllity oil the Pope Is abe
inven, ed by Protestants.' This answer could
not well be altered, so the cstechism has bctu
suppressed and another substituted tn LIS
place.
On the whole, this meeting of "Old Cstho-
lies" must be considered OF the highest irn-
| portance. 1t is regularly constituted organ
ization, having for it's end aud aim resistance
4 10 the Vatican. On one point all It's men-
bers are agreed. They will no. ACCEPT ths
dogmas of Plus TX. Their atttade reminds
one OF the North at the commencement VI
our civil war. Our people had some OF item.
uuti that moQept, ben strong ouuti eIn
men and some OF them violent aboi,ionlsts
but when it was proposed TO break up our
l Union they stood shoulder 70 shoulder aud
fought Eith equal bravery tor the good old
| Union eause. Those who but iaIey baye
| been driven 70 Eesist the Vatican as as deter
l mined in their purpose as is tue must rad cal
| reformer of them all. Thousands OF "Old
i Catholic" societies are spyingiog up evtiY-
where. and bApdreds OF priests are becoming
m,mbers OF lhem, The first fruits ot tus
Vatfsan Council are slready garnered.