The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-27
THE MEW SoHISM
DR.. DOLLlHGER'S DECLARATION.
The Pope Not Tnfallible.
The Bishop Of NuHiOh's Reply.

Dollinger, Dean OF the Chapter OF Vienna 70
the Archbishop of Munich and Freising, in
explanation Of his position with respect to
the decree of Papal infallibility:-
Your Excellency has asked me in two letters
TO explain my position with respect to the
Roman DEGREES Of July Is, 1870, which have
been published by you.
II has transpired in the circle of your
Cathedral Chapter that it ls your intention to
proceed against me with such penal measures
as are used only against such priests rs have
been guilty Of gross moral crimes, and even
but seldom against these. This is to occur If
I do not, within o certain period, submit my
self to the two new articles of faith, as to the
universal (AUgeDdID power and infsllibility
Of the Pope.
I learn at the same time that q council
meeting of the German bishops is to take
place shortly at Fulda.
In the year 184S, when meeting of all the
German bishops was held at Wurzburg the
honor of an invitation was extended to my
self, and 1 took part in the proceedings.
Your Excellency might perhaps arrange that
I might be allowed ia the meeting which is
about to take place, not this time to take part
in the proceedings, but to have an audience
for few hours.
For 1 am prepared to prove before this
meeting the following theses, which are of
decisive Importance for the present situation
Of the German Church, as we'll as for my per-
sonal position
First. The new Articles of Faith are based
upon the texts in the Holy Scriptures, st.
Matthew XVII 49, and st. John XXI, II, and as
far as infallibiityis is concerned, upon the text
st. Luke xxi, 80, with which the same, bibli-
cally considered, must stand or fall. But We
are bound by solemn oath, which I myself
have twice sworn, to accept and to explain
the Holy Scriptures not otherwise than &C
cording to the unanimous consent of the
fathers. The fathers of the Church have ell,
without exception, explained the texts in
question as bearing totally different mean
ing to the new decrees, and especially in the
text ST. Luke xxi, 80, have found anything
but an infalibility given to the Pope. There
fore, were 1 to accept with the DEGREES this
explanation, without which every biblical
basis to the same is wanting, I should COM
NIT q perjury. And, as 1 have said, am
prepared to prove this to the bishops in
council.
Second In several episcopal pastorals and
notices which have lately appeared, the asssr-
tion has been made, or the historical proof
sought, that the new doctrine now proceeding
from Rome as to the universal power of the
Pope over every single Christian, and as to
the Papal infallibiity in decisions in the
Church on matters of faith from the begin
ming, through all time and forever, has been
generally, or at least nearly generally, be-
lieved and taught. am ready to prove that
this assertion is based upon an entire miscon-
ception of the traditions of the Church for
the first thousand years, and upon an entire
distortion of her history. 1t is in direct con-
tradiction to the plainest facts and testimo-
MES.
Third. am ready to prove that the bishops
of the Latin countries, Spain, Italy, South
America, France, who formed the immense
maj jority at Rome, were, with their clergy,
already led astray by the classbooks from
which they took their ideas during their semi
nary education; since the proofs given IL
these books are for the most part false, in
vented, or distorted. 1 shall prove this, first
with the two principal and favorite works Of
modern theological schools and seminaries
"The Moral Philosophy of S. Alphonsus
Liguori" (and especially as regards the treatise
contained therein concerning the Pope), anC
with ''The Theology of the jesuit Peroni;
further, with the writings Of the Archbishop
of Cardoni AID of Bishop Ghilardi, which were
distributed in Rome during the Council; and
finally, with ''The Theology of the Vienesse
Theologian Schwetz."
Fourth 1 appeal to the fact, which I an
ready to prove in public, that two Genera
Councils and several Popes have already de-
cided in the fifteenth century, by solemn de-
crees, issued by the Councils, repeatedly con
frmed by the Popes, the question as to the
extent of the Popes power, and as to his in
July, 1870, are in the most glaring contradc-
tion to these resolutions, and, therefore, can.
not possibly be considered as binding.
Fifth. believe that 1 shall be able to prove
that the new DEGREES are simply incompatible
with the constitutions of the States of Eu
rope, and especially with that of Bavaria; and
that I find it impossible for me, who am
bound by oath to this constitution, which
have lately sworn on my admission to the
Chamber of the Councillors of State, to &C
cept the new DEGREES, aud, as their necessary
consequence, the Bulls ''Unam and Sauctam'
and Scum ex Apostolatus Officio, the Sylla
bus of Plus TX, with SO many other Papa
declarations and laws, which are now to bt
accepted as infallible decisions and are il
irreconcilable antagonism to the laws of the
country. / appeal on this subject to the
opinion given by the legal faculty in Munich
and am ready to abide by the arbitration Of
any German legal faculty which your Excel
lency may be pleased to name.
81 only ask two conditions for the confer
ence which I have proposed, or rather prayed
for-the first, that my assertions, togethe
with any counter assertions, shall be recorded
with view to their subsequent publication
the second, that a man of scientific culture
to be chosen by me, shall be allowed to b
present at the conference.
Should this be unettainable before the Ger
man bishops in Fulda, 1 venture most re
spectfully to proffer another request, that i
may please your Excellency to form out O
the members of your Cathedral Chapter
committee, before which l may plead M
cause in the way above mentioned. Severs
of these venerable gentlemen are doctors
r.. e kl,,-N