New-York tribune., 1875-03-09
THE LAST PAPAL ENCYCLICAL. l..

THE PRUsSIAN ECCLESIASTICAL LAWS DECLARED
NULL AND voID-No WRONG TO ROYAL AUTHOR
ITY INTENDED.
The NelC- York TABLET, in its next issue, Will
publish translation Of the last Encyclical Letter OF the
Pope TO the Archbshops and Bishops OF Prussia, dated
Feb 1876 The following extracts are taken from ad
vance sheets OF this translation
That which We could never have supposed toibe pos
sible when call TO mind the stlpuiatlons entered
into between tins Apostolic sec and the russian GOV
ernmen the 2st OF the present century TOT inc
welfare and security OF the Catholic cause has Actually
come to pass in the most lamenabie manner IN your
which the Church OF God enjoyed among you mas
succeeded severe and unexpected storm. 10 @ tno
laws recently enacted against the right-laws
which have already struck so many OF ner
faithful and conscientious servants not only among te
clergy, but amoug the people alsO-have been added
other laws which completely overthrow the divine con
of the bishops For these laws ascrbe TO lay judges
the power of depriyng the bishops and other eccesas
teal dieuares OF their dignity and OF their episcopal
But we are unable to keep silence on the affections
Paderborn. Our venerable brethren Miclsas, Arch
bishop of Posen and Gnesen, and Conrad, Bishop oi
Paderborn, after having been thrown into prison and
arragned before the lay courts OF law, have moreover
with the utmost injustice, been depOSed fr0m their
episcopal and deprived OF tner jlrsdcti1n More
over their oceses robbed of the molly direc-
ton OF excellent pastors, and are plunged into an
abyss Of misery and calamites. iTuIy we VINO I IeGa
the words OF Lord, instead OF blaming mst Iather
| praise those venerable brethren whom we nave Jus,
named: Happy indeed shall yOu be when men shali
hate you. when they snail cast you out speaa lnu-
OuSy OF YOU and east out your name as evll Tor the
sake OF the son OF Man" D Luxe, W. y: biesseu @
shall you be when shall hate and when theY
snail separate yOu and snail reproach yon ana cast
out your name as evil for one son OF Mins sdKe. -
In iulhllment of the duties OF this Apostolic See We
declare publicly by this present Eucycica TO al those
whom Il may eoncerD as wei rs 10 INC nc whoo % Na.1Ev ,
world that these laws are null ana V0ld because ney
are entirely contrary to the divine constitution OF tne
Church For il TO the great ones OF the earth
that the Lord has subjected the bishops OF HIS Church
wbom He has intrusted His lambs and His sheep (S
John xxi, 16 ~. 1t is for this reason that no
has the right to deprive of their episcopal dig
plty those who have been nominated Dy lhe HOy
melancholy posture of affairs yet be added the fol
lowing fact unworthy of noble nation, and which we
may believe, will be criticised severely, even by men
who are not Catholics, but merely Impartial. Ilese
laws excessively severe, and threaten WIN & the
heaviest penalties those who do not obey them they
are oreamed and place peaeea0le and inoienslVe ct
in the unfortunate position OF men oppressed py
because their conscience requires opposition 10 'hese
laws. One would say they were made not ior iree & c
Zeus of whom only reasonable 0JedehCc mas tho rsht
TO exacted but for slaves who are maze 10 Ooey py
After what we have just said believe not that they
are to be excused whO through fear obey men rather
than God but above all will those sacrleSious men Dc
criminal who to take possession OF the churches
and exercise the ministry, depending wholly on the
protection OF the secular arm These VIII not escape
| the Justice OF God. On The contrary. we pronounce
that all these sacrllegiOus men, and all those who iu
future shall commit lhe eime by qsprploS an ecoe
visited in fact and of right with the greater excOmmu
a. the Holy Sacrifice celebrated by these men, to
receive the sacraments at their hands; also to avoid
their society ana conversation in order that tue bad
| leven may spoil the good dough.
| Would that those who are your enemies Knew that
YOU do no wrong to the royal authority and that you
prejudice it in degree when you refuse to give TO
Cesar that which belongs 20 God God is to be oOeyed
rather than Let tnem know at the same time that
every OF you is ready TO pay his tribute to Cesar
and to obey him in all that belongs 10 the civil power
not through force, but ut the dictates OF your con
science Have courage, then and continue as YOU nave
done, to fulfill the Two duties, aud TO obey the divine
laws your merit will be great because You viii have
| patience and will not be weary OF suffering Tor the
| name OF Jesus Christ.