The New York herald., 1874-12-22
GLADSTONE ANSWERED.


LECTURE BY REV. DR. M'oLYNN ON THE
OFFICE OF THE PApAL SUCCESSION.
The drst OF series of lectures, under the aus
pces OF the Catholic Union OF New YORK. was de-
livered last night in the large ball OF the Cooper
Union oy the Rev. DR.. McGlynn. The subject OF
the lecture-"The once OF Peter; It's Extent and
Ltmitations'-gave the Doctor an admirable op-
portunlty to defend the Church against the attacks
OF Mr.. Gladstone. The lecturer was introduced
by Mr.. Morse, Jr, the secretary OF the Catholic
Union, in o lew appropriate remarks When DR..
McGlynn came forward he was received with
great applause by the vast audience, which flied
every seat in the hall On the platform were the
Rev. Fathers Curran, DR.. Borrsell, Malone, OF
Williamsburg; McGovern, OF Bergen Point, n. j.,
and the Councillors OF the Union. The lecture,
which was one OF the Doctors happiest aud most
eloquent efforts, was listened to with wrapt at
tention. The following is o synopsis OF what he
said:-
That all men are born free and equal is pro-
claimed as self-evident proposition In our
GLORIOUS" Declaration OF independence. The
only sense in which this boasted proposition can
be true IS one based upon natural religion and
confirmed by the teachings OF revealed truth. If
there Is no God, or, again, If we can have no
knowledge OF God, then 1t is but mocKery to talk
OF the sef-evident equality OF men. 1t would then
be strictly true that might is right, and the only
meaning that would remain to the word "duty'
would be Submission TO power that we dare not
disobey. The very idea Of right is but correlative
with that OF duty, and the duty implies the exist
ence OF a superior power having right to our
allegiance.
There can be no equal rights without the father
hood OF God. and men who deny 1t put themselves
out Of court at the very outset. And If they are
respect any socalied authority long as 1t suits
their pleasure caprice or profit to do so.
conscience @ Is the great ancn9r oI an autnorlty
indeed 1t has often done. invade The sanctuary OF
conscience; and the apologsts for such sacrlege
virtually assert that the State is the sum OF all
virtues; that the State can do no wrong, and that
no man can have any rights as compared with the
State; that the State is supreme in all things;
that the State Is God, and the ruler of the state
the diuus Inperator uhe divine Emperor).
is simply the norrd monster Of
slavish mass OF those "whose God Is their belly
and their end is perdltion.". Such. IN fact. has
been the gain OF the patriotic Germans in their
aspirations for Tree and united fatherland.
Prince Bismarck has told them, in tones OF bitter
contempt, that the subjective conscience has ne
rights 10 the face OF the objective law.
II is particularly saddenng TO and Christian
M 20 se h pr
slmpv ashesticp ar GLADSTONE cannos surely
deny the night Of Catholic to obey the dictate OF
conscience. right we feel sure Mr.. Gladstone
would exercise Ia case the state ordered HIM to
between Mr.. Gladstonc's action and Catholics
IN such contingency, would be that he had
formed MS conscience on his own private judg;
aDiltles as he may be able to command, has the
Immense benefit OF the light shed upon conscience
by the Christian religion as Christ himself Chuse
to establish 1t. in living, perpetual body, with
well defined constitution and lvinE, speaking
a19ory teaching all things whatsoever He
Catholics in England. and II similar questions
should arise here. Catholics in this country might,
with perfect propriety, refuse to discuss with Mr..
Gla istone or any similar o9jectur the force or
possible or PROBABLE bearing upon civil allegiance
to the Vatican DEGREES. They might well resent
such challenge as an impertinence. and assert
tnat they are no more called upon to
seli or any man who believes in GOD. We
may consider 1t fortunate that Mr.. Gladstone,
81 snbe Hom s0c No
troversy the Church has nothing to lear. The
truth OF the dogma defined at the Vatican Coun-
Gil, like the 0ednitiOns Of every general council.
IRON the first at Nice 10 the last at Rome, Is
founded on the evidence OF the Word OF God,
the testimony OF the fathers and the general voice
OF CnristendOm.
Christ built Church. founded kingdom, formed
iold, ana constituted Peter (the rockJ the founda.
tion OF the Church, the ruler OF the kingdom, with
power to bind and loose, made him the master
and teacher OF the household and shepherd Of
the nock. AS the successor OF Peter the Pope pos
sesses all his prerogaLlves, and the Council OF the
posed Tor the explicit belief OF the faithful what
had always been implicitly believed as a doctrine
contained in 1.-The deposit OF tue faith"
Tne procession OF iaith IN tins dogma made
by the Iathera OF the Council OF Florence In the
fifteenth century is couched IN the following SOL
that is the Roman Pontl1-has the right ol prl-
macy oyer all the cnurcnes OF the world; ;
the na tSe the Of st.
the head OF the whole Church. the iather and
teacher OF all the faithful; that IN the person OF
ST. Peter, he was entrusted by our Lord with iu
power to iced, direct and govern the whole flock
OF Christ" Such is maniiestiy the doctrine taught
by the acts OF general councils, as well as by the
sacred canons.
That The exercise OF this power can never clash
with the natural or the divine law is evident from
the TACT that they emanate from the same source
Go0-and truth can never contradict itself. The
words o the Vatican Council plainly tell the extent
oil the prerogatve Of lniallbllty. The Pope Is the
guardian anu interpreter 'the ceposit OF the
faith-that IS TO say, Oi the truths Christ taught
and 1t Is the prer0gative and duty oi the Pope to
declare whether doctrine or iaiih or morals be
among the truths taught by Christ.
Ihis power OF the Pope Is hemmed in by numer-
claim anything as OF ai.h which could jar with
the natural law or revealed religion or contra
be no danger that the Church Will invaue the
realm OF civil allegiance; she has never done So
conc ae been int the
gressor. In the Middle Ages the Pope was the
great arbiter Of nations. They submitted their
disputes to him, and as the recognized head Of
Chrlstendom he gave Judgment, which was cheer
fully submitted to except by tyrants. AS a
or puolish ncresy; but addressing .rne universal
Churcn." er cotbed,n he is gifted with inlaubiity
In matters OF faith and morals.
Mr.. Gladstone's expostulation Is likelv to pro-
woke mucn bitter Ieeling aud perhaps persecu-
ton, but may the day De far distant when a con-
nict between the state and the Church VIII rage
In England. here. IN our favored land, there can
be no danger OF such a STRIFE. as long as we re-
main ialthfui TO the principles OF the fathers OF
the Republic. IL was on this account that two
popes declared that the Church was lIeer In tho
United states tnan In any European country.
May tnat freedom be perpetual and our country
shall have the blessing OF Christ, the Shepherd
ana King.
FRIGHTFUL RAILROAD ACCIDENT.