The New York herald., 1874-11-29
PAPAL INFALLIBILITY.
The Bishop eH Richmond ON the Glad
stone-Manning Controversy.

The Bishop 81 Richmond ON the Glad
stOns-MAnntng Controversy.
sT. PATKIcx's CAraKDRAL,(
RICHMOND, Va, Nov. rs. 1874
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
You ask me what my views are on tho Glad
stOne-Msnntng controversy, and though tins sub
ject has been ably discussed by the Archbishop Of
Baltimore l cannot refuse to comply with your
courteous communication in the very few mo-
ments at my disposal.
attended each and al the sessions at the Ecu
menical Council in Rome bearing on the question
OF Papal infalhbthty. To the best OF my recoilec-
tton there were twenty 1--WE sessions devoted to
the infalnbllity subject at which l25 prelates
spoke. besides 100 other bishops who declined to
speak IN public, but handed in rheir written
observations.
While some OF the speakers were opposed to the
definition as being, In their estimation, mex
pedient or unnecessary. not one OF the bishops re-
sisted the definition on the ground that 1t would
In the sghtess degree alter the relations existing
between the temporal and spiritual power.
Whatever Mr.. Gladstone may say to the con-
trary. the very wording OF the definition strictly
confines the Papal prerogatve to faith and morals.
The Pope does not WELD In 1874 one Jot more
power shan he did In 1774 ana In 10A In every
age OF the Church he cas exercised the preroga-
tive or tnfalltblity Pope Innocent exercised 1t
In the NTH century IN cOndemninR the Pelagia2
heresy, and so aid Gregory xI In the fourteenth
century, and Innocent x. in the seventeenth and
the present Pontin in 1854, when he defined the
dogma Of the immaculate Conception.
Hence the Council OF the Vatican, in promul-
eating In 1870 the Popes infallibiity. did not cre
ate new doctrine, but confirmed an old one. In
proclaiming this dogma the Council gives the
sanction Of law to principle always existing a.
. matter OF fact.
may illustrate this by referring to our Supreme
Court at Washington. When It decides constt-
tutional question, its decision, though emb0dying
new form OF words, cannot be called new doc
trne, because the judgment Is based on the letter
and spirit OF the constitution. So when the Church
Issues new dogma Of faith, that decree is nothing
more than new form OF expressing an old doc
trine, because the decision must be drawn rom
the revealed WORD Of God, and based upon the
constant tradition OF the Church.
The course pursued by the Church regarding
Papal infallibty was practised by her 1900 years
ago in reference to the divinity OF Jesus Christ
Our Saviour was acknowledged to be Cod from
the beginning OF the Church. Yet Hts divinity
was not formally defined till the Council OF Nice
In the fourth century; and 1t would not have
been defined then had It not been denied BY
Arius. Nor would sne have defined the infallbility
OF Peters successor IN 1870 II that truth had not
been called In question BY modern Gaiicans
As the Council OF Nice added nothing to the
power OF CHRIST, neither did the Council Of the
Vatican add any thing 70 the prerogstves Of the
Pope.
AZ to whether religious and civil liberty will
suffer any detriment from the Catholic Church, we
can appeal with confidence to the past, especially
to the history OF our own country.
1 The same spirit still animates and always will
mt 70 tho Hoth %nokA Aipto taA tpn
memorable decree which was passed BY the
General Assembly OF Catholics (Maryland) In
1e4o:-eNo person whatsoever within this province
processing to believe In Jesus Christ, shall from
hencefortn be anyways troubled or molested Tor
hts or her religion or IN the free exercise thereof
or any way compelled to the belief or exercise OF
any other religion against his or her consent.n
They love a cause best who suffer for it most.
We have suffered too much in the sacred cause
Of liberty to raise hands against 1t. 1t is for
the principle OF religious liberty that the Bishop Of
Geneva Is in exile and the Bishops OF Germany are
languishtng In prison.
1t is very singular that while Mr.. Gladstone has
not word to say in conde mnation OF the actual
tyranny OF Bismarck, he ls trembling at the I'M
aginary tyranny OF the Pope. 1t is equally strange
that the ex.Premier did not discover the fatal
tendency Of the Vatican decree lour years after
1t was framed, and not until after his Ministerial
defeat and had he remained In once the world
would never have seen his famous pamphlets.
Faithfully, your obedient servant
JAMES GIBBONS,
Carolina