The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-07
DR.. DULLIMGER.

Full Text of tho Address of the Professors or
the University Of Rome to DR.. DolIin&er.
The following is the text OF an address from tho
professors Of the University of Rome to the Capitu
larry Provost DR.. lgnatius Dollinger Professor OF
Ecclesiastical History aud Dean of the Faculty OF
Theology at the University OF Munlch:-
The strife which, III order not 10 fail IN the most
sacred duties Of your character as ecclesiasc, or
science theologian anu historian, OF aliSy as
citizen, you nave been unable 10 refuse, and winch
has been imposed upon you by men who unfaiJhful
to their own convictions and declarations, solemnly
proclaimed IN the last Council, have preferred To
be your prosecutors rather than TO unite
themselves TO YOU m order that they might
rights, and give their testimony ''Op 10
Christian truth this strife, from the high principles
mat are III queston, and from the consequences
tracted toward you the attention and good Will OF all
those who. standing within or without the Church,
ton and Cancellation is now necessary In
Europe The Catholic Church, which. from
painful but not always unmerited historical
experiences and from the urgent necessities OF the
or unity, has-through the recent definitions Of the
Vatican Council, and through the worldly ambition
OF retaining that which, imposed on her hlstorl-
cal necessity from the conditions OF the lie OF the
Middle Ages, Is now OF evident and serious prejudice
to her divine misslon-divided herself rom the
laity from the best and the most learned OF her
bishops, rom the nations and States OF Europe,
from science aud IRON civilization.
1t Is impossible that this division be the legt.
mate consequence OF religious and Christian prInci-
pies. 1t IS also impossible that European society,
which, IN lis adheslons and even IN It's rcsistanceS
Of eighteen centuries has nevertheless always APP
preached nearer towards morality ana Christian
ideaIry, can have become all at once incapable Of
exercising Its noblcst Instincts ana, suddenly per-
verted can have renounced all the principles OF It's
historical ana moral Development. In the first
place, one would be Obliged TO say that religion IS
Impossible and contrary TO humanity; and In the
second, that Providence does not exist. We, on
the contrary, believe that tnerc Is nothing more
human than religion, and that Providence how
ever considered and however defined, Is a law. the
10 tpNtl.
The reason OF the present perturbation oil souls 10
not TO be sought for in the fundamental conception
OF civil society. in that OF the religious Instltu-
tion but in certain tendencies which became preva-
lent In the Romsn Church after the Council OF Trent.
wSicS IN the opinion Of the Church Of Rome, was Al,
evil ana objectionable rebellion had nevertheless
consequence-namely, ner reiorn-among many
tlnucd, not in the ancient and original sense, but
from opposition to the dssentlent churches to call
herself Catholic must confess to nave been Tor her
great benefit
TINS reform, which, If anticipated. as some Of
the cardinals ana Italian bishops then wished,
would have prevented separation, was the
consequence OF the German reform. The Catho-
Tic aud Evangelical Churches are since the SIX
teentn century, reformed Churches. In the con-
ceprion and fact OF reform law therefore, the future
or religious unity in Europe. But the indlspelsa.
sincerity oI purpose and nnlimlled devotion, with
out other aim than the religious idea. Now, IN
stead after three centuries OF historic progress tho
two Churches are more than ever divided, one from
the other, and the separation Is irreconcllabe.
Evangelical Church, Dnt only briefly to indicate
some facts for which. according to us, the Romlsh
Church Is responsible towards the Gospel and to-
wards the Christian conscience. he reform OF the
Romish Church was from its commencement cxcu.
sve and exterior. Tue great aspirations OF tho
preceding centuries, issuing from the UNI
versatility CT the Christian Idea, and from tho
constant and living communion OF the Church
with society, were spcecness before the fear
OF the ooldness ana uishakable nrmness OF the
German reform. Instead Of placing once more the
Gospel In the hearts OF the people, reviving teach.
ing and tradition with the concurrence OF the laity,
the book closed with seals, ana for aicai
cooperation was substituted that OF religious
poraons, and particularly that OF the Jesnits. Tho
Catholic Ghurcn has been for three centuries the
Against this servtudc against this sacrifice OF in
tcllect the Jesults, with malignant humility now
call It, all the Catholic thinkers OF Europe protested
and sill protest, from Pascal TO ROsrnn and Clio
pert, ana 10 you who now raise the cry OF injured
and betrayed Cathocity before the doors Of tho
we italians have suffered much from this ensav.
Ing OF intellect With very few exceptions all the
habits our country was an instrument Of tho
JesuIts In the Vatican Council But the events thar
m ve served anv other purpose save that az
civil societies defenceess before the articles AMI
corruption OF the Roman Curia, counselIed and
governed by the Jesults ought nevertheless, to be
for us q great occasion OF moral reform. All the
signs Of dying lie will soon he erased by those OF
new life, blooming rom the finally acnieved
unity OF our country We remember that
in the midst OF the immooility OF Je-
SUIT schools, an Italian discovered the movement
OF the Earth, and wnen the Catholic Church was
prolancdin the whole OF Its hierarchy, the Ideal OF
our art was the TRANSPORTED Christ. And these re-
membranes are auspices that cannot fail. We arc
convinced that right to Rome Will not he tncon
testablc and definite until that day IN when we
shall have transformed and renewed our moral con-
science
For these reasons we hail your utterances with
great hope ana Offer our best wishes for the triumph
Of your cause, which IS also ours and that Of the
whole OF Christian civilization And this we say
to you publicly, in order THAT In your free
and Just Judgment you may In the future separate
all responsibility OF the Italian people from that
OF the Italian Epscopacy. The Eplscopacy Inhabt-
ing our land Is without country and has nothing In
common with the Italian people. The syllabus. tho
lnallIbiIity, Papal autocracy all these negatons
OF human and divine reason form system without
the slightest connection with Roman chaYa tel
and thought. The scrvltude Of intellect abhOrrri
by the Germanc race Is equally abhorred by the
Roman, that IL, Italian race. Italian morality IN
longer what It was In the sixteenth century, anc
| now we know that the hour has come when tnt
cause of reform should be fought and won by the