The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-10-18
The Old Catholic Congress.

The Old Catholic Congress was opened at Mu-
Mich on September Odd. The sitting, which was
not a public one, was presided over by Herr Wolf,
the President of the Munich Acting Committee
The honorary President is Prof. Schultz of Prague
and the honorary Vice Presidents Herr Wend-
scheid, of Heidelberg, and Councillor Keller, Of
Aaran. Herren Huber and RenckeDs are report
ers The sitting lasted from nine in the morning
until eight in the evening, and during this time
the programme was discussed.
THE PROGRAMME
consists of seven sections. The first explains the
meaning of the term Old Catholic, aud justifes its
adoption. &c In obedience to the dictates of rei-
gious duty" says the programme, we maintain
the Old Catholic creed as it is attesed in Scripture
and tradition, as we'll as in the old Catholic wor
ship. We consider ourselves accordingly as mem
bers of the Catholic Church, and will not submit
to be excluded from this Church, nor from the
rights which in Church and State accrue to US as
members of the Church. Then comes para
graph rejecting all the dogmas introduced during
the Pontifcate of Plus *. especially that Of his
infallibility. This paragraph, as Schulle pointed
out, included a rejection of the Immaculate Con.
ception as well as of the doctrines contained in
the Syllabus The whole section was adopted with
unanimity, and almost without discussion, so thor
oughly did it meet the views of the Assembly.
THE BUSINESS OF THE MEETING
really began with the second section. Having ex-
planned their position as old Catholics, the COM
mittee proceed to say: "We maintain the old con-
stitution of the Church. We repudiate every, at
tempt to deprive bishops of the immediate and IN
dependent government of the individual churches.
We repudiate the doctrine contained in the vatl.
can DEGREES that the Pope is the only God APP
pointed possessor of Church authority and power,
as in direct contradiction with the canon of the
Council of Trent, according to which the God-ap-
pointed hierarchy consists of bishops, priests, and
deacons. We acknowledge
THE PRIVACY OF THE BISHOP OF ROME
as it was acknowledged on Scriptural authority in
the old undivided Christian Church by the Faith
ers and the Councils" 1--WE declare the docu-
ment proceeds, in another paragraph of the same
section "that articles of belief can only be defined
in consonance with Holy Scripture and the old ira
dition of the Church. it is laid down in the re-
cognized Fathers and Councils, not by the declara
tons of the Pope for the time being, and the ex-
press or implied consent of bishops bound by oath
to unlimited obedience to the Pope" This sec.
ton provoked long discussion
A more important discussion arose on the third
section which was finally adopted.
THE UNION OF CHURCHES.
In co operation with theological SCIENCE we strug-
gle for reform in the Church, which in the spirit
Of the old Church shall remove its modern defects
and abuses, and in particular shall satisfy the just
wishes OF the Catholic people to exercise regular
participation in church management.
We declare that the Church of Utrecht is unjusty