The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-10-18
The Anti InfallibiEty Movement in Germany.

A special correspondent of the London
Standard, writing from Heidelberg, SAYS
"There can be no doubt that the anti-Papal
movement in South Germany is very sig
ni6cant reality. Amidst life so diversified
as that of Germany, the movement is re
garded in variety of lights, but it is regard
ed by ALL This is the significant fact The
gossips are busy conjecturing what may have
passed with the Kaisers, with the Beu8ts,
and the BiSmarcks the other day at Gastein,
but every one takes these cOnjectures for
what they are worth. Wherever the Ger
man tongue is spoken the new revolt against
the Papacy is necessarily discussed, with all
the interest which men feel in a question i'm
medately concerning themselves. 1t is a
matter of pride to all Germans to think that
the main opposition to this monstrous doc
trine of Papal Infallibility has come from
Germany. This feeling is common ground
for all Germans who reject the Papal dogma,
whether they are Roman Catholics or not
Germany impressed Europe during the war
with the idea of its compactness, its unity In
spirit, if not then yet in form; but no ma
ton, if we except Russia perhaps, is SO wide
ly diversified. From the islanders Of Pom
erania to the mountaineers of Tyrol we have
every variety of creed and sentiment, ex-
cept that we have every where the sentiment
of German nationality, and with this goes
every where a reverence for religion and in
tellgence which rebels against the Jesuit
miracle of Papal infalhbility. The Ultra
montana party have, no doubt, organized
themselves well in Germany as elsewhere,
but the public mind is too instructed public
attention has been too long fixed on them
and their intrigue8. The anxiety of the
Catholic congregations is to show that they
reject the new doctrine, to justify themselves
before the opinion Of Germany. The meet
ing at Heidelburg brought together repre-
8entatives of the opposition from North and
South Germany, as well as from Switzerland
and Austria. 1t was determined to main
tain the political character of the movement,
a resistance of Germany to this aggression
upon German law, The State rights, which
the present constitutions both of Bavaria
: and RheniSh Prussia guarantee to the Ro-
man Church in these dOminions give a prac
teal Importance to this line of action, and
: make it more telling than any discussions
about doctrine. A recent instance Of the
} practical effect of the struggle reported from
; Gurmisch, in Bavaria, is making much noise
here just now. A young advocate was about
t to be married, and his intended bride was
within one of those degrees of relationship
/ for which the Roman Church requires for
/ nal dspensation. This dispensadon is OBJ
r tanned always as matter of course; but the
. young advocate had signed the address to
DR.. D0llinger, and the Bishop refused his
dispensation unless the signature was pub
Icly withdrawn. The priest could not be
present at the ceremony without the dispen-
sation, and there is no legal marriage IN Ba-
r varia for Roman Catholics without the pre-
r sence of clergyman. In this difficulty the
advocate made the required declaration, got
his di8pensation, and was married. The
t next day he writes to the papers detailing
! the whole proceeding, and declaring his un-
wavering adherence to the D0linger address.
/ Whatever may be thought of the propriety
= of this course of proceeding, it illustrates
8 the practical bearing of the present ques-
ton. Such instances show the wisdom of
4 Michelis and Dollinger, and the other lead
9 ers of the movement in declining to adopt
reconstructive policy in church affairs. AT
' present they are fighting the battle of free
dom of the Church The very course Of
D that fight will form opinion upon other ques-
tons, and press the public to deal with them
in due time. The language held by D0llin'
. ger himself, by Lord Acton, by zongrebl,
and others, points to such changes as par
> ticipation of the laity in Church government
\ as matter of course. All these questions
D may be fairly discussed within the general
. principle of opposition to the new dogma.
They are, in fact, daily discussed in the
cloud of pamphlets coming every day from
n the press in North and South Germany
They are discussed in Alt Catholik Vereinen,
which are forming in great numbers in Ba,
den, and which have been some time at work
in Bavaria"