The New York herald., 1875-11-10
THE CHURCH CONGRESS.

/
THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL cHURcH-ULrRA-
MoNTANIsM AND TILE PUBLIC SCHOOL CUES
TIoN DISCUSSED.
| PHILADELPHIA, Nov O. 1875
The great event Of the day been the reasscmbng
In its second annual session. ofthe Church congress oi
the Protestant Episcopal Church Of the United States in
this CITY very large ana attentive audience as
sembled and the most distinguished divines and lay
men Of the Church we're present take part in the pro-
ceednga The meeting for business commenced at
three O'Clock in the afternoon at Musical Fund Hall but
the formal opening Of the session took place this morn
ing ST. Andrews church, where religious services
were 1rst held
AT three O'Clock in the afternoon the deliberations
of the Congress begun. with very full attendance In
accordance with tho rules or the General Committee
by which the Bishop Of the diocese in which the Con
gress assemblies is invited to preside, the Right Rev
/ William g. Stevens, D. D., LII D., Bishop Of Pennsyl
vana occupied the chair.
ULrRAMoNTANsM AUTHORITY.
The nrs subject for discussion before the Convention
was "Ultramontanism and Civil Authority The
writer's were Dr. Wharton, OF Cambridge, Mass and
Or. Butler OF Philadelphia.
Or. Francis Wharton began by distinguishing between
ultramontansm and the Roman Catholic Church in
the United States The Of the Roman Catholics
both before and after the Revolution have been loyal
the territory OF whose population they form part.
Ultramontanism, the contrary, teaches that the
Pope, foreign prince, deriving his support from for
cign civilization Is jure dipino, entitled
governments which he considers dsloyal him and
annul such institutions he docs approve of u
tramontanisn in this sense is to be regarded as com
ing three relations into conflict with the State:
Ffrst-As 10 the control OF the priest the ndi-
viduaL BY the ultramontane theory the individual is
TO be controlled by the priest the priest by the bishop
the bishop by the Pope. By the State however each
individual is to regard the State supreme in all things
secular and the Church, viewing the Church in its true
sense regards the individual subject religion only
to Cod the minister Of religion being the pastor and
adviser, but not the spiritual director.
4Second-As 70 the family relation Ultramontanism
annuls civil marriages. which the State holds binding
and treats as Invalid divorces even though they be Tor
adultery, which the State holds valid. The church,
however. treats civil marriages as binding, even
though there be ecclesiastical ceremony, and recog
nizes valid divorces Of which adultery is the
Thard-As TO education. The State is bound, by
duty well as from necessity, to insist upon
secular education for all its subjects and right
fully admits that should prescribe the points this
education should cover. UltramontanisIn, the
other hand claims the right TO educate its subjects in
its way and its themes. The Church,
adopting the right view comedies TO the State the right
and duty to require secular education for al while
for itself 1t undertakes free Church in free State,
the right and duty to give religious education to all
within its reach
The battle with secuarism has to be fought but it
cannot be successfully fought by ultramontansm. VI
trainontanism is crippled by the supersttons with
which It is associated second, BY the fact that il is
foreign policy, dictated BY foreign sovereign and,
third BY the fact that its political enes repudatcd
by the leading Roman Catholic statesmen Of land.
The battle for religion has to be fought by the Church,
and eminently by Church. Our duty, there
fore, is to at ourselves for the encounter. And we
must do this BY undertaking cause OF religious edu
cation in It's breadth well in its limits; in its
breadth, embracing all branches Of religious spirit
ual and ethical culture in its limits BY recollcctng
that while free Church free Church
IN free, sovereign State recognizing that this State,
in ts own secular sovereignty, Is supreme
The reading OF this paper was received with frequent
applause.
Of Philadelphia the writer upon this subject
Speaking OF the school question: he said:--"Rome
the claim for the States support sectarian
schools. BY acting with party which will sustain her
claims she receives in some municipalities and States
endowmcnts Tor her educatana and other institutions
BY holding thus balance between two great national
parties she be able TO determine the policy OF the
country in great crises OF internal and external ad
minstrations. policy ot aggression ID all these
departments have been recently inaugurated
by orders from the Vatican and this advance has
met IN England by the pamphlets OF Mr. Gladstone,
and 10 the United States by speech from President
Crant-fu five minutes long Now in order
meet these issues with success and with the least
injury to ourselves aud our Catholic fellow citizens
should pat ourselves in absolute harmony
with the fundamental principles Of government
which proclaim the mutual friendly helpulness, but
the complete independence Of Church and State We
should abandon the rreyerent farce and desecraon Of
the periunctory reading OF the Bible public
schools Thousands OF our citizens feel that this
would be the right thing 10 do who yet unwilling
to yield the point because II would seem like
reDder TO Romsh dication Like Falstaf, they do
not choose be virtuous pulsion. But II ii be
cur CONVECTION however II may have been reached {
viii be dignity to act upon IL No good cause
loses hy lust concessions Then and then only
can We place public school system
an impregnable foundation Then only viii all
plausibity be taken awas frQn the claims for Roman
and other sectarian schools Then, also, would the
churches be made TO feel anew anu more deeply the
duty Of religious education OF the children ql the Ke,
public The speakers On The slglect were ltss GS
z Gray, Of Bayonne n. ). wIlIam Chauncey Lang
don. D p, Geneva SYzerland; Rev, J, Isadore Mum
bert D D., Dresden Germany, and G. r Hale, Of New
TorK
The programme for the evening services the dis
cussion Of The Ministrations Of the Church to the
Working Classes.m = The writers and speakers we're
Writers-Rcv J. Vaughan Lewis, d. D. Mr.. Henry Z.
Peew. Speakers-Rcv. j. III Ryl9nce. d. d, MessTs.
William Welsh. 5 Wagner, Jr. +; Russell Sturgis.