, 1875-08-20

The Tn1DuaE Of Monday contained tho
following extract from q remarkable letter
addressed by the Pope to n. DuPAN1our,
Bishop Of Paris, complimenting him On tho
passage Of the University bill:
Though II in contrary tn tho eterual laws Of justice
and to hound reason to racs tho true and the fane
tho Ba1ne level, to allow to both tho right
nevertheless, tha fnlquity Of the times has made
right which by s nature bsiougs ony TO truth, At
rihutod to crror that the latter ID allowed tho
power, wrongly labct:l with tho name Of liberty, to
crccp In mud srcad nj liz will a lying theories Of eu-
cation, we acknowledge that your conduct has been
equally wiso aud oprortuns In seSkuR 10 oxtrAct tho
antdoa from the vary poison which civil society has
imbibed aud bears In ia bosom. II the laws allow tho
nrst conner to put forward tho dreams of hIs dia-
tempered mind dogmaA Of scIsnce thers ia cesta!u1y
why truth should not bo accorded the aauns
liberty.
Before commenting upon this very remark
able and very bitter declaration upon Protest
antisn, it ia necessary to state that the Uni
versity bill authorizes tho clergy in Franco to
establish clerical schools and universities FREQ
from tho supervision Of the Government, In
which thoy arc Mt liberty henceforward to
toach what they plcnso,-a privilege which
they have not Ind before aince tho French
Revolution.
Tho Pope commences his letter with tho
assumption that "it Is contrary to the etor-
nal laws of Justice and to sound reason to
place the true and the false on the same
level, to allow to both the same riQhts." But
what Ia the truth and what is the error ?
This must be decided before wo can assume
that It is contrary to Justice aud reason to
place them on the same level. And who Is to
be the judge9 There arc in this world one
hundred million Protcstants who do not
believe in the assumptions Of tho Pope, In
his infallbility, his dogmas, in his preten-
aions that ho holds the keys Of ST.. psren, or
that be can do any more for the spiritual ben-
eft of mankind than other toaohera Of relig-
ion Of equal piety. There are also in the
world two hundred millions OF Catholics,
millions OF whom do not subscribe TO alt tho
Popsfs pretensions, especially in hia tenn
poral assumptions and political demands.
Now, who is to be the Judge between these
two greet portions ct mankind to decide
which Ia right and which il wrong? II the
Pope were, as be claims to be, an infalliblb
interpreter, he would have forbidden error.
and his infRllibility Of judgment would havo
led him to perceive that tho only way Of sup
pressing error was by The enlightenment Of
the ERRONEOUS .nasses, a process which Ia not
now, nnd never has been, the policy Of the
Roman curis. There ia but one in
fal!ible authority, and He Is God,
and God haa left men free to form their own
opinions In matters Of religious belief and
notions. having endowed them with con.
science which points ont what Is right and
what Ia wrong. Cnder this clear authority
Of the teachings Of God, Frotestants claim
that they have the right Of private judgment.
The pope's letter, therefore, starts Of with
the assumption that he only has the right 10
decide between truth aud error that he
alone IL right and all others who differ from
lin are wrong aud That there IL no truth
except the Pops's truth, or tho truth "a the
Pope sees 1t. All else " error.
In tinishiug bis letter, we get glimpse Of
error ~ ths Pope views 1t. "1f ths laws
'auow the first conner 10 put forward the
dresma Of h!s distempessd mind NJ do9tuas
Of science [that IL, Protsstansism). there IL
certainly no reason why truth Qhat IL.
Cathoieism) should not 10 accorded
the sams liberty. That IL fair enough
In its general statement. and Il Ia
rals whiah Aas tss working In ILLS aoun.