The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-01-16

the cost. Our correspondent presents
three alternatives, which may, practical
w. be reduced TO two. Either the Pope
will Weld, which is now inconceiyable.
or he will issue an interdict. or he VIII
allow the new order 10 work out its
natural effect. The result OF the last
two courses would he the same the ul-
Innate paralysis Of the existing Roman
Catholic organizations But what is 10
take it, place! 4. il supposed that the
Roman Catholic masses will consent toI
live without the usual officers of rellg-
ion? We could not venture in these
DAYS TO answer even that question with
out reservation: but il is difficult 10
suppose that in an uneducatcd popua-
tion accustomed 10 depend absolutely
upon their priests and bishops. pro-
longed abeyance OF religious offices viii
Je patiently endnred There is only
one escape from such position. and
That j. the suhstiiution of "a national FOR
"a Roman clergy. and i would seem that
this solution OF the difficulty Is really
by the Government. a ma
tiOnai Catholic Churca has, indeed. set
on foot by the Old Catholics. and il al
ready possesses the nucleus OF complete
ORGANIZATION. DR.. Eeinkens. against
the Pope pours out all his wrath
IN the recent Ency clical. is fully rccog-
nized rs Bishop by the Governments of
Prussia. Baden and Iicssc Darm-iadi. In
the budget Tor i574 4ihc Prussian Govern
ment hats assigned a sum Of more than
C.. POO a. his salary, aud he will also he
.ndoWed by the Grand Duchy of Baden.
1 Il
lions that the Prussiln Government, if
not those OF the other German States,
look TO the Old Catholics 10 step into
the gap left by tho removal OF the Ro-
man Catholic clergy. Speaking Of
BISHOP REINKENs.
q. Our correspondent SAYS "should the
Vatican prccipiiafe a complete and ire
parable rupture. wa may yet see this
reyered gentleman play an important
part in the naturalization of the Ko-
-lmanist Establishment in this country"
We advance no pleas for the Vatican.
but it seems TO lis that at the present
moment ii is the Prussian administra-
'tion which is 'precipiiating" a complete
and irreparabie rupture. and We can
only conceive its doing so on the suppo-
-',iiion that the Roman Catholic popula-
lltion in general will acquiesce in the
administration OF a clergy not in commun-
lion with tie Pope. Ia short. Prince
? Bismarck appears 10 contemplate moth
ling less than the sudden creation OF a
reformed Catholic Church. and to con-
flsider 1T possible 10 carry out precisely
the same operation ~ was accomplish
ed by Henry VIII and Elizabeth in this
fcountry. We have said. from the first.
)lthat if the tmind of the people is pre-
spared for such a thorough revolution,
els policy would be fully justified; but
lthe attempt will be watched with the
,greatest anxicH The Civil Marriage
Bill, i'm portant a. it is. appears almost
like an episode in this great contest. Ii
Us essential indeed TO the policy OF the
government; for after all. people must
marry whether they are infallibilisls or
vnot and the first duty OF n government
ys 10 see that such necessary functions
-of human life are conducted without
''hindcrance. If the clergy are to be sus-
-pcnGed Wholesale. il becomes al once
necessary TO provide some means Of dis
charging the civil offices which have
thereloiore been inilusied to them. The
e.uiil goes to the length OF making civil
I t.marrIagcs compulsory. OF course the
religious ceremony may still be obscrv-
we'd: out the legal validity OF the union
Nlwil depend upon the Observance oi
-IciyiI conditions, the clergy are for tie
70 be capable OF acting a. civil
nlfunctlonarles for the purposes OF th,
s-blil. but our Topographic intelligence
,-this morning informs us that bv an
carried yesterday. this per.
Omission is restricted to the next tire,
,flyesrs, and the limitation is character
e. listic illustration Of the .pili, hfch now
o',nimates the Lower House. such
X law, however, may act ~ powerful
D. solvent. When the people flnd that il
Z Az tie necessary functions Of ordinar,
4-nie they arc
d. INDErENDsNT OF THE PRIESTS,
E They will probably view .au interdici
!. or a state of things approaching 10 il
with greater equauinity than did tlei
ancestors i'm the Middle Ages. Surpos
i"ing indeed, the designs of the govern
III ment to b. successfully carried out tina
The people acquiesce ia the expulsion
of the old clergy, and that ordinary M
without disturbance iher
,ia remains "A danger which The Prussia
al lGovernment must have taken into A,
H. count. The effect Of these measures wi
be to disestablish The Roma
de Catholic hierarchy. But what if the
,wconiinuc to assert their spiritual al
hethority as disestAblished clergy? Tls
on nindeed, is precisely position now eS
w isting in this country. The Angelica
hold the place of Bisho
Nh ll.nkens and his future colleaVnes 49,