The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-01-11
The Archbishop Of Posen.

"u' you no 10 blsnop and In strict
Fellowship with Rome. As such he is, as
it were, apart of that rock upon which the
Church Of Christ ia built. As long as he
maintains his attachment to it he partakes
OF its strength, and the Empire of Germany
Will beat itself to pieces on that rock be-
fore it will move him from his position.
Prussia has gone mad, or rather Won
Bismarck has. He is elated beyond the
| bounds Of common sense by q victory over
France, which the revelations of time show
to have been the result of superior pre-
paration and q wonderful succession of
good fortune. The astonishing deficiency
OF preparation on the part of France, the
| blindness OF Napoleon in counting on aid
from Italy and Austria, his incompetency
| In the field as commander-in-c chief, the
want Of cordial CO operation among French
Generals, the vacillating policy of Bazaine
| on succeeding to the chief command, his
criminal selRshness and ambition, his pre-
cipitancy in surrendering Metz, the internal
animssities and contentious of the French
people, the laundering and jealousies
that prevailed everywhere-all seemed as
| though pre- ordained of God tn scourge tho
| nation for it's vice and unfaithfulness. The
most splendid fighting availed not against
destiny.
But Bismarck saw nothing of destiny in
it-nothing but Bismarck. He did not REQ
| ognize the hand of God, but attributed
everything to his own skill. Blinded by
his wickedness and his success, he thought
to rule in everything and to prevail over
every opposition. The Catholic Church
stood in his way; it must be conquered,
like France. It claimed supremacy in
spiritual matters and Bismarck could no
longer brook supremacy in another in any
respect Catholic Germans had been faith
| full to him against Catholic France; they
had been his best soldiers now that the
danger was ever he awoke to the conscious
ness of their being unreliable subj ects, and,
forgetting all their services, turned upon
them in war of bitterest fury.
The Archbishop of Posen is one of the
towers of strength that stand in his way,
and now the battle concentrates it's inten-
sity around him. The Oberprasident of
that province has been instructed to de-
mand his voluntary surrender of the
archiepiscopacy under threat of deposition.
The Archbishop's noble response will be
| found by our readers in the STAR of to- day.
He says among other things:
THAT episcopal charge of mine. together
with all the duties and rights pertaining to it,
earth. In virtue of that power which was
given to me by God Himself do govern that
portion of the Holy Church which was COM
United to my charge by the Holy Father"
Here is the very essence of the issue
between himself and Bismarck. He claims
to hold certain powers directly from God,
through the Head of the church. In virtue
of that power he governs, and both his
power and his government are totally in
dependent of man and of mans civil govern
ment. This independence is just what
gals the insolent pride of the Emperor's
master. There shall be nobody indepen-
dent of him in Germany. The government |
of the Church of Christ must be under the |
control Of an infdel enemy of Christ. This
thing of an empire within an empire, of a |
spiritual kingdom totally independent of
the temporal power, is not to be tolerated |
any longer.
So argues Mr.. Bismarck and SO has felt
the temporal power in all ages. 1t is impa-
tient of any rival even in spiritual matters.
This is the essence of the quarrel which the
powers of the world always make with the
Church. They do not willingly recognize
the liberty of conscience-that is liberty
to follow Gods law Independently of them.
This organization of a spiritual kingdom is
for them rival. Hence all their pretense Of
alarm, their feigned anxiety lest the Church
shuld usurp temporal dominion and nurse
treason against the government.
The history of nineteen centuries teaches
with unerring voice that this is false, that
The Church has never been a traitor or a
rival in any government, Christian or Pa
an,-under any form of constitution,
Monarchical or Republican. 1t shows that
The Church is not only an unhinching sup
porter of that decree which says Give
into God the things that are God's," but