The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-23


Logic Of Christiau Disseni.
The Ecumeuica Council which was lately
assembled In Rome adopted the dogma Of
Papal infallibility. The question was exam
ined in the hierarchical committees, discussed
at great length in all its varieties of theologi-
cal, apostolic and diocesan episcopal aspect,
propounded to the consecrated representa-
tives Of the universal body, seriasim, in
chapters, passed on the record as truth,
and thus made part and parcel Of
faith-which, it is asserted, comes down from
Peter-by unanimous acclsim This record is
unalterable. From the Far-off Indus to the
North Pole, from the banks of the Shannon to
the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria, from the
Ga nges to the st. Lawrence, on the Catholic
affairs in Pekin, and on the altar OF the
cathedral of New York, the doctrine Of infal-
libility has been announced to the congrega-
tions as an article of belief. 1t has been &C
cepted by the millions as an eternal fact reaf-
frmed by the Church under the promptings of
divine inspiration. As it was with Moses and
the prophets, the Catholics Of the Roman CON-
munion believe, even If they do not see.
Their Church teaches them to avoid the exam
pie of the Doubling Thomas. They do not,
as the Church says, desire to thrust their
fingers into the wound which was made in the
sacred side of the Great High Priest and
Saviour on Calvary. Claiming perfection as
canonical whole, the Roman Catholic Church
demands unity Of belief among its members.
Her priests teach that if the Church permit
marring of the faith by discussion of creed it
will not be the symmetrical representation Of
that human perfection by heavenly incarna-
ton which it claims to present.
Persons who are not completely within this
Catholic fold must, consequently, be &c cattle
ORA in religion to greater or less extent in
the eyes of the Roman Pontiff, his Cardinals
and those of the millions of people who are
instructed and disciplined by them. 1t was
thus, as we interpret it, with the Albigenses,
the Waldenses and other dissenting sects
and dissenting individual men; thus in the
days of Luther, Huss, Wicklife, Knox, Wes-
ley and the famous lay ''Sainte" of Scotland,
John Balfour, of Burley, who protested not
only against Rome but against the Protestant
mitres which came from London In the most
deadly and fatal manner, even to the extent Of
the murder of bishop of the law established
Church of England.
There has been doubt, dissent, division
and denial with respect to the heavenly
commission which is claimed by the Ro-
man Catholic Church almost from the
beginning. The Greek communion instructs
that st. Paul was the favored one of
the Saviour. Among the theological records
which are preserved in Moscow, is paper
which is exhibited as being part and parcel of
the Scripture history of the first days of Chris
tianity. In this it is said to be written by
Paul to Peter that he ''denied to his teeth"
the assumption by him of church headship
by divine appointment.
Many of the Eastern hierarchs and commu-
mons preach that the Church was made uni
versally free at its very first institution.
Petriarchs or vast erudition refuse ecclesiasti-
cal allegiance to the Pope. Some of these
patrarchs refused to attend the Council in
Rome. They have since declined to obey its
DEGREES. They deny the dogma of Papal infal-
lblity, but believe that Christianity is infalli-
BILE in its universally and the saving graces of
faith and charity. Some of the most learned
of these Eastern prelates promulgated their
opinions to the world through the columns of
the HERALD before the sssemblage of the Ecu
nal uOi1 nd o;p TIC
has been shown by special correspondence
from Constantinople and other ancient cities
which has been already published in our pages
England, Austria, rance North Germany,
Italy, even Spain, have produced clerical and
professors since the moment of the
enunciation of the Iufallibility dogma. The
decision Of the Ecumenical Council has
brought doubt to the mind of the literati of
Oxford, been q source of division of opinion
in the cabinet of Vienna, furnished topic for
angry discussion in the North German Parlia-
ment, served to complicate the relations be-
tween the King of Italy, the Italian people
and the Pope, caused clamor louder than that
Of civil war in Spain, and tended, to very
great extent, to divide the youthful idea in the
classes of the European colleges.
The dissenters from the Roman Catholic
Church point to it as frebrand in the society
of the world; the Christian multitudes who
turn their eyes to the PapaI centre-wbich
they term eternal-in Rome, accept it as coz
ISOLATION.
Under the tolerant flag Of the American
republic men are at liberty to act as they deem
best in the circumstances. They are free to
walk across the stage of life under any par
ticuIar religious guidance which they may
choose, to descend to the Valley of Death in
The hope of Immortality with all their fallibi-
lies about them If they SO please.
The declaration of the dogma of Papal in
'allibility has thus presented two distinct
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