New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-02
THURSDAY, JANUARY ?, 1878.
The Inf:sliibtIity Dogma Nepud!-
ated by the Swiss.

If the vicar OF Christ, acting under the
inspiration Of the Holy Ghost, were open to
conviction by way of experience, like ordi-
nary mortals, he would have realized long
before this that no outside enemy could have
inflicted a more fatal blow on his authority
and his standing, even among large part OF
the Catholic world, than he and his friends,
the Jesuits, have inflicted on him and the
Church by the adoption of the inialiibliity
dogma. As formerly, the abuses o! the
Church, particularly the trade in indui-
sences. became the last occasion to call the
reformation into life and to cripple forever
that which was once the most formidable
power in Europe, the infatuated Pope and
his no less infatuated advisers have split the
large flock that had thus far firmly adhered to
the old Church and its head, and produced
schism and tiscord in quarters where peace
and unity were reigning. That it should
come to this is very natural, for we have no
right to expect that men who, from child
hood, have lived in a world of their own,
have been systematically shut out from all
the enlightening influences of the century,
kept from all contact with the great repre-
sentatives of modern science and modern
thought, should have a correct estimate OF
the actual state of knowledge and enlight-
eminent among the masses, and Of the amount
of superstition which they will swallow in
our day. They judge the world by those
who adhere to them blindly and uncondi-
tionally, and take them for the standard by
which they measure all the rest. NO one
but themselves could have accomplished the
task of alternating the clergy in Bavaria, the
old stronghold of Catholicism, where men
old orthodox Catholics-who would have
brayed all the secular powers in the world in
vindication of the authority and the rights OF
the Church, are now declared schismatics,
and accommodated, because infallibility
proved too large dose for their honesty or
their faith.
From recent information we learn that the
evil seeds have likewise born their legitimate
fruit In Switzerland. Many Cantons are
strictly Catholic; others just as Jealous in
their adherence to the Protestant creed,
while some are divided, and in consequence
there was never lack Of religious anlmosity,
and rich field for the manGuvers and in
trigues of the clergy Of both churches, in
which. above all others, the Papal Nuncio
MsiotH took such prominent part that as
early as ls47 he was recalled by Plus TX,
and from that time the Pope has been repre-
sented In Switzerland simply by Charge
d,Afoires. The overthrow Of the temporal
power Of the Pope would naturally have put
an end to the activity Of tho Charge d'A6aires,
since the Pope, as the head Of the church,
hcnccforth, can have only ecclesiastical,
but no dipiomztfc, selataons-
other country. and none but the latter prop
erly 1.-Two within the sphere Of Charge d1f-
flares. Yet this state Of things might have
been allowed to last for while longer, If the
Charge dAfaires, himself 81 churchman, had
abstained from meddling with the religious
affairs. of the country, and of exercising
dangerous influence in tho interest of Ultra
u,ontanism, tending to provoke religious dis
cord. This action on his part was the more
unwise and impolitic- from being wholly
unwarrantable and illegal-since public sem
timent in Switzerland is by no means in IA
vor of submitting blindly to the dictates Of
the Pope or the Jcsuits, as Is evident from
the result Of vote taken lately in several
eantons, on some important religious ques-
lions. Even those either entirely or over
whelmingly Catholic voted unanimously
against the recognition Of the decree deciar-
Ing the infallibility of the Pope, and further
declared that no bishop has the power to csts-
sure or excommunicate priest on account
Of his protest against the infalliblity dogma.
For the present, the troubles arising from the
uncalled-for interference of the Papal Charge
d,Afaires in matters entirely outside OF his
sphere, have been categorically settled BY
the breaking off of diplomatic relations be-
tween Switzerland and the Vatican rather
satisfactorily for the Swiss Confederacy,
which thus has got rid of dangerous mis-
shief-maker. while the Pope, as in all his re-
cent contests with the secular powers, comes
out of 1t with the loss Of part Of his influence,
thanks to his own and his subordinate's I'M
timely zeal.