The New York herald., 1873-12-23

trine in Catholic schools, or for the obedience
due to them from their clergy, for, according
to the tenor Of those laws, the bishops are not
permitted TO exercise these functions save only at
the pleasure OF the civil authority, and according
to the rules laid down by the same. Finally, that
nothing should be waning to the entire suppress
SION OF the Catholic Church, q royal tribunal Tor
which h,sSons % ana sacred pastors NAV ne cited
both by private men, who are their subjects, and
by pu,lic magistrates, there to receive Judgment
as crl snals and TO be c0erced IN the exercise OF
their ssssirtual Office. Thus, the Holy Church OF
Christ, which the ull liberty of religion mad been
guaranteed by the solemn and reiterated promises
OF princes and. by public pacts and conventions is
now In mourning in those regions, stripped OF It's
every right and exposed to hostile powers which
threaten 1t with final destruction, for this new
legislation reaches to the point OF rendering the
lie OF the Church impossible. No wonder, therefore,
that in tEat Empire the former religious peace
should be broken up by laws OF this Kind, and by
the other counsels and acts oil the Prussan gov.
ernment, luli oi nos,isy % 10 'ne Vnnrcn. Where,
perturbatlons on the Catholics Of the German En-
pire, 1t would be altogether withou. warrant; ior
II IL be imputed to them as an offence that they do
not acquesce In those laws, IN which, with safe
conscience they cannot acqulesce, for ike rea-
son, and in ike manner, the apostles and martyrs
OF Jesus Christ are TO accused who chose rather
TO undergo most cruel punishment ana death
ITSELF than betray their proper Office and violate
the laws OF their most holy religion in
obedience to the mpious commands OF per-
scouting princes. or q truth venerable brothers,
II no other laws than the laws OF civil
empire existed, and laws, indeed OF higher order,
which IL Is duty to obey and sin to violate; II,
moreover, these same civil laws constitute
supreme rule OF conscience, as some impiously
and absurdy contend, the primitive martyrs, and
they VINO afterwards followed them shedding
their blood Tor the iaith OF Christ and the liberty or
the Church, would be rather worthy OF blame than
OF honor and praise; nay, II would not even have
been possible In the teeth OF laws and against the
Will OF princes, to preach and propagate the
Christian religion and to 1Jund the Church. The
iatth, however, teaches and human reason demon
strates, that there IS q two0ld order OF things;
and, at the same time, two powers are to be DIS
tinguished on the eartl--the one natural, which
provides for the tranquility OF human society
and secular affairs; the other, the origin OF which
Is above nature supreme over the City of
God--that is, the Church OF Christ, dvInely
Instituted Tor the peace and the eterna
salvation OF souls; and the Offices OF two
I0ld power are In wisdom ordained that the things
OF God should be rendered to God, and that, In
rendered to Caesar, who Is therefore great De-
longs to Him to whom belong the heavens ana
every creature. From this divine command the
Church assuredy has never turned aside, Tor it
has always ana everywhere abored to impress on
the minds OF the faithful the obedience which they
ought invl0lably to mantain-the words, sovereign
princes and their laws In secular thngs--apd t
has taught, with the Apostle, that sprincesD are
not q terror to good works, but to evil, command
Inc the faithful to be subject not only Tor wraths
sake, because tho prince bears the sword
as an aveDger In wrath for him who does
evil, but also for conscience sake, because
In his onice he Is the minister OF God This
fear ~ nsApces the Church itsell restraints to !"