The Portland daily press., 1874-12-30
ESiauarck and the Church,

CITY Hall was about two-thirls filled last
evening to listen to a lecture by DIR. Rogers OF
New York. under the auspices OF the Catholic
Union. The subject of the lecture was as has
been announced Bismarck and the Church. "
The lecturer is fine looking gentleman, and
handles his subject in way to show that he is
perfectly familiar with it, He is fine speak
er and the lecture was listened to closely
throughout by the audience.
In opening he remarked that he hoped he
world at least make the lecture instructive, as
well to Catholics as to the many generous Prot
estants who had honored him with their pes
ence. He begged to avoid mere abstract spec
ulation on European politics, and to connect
the subject with certain issues in the United
States-to show the dangers to which we are
exposed in this country. and to demonstrate
from historic precedentS, that as all states, from
the Roman Empire down to the German EN-
pire, have prosecuted the Church and conhs
Gated her property; so in America, also, the
day of trial must come-that, indeed, judging
from the signs of the times, the day might not
be far dist anti for, said the speaker, the analo-
giles between Prussia and Germany on one
hand, and the United States on the other, are
strikingly singular; that in the United States
there is a confederation of many separate states
under the supreme control of federal power.
That the Potomac and the Main were slngu-
larly analogous for the northern states OF Ger
many saXeny the two Mesokmn6efgs' Alden alden
wick, Anhalt, Waldeck. Schwartzburg-Son-
derhausep, Schaumburg-Lippe, etc., in their
relations to the southern states, Wurtemburg,
Baden, ,Hesse-Darmstadt and L Ls;ht3nstein we've
strikingly analogous to the North and South.
That the Church bill of Prussia, and the Civil
Rights bill of the United States demonstrated
alike the power of the federal government, and
that there was nothing left either in the Con-
sttution of Prussia or of the United States,
strong enough to resist encroachment, whenev-
er the Church should throw itself in the path
of either government. Throw herself in the
path of either government" politician might
exclaim: land pray why should the Catholic
Church ever oppose the CIVIL government-since
all other churches submit" The Catholic
Church, continued the speaker teaches her
children to respect and obey the laws of the
land so long as they do not infringe upon and
break the commandments OF God-of which
infraction she is the only judge on earth! Other
societies generally submit for the simple reason
that they believe the state as competent to
Judge as themselves That legislators having
the same bible are as competent as other lndl-
viduals to interpret its meaning; and that with
this theory nothing could be more preposterous
than for an individual religonst or his church
to set up in Christian country his Judgment
against the DEGREES of body equally Christian
and equally competent to judge as themselves.
True, they might differ with the Legislature or
PaflldmenC, UuG 50 tuey ulu Auduy laws
enacted, yet submitted quietly, as good citizens
should d,-subjecting their private Judgment to
the state!
But the Catholic Church, on the other hand,
stood out with the doctrine that she should in
terpret the bible for her children. In the dig
mty and yet awful humility of her Divine Lord,
she believes in her heart of hearts. (Which is
the sacred heart of Jesus), that this response
bility is placed upon her, and that the Holy
Ghost enlightens her in proportion to this re-
spOnsibilty. This is our answer to the ques
ton; but since the subject is one of great deli
cacy at this time, we must guard this answer
against all misapprehensOn; and protest that
in matters purely civil in their nature, not op.
posing Gods law, the true Catholic is. OF all
men the most obedient and patriotic of citi.
zens. But when the State encroaches upon
Gods law, by presuming to appoint bishops
and priests to their respective administrations,
rejecting those appointed by the Church-.when
the state proclaims itself the teacher of our
several States to be taught in pagan schools
in these and all like cases the Church arrays
herself for martyrdom, and throws herself in
the path of the State, denoupcing her inIquity
and bearing only the Cross, defes the powers of
earth and hell For this, bishops and priests
earnest Protestents, taking, in very few iso-
lated instances, the illogical position against
the State, to which we have just referred, are
also imprisoned in Germany
Let us learn, then, from the PrussianS, a SOL
emn lesson tonight; and in order to do this
let us weigh we'll the several laws which have
been enacted TO destroy the Church. The
speaker then made summary of the Falk
laws, analyzng them and showing that they
were framed for the destruction of CathOlicity
in Germany. He then proceeded to the career
of Bismarck, and unfolded the fascinating di-
plomacy Of the wonderful statesman. His
treaty with Russia in 1849; with Victor Eman-
stein affair; the complications with Austria
and France to the battles of Sadowa and Sedan.
He then draw glowing picture of the church
now prosecuted throughout the world; predict
ed her ultimate triumph.
This brief synopsis may give some faint idea
of the argument, but the doctor must be heard
to be appreciated,