The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-14
DOLLINGER'S LECTURES.
The Aged Doctors Propositions to the Christian
Churches disappointment Of the "Old Catho-
hcs'-Will Dollilger Eventually Sub
nit to Rome l-Doub,s and Fears.

The great theme OF discussion among those classes
Of the population taking interest in the religious
and political questions OF the day Is still the result
Of DR.. D0llingers lectures the future unity
or the Christian Churches. The great question,
what is the resultr ?" Is asked, and the is
wantlngi 1t ID an impossibillLy for man to forget
training OF three In any system OF re.
liglon or philosophy, and DR.. DOllinQer does not
appear to make an exception. His appreciation Of
the great German RefUrmer, Luther. was indeed
great advance upon Catholic tneologans general;
and for the first tlme perhaps, did an eminent
Catholic historian venture to utter such unlimited
praise the "nerellc' Luther, considered as Ger
man and refOrmer. But the closing lectures OF DR..
Dollnger were q disappointment. and Tor the causes
OF this disappointment have not to look far. As
the learned reiOrmer SAID himself 'the future be-
longs to the younger generation. not to older.
me great work OF DUllnger MS famous "De-
caration," and with this he was exhausted.
Younger men, such as Friedrich Huber, Schultz
ReInkens, gathered about him and carried on the
movement further than Dolinger himself had ever
wished.
DoLLINGER's POSITION.
The Munich Congress OF last September showed
more than once division between che leaders.
There was q contest between the conservatives led
by Dollinger and the radicals led by HUBER Scnulte
and others. Dollinger wavered This is fact
But he was held up, stood in at the head OF the
the REFORM He did not fear he had no intention OF
backing down. but he felt That lie had raised q
storm that he could not control, and younger men
than ne were necessary to take the lead. Letters
came from Rome endeavOrlng to get him to submit;
but he withstood the temptation. He has had good
men 10 support him.
THE FIRST FIVE LECTURES
were always carefully criticised by a committee Of
Old Cathoilcs before being Delivered; but before the
last two Huber and Reinkens were called away 10
attend an Old Catholic Conference at Bonn and |
imagine Dr. Dolnger mas been left to himself
LECTURE
shows evidences OF u waverlngness, and diners IN
contents essentially from DR.. Dollnger's ideas az
expressed In September last He does not say
word therein OF the German National Catholic
Church, and OF the great reforms to be undertaKen:
does not even move inch from the Catholic stand
point IN making his propositions TO the other
ChurCh Is the only saving one, from which all have
broken loose-the true Church, with the ''unbroken
episcopal succession" and therefore the best. DR..
D0llinger has been evidently fed with Puseyite
literature. which he has accepted expressing the
views Of Professionalism in general, lie urges In
contradiction TO Hyacnthe, the necessity OF retain.
ing tue confessional, simply because the rtualsts
have introduced 1t IN England, ana because the
dency. He still cings to celibacy or the priesthood
Indeed he does not give up singe point OF Catho.
lie doctrine, and apparently wishes all churches and
sects to return TO Catnolicism.
THE ''ULD CATHOLIC CAUSE HURT.
This Is the impression That have retained after
listening TO he whole series or lectures, and am
constrained to admit that D0llin9er has hurt his
cause, at least among Protestants. lie gropes In
the dark, attempting to reconcile doctrines about
baptsm. transubstantiatlon and what not, forget
ting that Such doctrines have nothing the world
to do with the great question OF hostility now exist
| Ing between the great churches-between Pro-
teStants and Catholics. Dr. DolliDger does not
mention America with single wor0 and perhaps
II IS as well he did not, for know That he considers
the great churches there, such as the Metnodists,
Baptsts, &c, as sects, and consequently they would
not come within his range. A very learned phioso-
| pner said TO me the other day, "For Gods sake,
why does the good man cling SO tenac,ously to the
Trldentne declslonsS Let begin again and intro
duce Christianity into the churches" There Is vast
| truth In this sentence.
THE GERMAN NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCH.
l nave always been, anu am still, an admirer or
DollInger, and trust that these words may never
come to his sight His labor Is done, and well DONE
| too. And would not connect MS recent lectures
with the aim OF the Old Catholic reform In generals
for the views therein expressed have, indeed, no
connection with the contest against nalliDiity. IL
Is doubtful whether the aged reormer Will ever live
TO see mis- ideal German national Catholic Church
reality. This ~ labor that needs years for ac-
c0mplshment. Bismarck mas first OF all to get rid
OF the JesuitS and the utramontanes have to be
conquered before this can be done. There will
day come, however, and We hone long hence, when
D0inger VIII be called away from TINS repugnant
scene religious STRIFE "rhe future belongs 10 the
younger generation, not TO the oder,n he said His
death Will be the commencement OF the great fu.
ture which he has pictured out Tor his Churcn. Till
then ne WILL am sure. hold steadily to what he has
already done. D0lllnger Will never recant. Not
like Pater Crafty, whose recantation wrung OUT
OF him when his body energies were gone, when
before hm-Death. lie was no longer then
that same Pater Gratry VINO firmly trod the
streets OF Paris when people pointed alter him.
''See, that Is Father Crafty, who dared TO engage
with the Jesut5 and cast the glove down before the
infallple PopeW stricken with disease, supported
In his arm chair troubled with the opportunities OF
those sert to wiring from HIM submission, he wrote
that letter OF recantatOn now known 10 the world.
But VIII D0iinger supmitS He Is surrounded and
supported Dy younger reIormer5 and the Archbishop
Will try ais art upOn him Ia VAN.