New-York tribune., 1874-11-30
THECATHOLIC CONTROVERSY

MGR. CAPELjS REPLY TO MR.. GLADSTONE.
PAPAL INPAILIBnITY AND CATHOLIC AILEGfANCE-
THE POPE UNABLE TO ALTER THE DUTY OF AL
LEGIANCE FALIIBIITY OF THE STATE - MR..
GLADsToNEs POsITIoN-sECULAR MATTERS MOI
NECESSARILY sUBJECT TO THE POPE.
Monsgnor Capel has published IN The Lon
don Weekly Register long reply to Mr.. Glad'tones
pamphlet His article would MI about five solid col
umns OF TIE TRIBUNE The most important chapter Is
that on "Cathollc Alegiance," which we reproduce
full only brief disconnected extracts from hav
ing thus far appeared in any American pap'r
But though the efforts OF the right honorable gentle
thus directed against the infaibiliy OF the
Pope yet his ultimate purpose is to bring forward The
charge that any logical carrying out OF this teaching
must render Catholic disoyal In the most nsinuatiEg
manner he invites reconsider eations To the
State and the bearing OF the Vatican decrees on the
duty Of civil allegiance Well-meant as this may be-
there but few OF my Catholic brethren who VIII not
regard insult But let us meet the right honor
able writer on his own ground. The principles neceS
saTy for upholding State obvious enough There
must an active spirit OF obedience 10 the governing
authority-an obedience founded not sudden impulse
but firmly established on principle. Accordingly, tie
has taught obedience to the powers thai
be" for conscience sake. She says that all power
whether civil spiritual emanates Immediately from
God.
It's then not only from Divine precept but also on
grounds Of natural law for the preservation OF ccty
that the Catholic Church has ever iDculcaied subsection
to the civil power But her love OF order is such that
she jealous, not only Of the rights of the STATE and O
her own she also vigorously protects the rights of
the family Toe obedience which she incucaes for the
laws OF God would indeed. be checked IN its develop
ment the mind not habtuated also 10 yield due
respect to the State. But those who either totally
disregard the authority Of the Church, or use the
phrase a mere guse FOR the exercise Of
their private Judgment, being so change
toni
do not perceive the necessary connection that exists
between the subsection of sel-wl to the authority
OF the Church and the sujectioD when the rights
Of State the family in question The relations
Of the Church to the State engaged attention at very
early period, the respect paid to her by emperors
even by some who afterward lapsed into heresy, Is
plainly indicated by passages in the Code of
Jusuian. Toe relations of the Church to the state
been since often determined by compact formal
definition and theological commentary, as TO have pro-
vded almost for contingency that can arise ana
unless Mr. Gladstone show that there are moral do
fects of these rules and pccedents. Lo
is out OF court provided that make 1t clear the Vac
lean DEGREES have not the affected relations
to the State.
THE PRINCIPLE OF AUTHORITY WEAKENED
Besides the spirit OF obedience all lawful authority.
which has been long conspicuous characteristic OK
Catholic teaching, there another principle OF conduct
which taken the guidance OF the Church, and
the DEVELOPMENT OF which strongly tends TO increase
and foster regard authority not only religious, bt
secular In respect TO mutual obligations between man
and man, the Church regards them as soemnly es'a-
shed by natural law, well as by Divine precepi, and
strictly insists fulhllmen Accordingly, while
se breaches without ceasing the duty OF allegiance. she
also nculcates necessity justice AMI charity TO
ones neghbor.
The instrument which the Church adopts for render
ing the Christian oOedeut to authority and respocu"
Just Of God of the state OF the family AM
of the Individual is moral training regard for esaG-
lshed authority only be cultivated by a careful
formation of habits. Aud IL the principle Ot
authority weakened, and the necessary taiuin- IL
rejected, obedience to either Church or state or any
power but that OF passion, becomes Impossible. IHo
days in which live certainly evil for Is that
very principle of authority which has been weakened
among u.s. Tue mutual relations OF master and servant,
OF employers and employed sOrey attenuatcd, ana
the most solemn treaties made by the highest powers
are ruthlessy set aside. Those VINO have rejected
training naturally impatient Of all control
whether occasoned by their own compact or general
social law. aud in the end show that those ~o wished
TO increase allegiance to the Safe, by essennG 1t for
al DIVINE aud ecclesiastical authority, hnd that ihcy
built sand, and that the structure crumbes beiors
the first tempest But the Catholic, trained up
from childhood to look upon every want Oi such
respect and every violation OF such obedience az
a sin naturally conforms with case to duties and re-
auirements that are deemed intoeraJe by those who
to face these causes OF anxiety by striving 10 weaken
still further the principle Of authority for every success
ful attack 1t do equal iujury 10 the spirit of
obedience What, thcn Is the danger OF our time Has
the fear the spread OF what termed Sd
perstton and not rather that rebellion of the VIII
against all teaching aud all authority, excep what pdn'
ders to the popular passion, makes brute force paia'
mount and luxury the aim OF life H. is 10 friend 10
law and order at the present day who would call off
ention the sediOus spirit Nnieh - abroad 10 iie
possibility that at some future tne conflict may dItse
between the clalms OF pIrticulIr religion ana lhe
state. The OF the POpss temporal power anu tIe
detection from their old z,a o, several OF me Cathode
States, show that as regards bis persola I'M enoe.
cannot possibly afford greater cause or aIar now IMAM
mits that the Popes did not resort TO voleucc Uut con-
tented themselves with spiritual censures.
THE POPE UNABLE 10 ALTER TIE DUTY oB
ALLEGIANCE.
As The Dublin Reriev January, 1871 remarked. the
heresies oI sixteenth century were cnarac~rzA by
rebellion OF the will against disc pne While those oi
more recent times aim at oyerthrowiug doctrine an0
authority .Tnree centuries ago" our contemporary
observes "men were revolving against the Law Of
God against austerty OF te against coanses OF per.
against the dominion OF any supernatural an'Aorty
over their spcculati0ps aud iiQ Irl's.' Tnr CJ1a'
Of Justification, pcnanct, virGli,I' hLd tIc i!hr,
while the Vatican Council WAS many cO"cclu'u
with tic foundation OF auhoti,aEo UcIv"ins, WI
general rules of discipline prOmuEacu lo'yn'u "a.
Gladstone cOntounds special c'ses OF n'e' %ieS
alone, be 1t remembered. give hini any trouD1. q!
course infabny eXieuis not only 10 the deposit ~
of tat deposit or words, for the pcIpetuy e
the Church. But the intsDiilty d,es not cxtcnd 10
definition confines eddedrd definitions O faitn 10 tie
original deposit, and Expressly excludes sucn power.
as exs before 1879 1870. We sti under tue
directions of "the old moGeratc scenthc ana Listo.!-
cal" Church.
As every act OF our lives intended by Almighty
God to affect Our eternal coniton' every act has