The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-07-20

Heath blow to political atheism, the indie
pendence of the political order, or its free
dom from subsection to the spiritual order, |,
by the pope as Vicar Of Christ.
Politics are only branch Of ethics ethics
the revealed law, the pope is the guardian
and Judge and hence the Council of the
Vatican declares him supreme and infalli-
BILE in morals 20 less than in faith. This Is
the only possible remedy for political athe-
ism, for it makes the pope supreme under
the natural law, from which the state
holds, as well as under the revealed law,
and subjects to his authority as Vicar of
Christ the whole moral order, as we'll as
the Christian dogmata and sacraments; and
while it gives him no direct power in tenn
ty to judge Of the morality Of the acts Of
temporal princes and governments, as we'll
as Of the acts of private individuals, and to
subject them to such ecclesiastical discip-
line as he judges proper or necessary" Ihe
evil has originated, so far rs Catholic ma
tions are concerned, In the assumption OF a
natural moral order that is not within the
jurisdiction of the Vicar of Christ, and In |
regarding kings and prin ses, states and
empires, as Independent of the papal an
thority. If we DO not misapprehend the
Syllabus, and the reach of the decress OF
the Council Of the Vatican touching the pa
ion, which had become go widespread, and
done so much harm to religion and society,
can no longer be held by any Catholic. A
remedy, then, is now applied, and the Gal
lican dualism and political atheism are
hencsforth to be treated 40 formal, as tney
always have been material, heresies.
| The war is now really between the
church and atheism. The real enemy to be
combated to-day is not heresy, is not ra-
tionalism even, but downright atheism,
the denial of the divine dominion or the
oI & Ir nt1 ,aio
the denial Of the divine being. Prince Won
Bismarck, in his persecution of the church,
represents the atheistic spirit Of the age,
the spirit which meets us in some OF lts
forms in the greater part OF the literary
and scientific works that issue from the
non Catholic press, in the popular journ al
ism of all nations even when it affects to De
Christian, in the Internationale and all
| other associations and movements for social
reform, ostensibly for philanthropic ends.
The arch bishop of Westminster has sho wn
. it in his noble lectures on the " Four Great
, Evils of the day." the energetic bishop OF
: Cleveland understands and denoapces it,
aud SO we suppose, since the Vatican
/ Council at least, do all our bishops and
! priests, though many of them may be st
/. engrossed with the pressing local affairs
: their own dioceses or parishes, that they
= have little time or thought to devote to IL
8 consideration. But it is pressing bom
b upon Catholics everywhere, and must sool
!, become for ali OF them, and even for non
It Catholics, the great absorbing question.
:. The National Zeitang, of Berlin, says, a
d cited above: g In the end this battle mus
y become battle of intelligence, and upo
r that territory the Jesuits, ghostly Q
8 worldly, with all their dogmas, and th
d miracles of the eaints to boot, will come
{. grief" Passing over the sneer at the JIG
r. agree with Won Bismarck, that the battl
n will not only become in the end, but is a
e, ready the battle of intelligence, or betwee
ne intelligence and ignorance, though, If !
o. supposes the Intelligence 10 on his sid
ct he is wofully mistaken Protesean
n and infidels pretend that they are the 81
frightened portion of mankind, and repr
"a sent the Intelligence of the race. \
a. stronger proof of their Ignorance could
O. given, than. this very pretension.. "
Of know something of Protestant and infid
At intelligence, and were, when we were
of them, up to their general level, nay, it
,e- no boast to say, We were in their advan
Il ed ranks and yet, when we became =
We tholic, and had opened to US some gimp
vi. of Catholic intelligence, we were appaii
IA child that knows his catechism has ahigh'
mt broader, and deeper intelligence, than
he dreamed of by the most intellectual a
Ike highly cultivated iufdel or Protestant PHI
to. osopGer. The whole Protestant and in
cir del intelligence, science and learning mig
W. % eAtAuB Ulsneu, anu IAo "NiAo
no loss.
IL This proud and conceited non-Catho
Of world may have made come supposed u:
led full applications of scientific principles, d
The covered by Catholics, or, at least, by p!
hat sons trained in Catholic schools or une
res Catholic influences; but they have shed
M, every important subject they have han
NV ed, darkness, not light. Their science l!
.ai. sham, their learning is nntrnstwortl
m their histories are tissue Of lies, and th
inc morality, when not cant and hypocrisy.
,te. borrowed from the style of Epicurus. |
use der their influence, society has lost the CT
MI ception of the spiritual order; has lost
by faith in God and providence, abolished
n a law of nations, and sapped the fouudat
the of liberty and authority, rejected the "
the bases of civilization and social progrt
ent resolved right into expedIency, justice j
we force and torn by ceaseless revolutio
,vn and alternating between despotisrn and
This archy, society is once again on the
sxt road to barbarism. They the eulighte
reat portion of mankind, and they superior
oost Intelligence to Catholicsf Bah! Tell
lent to the marines.
the -----l1'
the Mr.. Stall, who has lately conducted a