Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-07-12
Naluhman s. Journal.
WEDNESDAY, JULY -, 1871.
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The Enemies OF the Papacy.
Dr. Dollinger and many Of his prominent
friends have takenup the gage thrown dowf
by the Pope in bis bull of accommodation
, The papa illumination has been followed by
pastoral letter from several German Bishops
in which they require the faithful to obey the
DEGREES orthe late Ecumcnica Council though
they soften the meaning Of the DEGREES ord
give them an Interpretation different li.m
that which is common Dr. Dollingcr, in a
manifesto signed by himself and BY the pro.
iessors in several German universities and by
prominent members of the Bayarian Court
and Government, repudiates the threats OF
/ the Bishops, aud declares even that they DO
not regard the DEGREES Of accommodation as
having any binding force OF these DEGREES
they say that they are null and void, as
they are unjust, aud can neither deprive the
faithful Of their right to the Sicramcnts Of
Christ nor priests Of their power to admins.
ter them"
The issue is thus plainly made up between
the leaders Of the opposition and the Pope.
They intend to remain in the Church to per.
form all the functions pertaining to their
Offices, and repudate the action Of the Pope
as null aud void The Council has established
new power in the Church, and they deny its
right to do so. 1t is not matter Of rebel.
lion against the ancient privileges and rights
Of the Papaoy but a matter Of revolt against
the assertion Of new and extraordinary pow
ers by the Papacy They claim the right to
administer their offices according to the prin.
cipIcs they occupied when they assumed their
offices, and virtually declare that the Pope
and his councillors have rejected the traditions
and laws Of the ancient faith They assert
that the Pope now assumes powers which for
MGR popes have denied, and arrogates claims
to an iniallibility which the entire history Of
the Church disproves, and which the docrees
of former popes have repudatcd Hence, it
is not disloyalty to the Church to reject the
new papa dogmas, nor to declare null and
void the acts which are based upon them
We have no doubt that the adhercnts Of
DR. Dollinger have the truth in the matter,
and have also the logic and argument on their
side. But logic does not always settle these
things in the Roman Court The power be-
longs to the Pope, and not until the Catholic
laity sustain their revolving priests and
bishops, and uphold them in their administra.
ton Of ecclesiastical functions, will the rcvo-
luton against the Papacy be complete That
was what made the Lutheran reformation
possible. Luther was followed in the boldest
declarations by the Catholic laity of Ger
many. If the laity Of Bavaria follow DIR.
Dollinger, they will give him power above all
the power Of the Pope But if the Pope
has the people, DR.. Dolingers logic and
reasoning are as idle as the wind. He can.
not administer the Sacraments of Christ
where there are none to receive them
The German people, however,,we incline to
.hink, will follow the reactionary priests, es.
'eclally since they seem to have the coun-
enance OF the government The papal full
ninations will fall harmlessly upon the Ger
man professors, while they are sustained by |
The Bayarlan government and people If |
their action brings about a collision between
The king Of Bavaria and the Archbishop of |
Munich, as is extremely likely, the court will |
DC followed by the large mass of the people
The papal DEGREES will be practically nullifed
IN Bavaria, and the Pope will lose n richer
heritage than Rome The recalcitrant priests
vii retain their Churches and administer the
'acraments in defiance Of the hierarch Of the
Vatican.
Stripped of his temporalities, the Pope
will thus hardly retain his spiritual power.
There is more and more evidence that the
Roman church has lost its political suprema-
cy and prestige. 1t cannot control men by
the exercise Of arbitrary power. The popu-
lar element is being felt in that ancient in.
9'''u'iVn' ""H thS uay VI It's ADsolutlsm urdWs
to an end. Dollingor and Hyacinthe may
yet effect in the church a greater revolution
than Luther and Melancthon. Nor will this
be bad for the church So fast and far as
the powers which have been concentrated in
the Roman Ouria, shall be diffused through
the members of the Catholic church it will
approach the Christian ideal. Whatever the
Pope loses the church will gain, He may
lose those arbitrary powers which he has ar
rogated, but the loss will be compensated by
the diffusion of priestly and kingly functions
through the Catholic laity, and the immeasu.
rable advance of the Catholic church in moral
and spiritual efficiency and dignity.