The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-08-17
Orthodoxy in Prussia"

OuucT UuS GDOSe SCdICaSllC UlClc Clu JuG
Prussau Special Correspondent of the
Times inform us, the other day, of Il hid
eous fact in connection with German Pro-
testantism, but one for which we were
quite prepared, and which therefore has
not surprised us in the least.
The Rev. Herr Svdon is Protestant
clergyman sworn to the Augsburg Con-
feseion, aud holding a living on the condi-
ton of teaching modern Lutheranism.
Among other tenets which he is bound to
hold aud to inculcate is certainly that of
the INCARNATION of GOD the Son. Yet it is
the fact that the reverend gentleman has
confessed himself to be Unitarian has
been set upon in Judgment by the Pruss1an
Consstory, and has been pronounced not
innocent of denying the miraculous birth
of our Lord, but quite capable of continu-
ing to hold his Protestant incumbency, his
complete and avowed infidelity notwith
standing! The reason upon which the
consistory has founded this most astound-
ing decision is at once awful and ludicrous.
What will be thought of men protestant
| clergymeu) who are not ashamed to pub
lish the following p
That as the Rev. Herr sydon's statement,
that he did not believe Christ to be God, was
public lecture hall, that therefore he was not to
be expelled from the Office of Protestant min
lister.
From this it would appear that crime
attaches to place more than to action in
the Judgment of Protestant consistores in
Germany. Had Herr Sydon been reckless
enough to have proclaimed his infidelity
! from the pulpit, then indeed no sentence
would have been too severe for him; but as
he judiciously confined his attack upon the
Divinity of our Lord to the platform of
lecture hall his orthodoxy must remain
| unimpeached
! Now we always knew that there were
wicked profane unbelievers among those
in Germany who protested to be Protes-
! tant clergyman, but we did not before this
venture to think they were fools. Cannot
these men see that such impious stupidity
Professionalism every earnest, thoughtful,
| intelligent German 1t will swell the
ranks of infdelity yes, but it will also
recruit those of Catholicity. Every Prus-
sian who is not already lost in the vortex
of what it is fashionable to call "relgious
liberalism" (Which means total disbelief in
any fixed dogma) will begin to think whet-
her he can, without peril, stay in a Church
that has become the slave of free think
ing press, that has neither religious power
nor moral courage, that does not say, Such
and such is my creed ; they who hold it
are mine, they who reject it are without
my pale.
We in England it is true, have been SO
long accu stoned to the close nei ghborhood
of that most undefnable hodge-podge
known by the general term of Anglican
Calvinistic Lutheranism, that an occurrence
such as that of the acquittal of Herr Sydon
has no surprise for us. We are thoroughly
habituated to the inconsistent practice Of
men who are not Protestants still teaching
Professionalism and holding Protestant liv-
ings. We have seen Mr.. Gorham, who
denies infant Baptism, baptzpg infants,
and Bishop Hampton, who disbelieves in
the Blessed Trinity, invoking God the
Holy Ghost and ordaining cIergymen who
swear to this article of the creed. In fact
we have been so accustomed all our life
time to the presence of every possible
contradiction and absurdity in the sects
that swarm round us that it would require,
on their part, an amount of folly which we
cannot estimate to starte the well-nerved
English Catholic.
But it is not SO abroad. In Prussia
especially are there three classes-Catholic,
Protestant and infdel-qute defneable
and quite distinct. There the Protestant
has hitherto possessed Il sort of creed,
and heis not all prepared to find that
man can be an intidel and a Lutheran at
one and the same time. He has now found
out his mistake, and his present enlighter-
ment will not tend in the least to raise his
opinion of Prussian Protestant sm,
However, like every blind attack from
the same quarter, this also will infallibly
help on the cause of truth.-Lontlon Uni
reTSe.
LEGENDS ABOUT BELLs-An old writer as
fl,n ,nfl hall