New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-01


law st. Ambrose teaches that where Peter is there
IL tho Church." IN order that the limits OF her
MON might forever defined. Noone will dispute that
lie had right 10 do AZ He alone could found the
Church. so lie alone could devise the OF presery
ing her The gift of doctrina infallibty not per
sOnal hut official; not for day. but for all time; ana
without II the Church would have been ouly rope OF
sand II the deposit OF the faith has been preserved
from the faint of aud the fluctuations OF human
opinion it il precisely because the judgments Of the
Roman PontG nave been 10 all ages rrefornabe. VINO
was enough God to dispute them Neither man
nor angel had authority TO do Even the Most High
could not contradict His Vicar without c0ntradctlng
Hmse for how should he feed the flock who could not
keep from poisoned pastures confirm others in
truth who himself subject TO err0ri Yet 1t was his
appointed office 10 do both. But where God gives
mission He gives the power 20 discharge It, And the
immunity from error conferred upon Peter and his
given for their sake but for ours The
Pope is infable" ilustrious bishop said in
memorable words, but it is in order that zoe may be
nfaibc. II he has the gift not TO deceive, it is because
ire have the right not to he deceived" That right ia the
browning gift Of God to His elect 1t Is secured to them
chiefly by that nerraucy OF the Roman Pon'if against
which the world imprudently revolts He might con-
ceivaby have secured it by some other means, but lie
chose this II others prefer the fatal privilege OF doubt
ours is the glorious prerOgative of certainty That
the brthrght of the household OF faith. And ia the
has been permitted 10 recover
But it ia purchased Mr. Gladstone tells with the
loss OF "mental and moral freedom" He might ad-
dress the reproach If he consistent to every
command and precept Of God They all limit our free
DOM and 1t by doing 80. The Church only does
what He does When she replies to an implous Djunc
ton OF Cesar st. John did to Herod-It not lawful
to do this thingshe does what God appointed her TO
do And in doing it she is, like Him. the supreme guar
dian OF human liberty Sac has been, and never
will be, anything else. The world Is ungrateful
There can be question" says the English historian
Of Rationalism. "that the Papal Government was on
the whole favorable to liberty" He perceives that
there is no longer any central reguatlye power in
Europe that many of its provinces are now doomed to
oscate mscrably between anarchic revolution and
military despotsm, and he exclaimS "The Papal Gov
eminent has had rival and can have no successor
All that Caesar has gained by the dethronement OF
Chrsts Vicar the world has lost II has only Exchanged
gentle ruler for selfish and cruel one. The Church,
MI. observes, was the democratic princ-
pie in Europe" aud "lved by the love OF the people"
They knew who was their friend. In the Middle Ages
the Church defended them all costs against unjust
kings aud turbulent nObes she has TO defend them now
against the concentrated despocsm Of the State 1t
they Will not be defended, she cannot help it; but the
loss will be theirs. Tho aDeS contemporary advocate OF
the gross supremacy Of tho State has lately
admitted that the people seem likely to dis
cover their mistake. "The form OF despotism which
is most in favor al present." says The Pan Mall Gate
els the despotsm OF highly centralized State. Commu-
mites surrender their ir cJ0m IN return for unity and
strength. By and by these very same people
begin to feel oppressed by their own creation.
Under changed names and new conditions the Church
will once more appear the side OF the weak against
the strong OF the poor against the rich, OF individual
liberty against tyrannical system These are strong
titles to democratic support" Could the adversary OF
all spiritual authority confess more undesGnedly that
the pretended anagonism OF the Church to human hb
erty is an impulent fctOni What arc such pretenses
of cynical and triumphant despos but the spurious
coin with which rogues swinde foOlsl IL Ia Prussia
where nothing remains but the barrack and the jail,
that they affect resent the "cuCrOachments" OF the
Church; and the Prussian Government" as The
Standard justly remarks lis one OF the most perfect
and finely organized despotisms the world has ever
seem" That ia all which It's dupes have gained by
chanting the old chorus Of the Jews "wehave no king
hut Cesar" And 1t is all they ever likely TO gain
But there are men, Of the purest spirits of our
age has said, who would rather be ensaved by the
State than their emancipation to the Church"
1t is quite open to them to <ike tEeir choice II they
Object to Divine authority they Will fall under the yoke
OF q human That is the alternative Already, in
many countries, the Comte de Champaign wituly OBJ
serves live by federation. Thanks to the merciful
and indulgent liberation OF the civil government we
permitted ntl receive orders to the contrary
TO be born, to have home family, TO bring up our
children, to have Cod, TO have religion Ohly one
event there in human life which the government
has no authority We die without requiring its permits
sion but we cannot be buried without it," lies AntO-
nins, H. D. 1917 Such is the doom OF those whOde
cline the protection of the Church and are content
that Caesar should he pOntif as well king. He takes
them at their word. Yet, in spite Of the lessons OF
history The Times told the other day that in questions
OF the SOUL man should acknowledge "nO authority"
That ls the last word OF unUehef. But IL is only
plagiarism from the philosophy Of demons. Millions
Satan frank when he said, better to reign
in hell than serve heaven" But it NAV be doubted
whether he would accept the words which the poet
puts into his mouth He knows by this time what roign
ing in hell lie would be Glad enough to Serre
now II he might. But it too late. Why should
whom God invites TO freedom court the bondage which
their great enemy finds so btterl Win they never I'M
derstand spite OF Mr. GadstOne's blazing rhetoric"
that the Church alone, which gave freedom 10 their
fathers the ages which gone, can secure II to
their descendants In those which are to comet
I. W. NJ MARSHALL, Ii. d.
London, December, 1874.
THE BRITISH PRESS ON DIR. NEWMAN'S