The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-10-04
Professionalism in Germany.
To the editor Of the Morning Star:


To the Editor Of the Morning Star:
fell in with q small volume the other day
at q book-stand, with the title, Evangelism
in the Middle of the Nineteenth Century
Published in Boston by Charles Adams, which
| attracted my attention, particularly as it was
neat and resh-looking, and offered for ten
cents. paid the two pickels and carried my
bargain home. In turning over it's pages !
have found many damaging admissions which
| tell strongly against Professionalism, but will
| only extract the following under the heading of
Germany-The population of entire Germany
are Roman Catholic-the countries of Austria,
Bavaria, Baden, and several of the smaller
States. being chiefly Pspal. The remaining
States are PrOtestant-the nominal Protestants
of Germany bering about 1S, 000,0 OO
1t is a matter of no small difficulty to pre-
sent anything like an adequate view of the
ligious condition of Protestant Germany; yet
We commence by reminding the reader that the
Protestant churches of this country are divided
into three principal divisions, namely, the Luz
theran, the Reformed or Calvinistic. and the
United-that is, those who unite to some ex-
tent the Lutheran aud Calvinistic confessions
although the last. ow ing to doctrinal diff
culties, is reported as being in declining con-
dition. The want--especislly in the United
Church "-of well-establshed rule of faith,
has been the means of melancholy conse-
guepces to the interests of religion in that
| country. 1t may easily be conceived that the
total absence, or the looseness, of rule of
faith and doctrinal standard, has made way for
the Introduction of the most uubridled and
worst species of infdeli'y and unchristian
dogmas. Hence Rationalisn,, as it is called,
has taken deep and extensive root in the Uni
versities. public schools and pulpts Of Ger
many. This system, it's designation implies
rejecting the authority of Scripture and
taking reason as its guide-deals largely in it's
proposals of effecting the enlightenment of
mankind, spreading liberal opinions, and eman-
cipating the mind from the bonds of snpersti
ton.
Thus in Protestant we'll as Catholic Ger
many, much darkness and fatal error prevail.
In both {of course) there is a sad apostasy
from the true Christian faith, and an enor-
nous amount of infdelity, which is said to BIO
more widely ditfused and more boldly pro-
claimed than in most any other country.
" There is no species of infidelity,-from the
most snbtle rationalism to the grossest athe-
ism,-that is not current in Germany, and
which has not its regular organs of expression,
and it's devoted champions.n
Against this fearful tide of ruin, the Protest
ant churches, in general, present but slender
opposition. A large number of the ministry
are of the rationalistic school, while the
masses of the people are unchristian and in
tidel. In some of the municipalities the Con-
sistories-the bodies that administer Church
ahairs-are themselves rationalists, and give
open support to that system while in others,
those who are at tho head of Church affairs,
permit things to take their own course, and
aiio" otoly 10 aCU as he pieuSeS. IN
Baden, Rhenish Bavaria, and Hessee Darn
stadt, the proportion of sound orthodox to
those that are mer" intidels is said to be only
as one to ten; " ale these nine-tenths are
using the utmost means to propagate their
pernicious tenets by the pulpit and the press,
among the population. The result is o pre-
vailing and constantly increasing irreligous-
ness CT the population.
OF the upper classes generally, it is said that
they are, for the most part, unbelevers, and
never set their foot within place of worship
while their example is powerfully influencing
| the lower ranks of society. Hence in most Of
the large towns and cities, the churches are
deserted and dissoiuteness and wickedness riot
almost without check. The Sabbath is
openly profaned. All trades and business pro-
coed, the shops are open, and if there be any
special Observance of the Sabbath amongst the
great body of the people it is observed as o
day of recreation, of dancing and revelry,
The family altar is thrown down and pro
scribed in almost all Germany, and tho rising
generation, under infdel parents and school
masters, are growing up not into Christ, but
into skepticism, atheism and ungodliness.
Respectfully, DPS
September 29h, 1874.