The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-12
THE coMBAfs OF The CHURCH"
Lecture by the Right Rev. Bishop Gross,
of savannah, Ga.

Lecture by the Right Rev. Bishop Gross,
OF savannah, Ga.
The Right Rev. Bishop Gross, OF savannah, Ca,
lertured last evening in the large hall OF the
Cooper Institute. He took for his subject "Ihe
Combats OF the Church." and gave vivid
and highly interesting description OF the
struggles OF the Roman Catholic Church
from its inception to the present time.
He said :-"What more obscure than the
beginning OF the Church little COLONY In Cali.
lee, twelve poor. ignorant men, who then com.
menced to teach tue religion OF their Master,
Jesus Christ, to the nations OF the world. Rome
was made the head and centre OF this Christian
religion, and after space Of 1900 years
it is still the head and centre, and
all the powers or the earth have not
been able to prevail against the visible head Of the
Church. Christ's vicar on earth. The mightiest
empires and nations have passed away, and still
the church remains During these centuries and
ages that have passed the R,man Catholic Church
borne Of the overweenlng ambition OF Cod,
deiyng princes or the depraved instincts OF igno.
GoiSs the Huns, the vandals, came ike tide
sweeping all before them and carrying devastation
and destruction IN their path, the Popes of Rome
and their armies OF monks were the first to stem
the tide
and bid them pause Benedict with his army OF
monks civilized these barbarlans, and schoastica,
with her gentle sisters, taught her own sex purity
ana rCDaSLlty. me vctOrY OF the Cnufcn over
Paganism was not as complete as the victory
over these wild men. They became her best
and most d0ciie children and lent their strong
arms in her defence And she needed them; for
when the mutIering OF another storm was heard
IN the East, when Mohammedanism, with It's bes-
tial doctrines, had Overrun Asia and when the
Turk was laundering at the gates OF Vienna, the
Popes OF Rome raised the armies that fought the
fight OF the eros against the crescent. 1t was the
Richard CGur ue Lion, Godfrey Boulllon. and the
thousands OF warriors VINO assembled under their
standards, to beard the Saracen in his den. II
Europe has been spared the infection oil MOham-
mechanism 1t may thank the Popes Of Rome.
After the Turk came the outburst OF the Refor
nation. then the reign OF lnhdelity and I'M
morality-the French Revolution. Through all
these storms the bark OF Peter rode triumphant
over the waves, and the Roman Catholic Church,
THE CHURCH OF CHURCHES
still Out!ast3 the worst efforts OF her worst enc
mics. That mighty power commands to-day the
attention Of the world. And now men drunk with
victory raise their swords against her. Prince
ing the Church. She glrds on her armor
for the fight, for her strength was always
a match for any power that might be brought
against her. Bismarck said there was only one
man in Europe who could disturb his peace, and
that man was Pope Plus TX. He alone IL Europe
dare DEFY the will OF Prince Bismarck. Bismarck
wishes to make the Church OF Rome sub
and King William viii pass away, and
stll the noble old Church viii remain. and no
power on earth will ever make her bend the
knee. The right reverend Bishop then closed
with an elegant peroration, in which he re-
viewed the principal points OF his lecture. and
called his audience never to fear for the safety
Of the old church, as God Himself had promised