The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-07-23
generally immutabie

erring forecast and generally immutabie
success, it asks:
How does it happen that the anti Papal leg
islation of the last three years has proved
abortive, and that half o dozen prelates have
been able to defy the eoeroive machinery of
the Prussian monarchy
A Catholic child could tell the learned
editor that the Church of God is immortal
and unconquerable, that abe shall endure
unto the end and that the gates of He'll
shall never prevail against her-that, con-
sequently, "half dozen prelates," or half
q dozen priests, OF half dozen laymen,
without priests, imbued with the true
spirit of the Church can and will resist
unto death all and any encroachment of
Prince, Emperor or President upon the
spiritual domain. If that Prince, Emperor
or President is afraid, as Bismarck lie, to go
to the ultimate extreme, he would do better
not to begin persecution which must end
in his discontinue.
The San, however, does not understand
that truth and, therefore, wonders at a
failure which it thus graphically describes !:
No one was ever better armed than Bismarck
for a contest with the Church of Rome. He
had force on bis side and the jealous co-opera-
ton of the most efi ,ient bureaucracy in the
world; he had with him tho prestige OF military
glory, and the memory of Sadowa and Sedan.
He expected that the Old Catholic movement.
shielded by him from communication, would
make rapid progress, and that he would pre-
sently be enabled to take it under his official
patronage, give it the lions share of the sub
vention assigned to worship, and perhaps pro-
cl&m it the only ve1itabie and orthodox church.
For three years laws framed with this intent
have been vigorously executed, and with what
RESULT Against eight millions who adhere to
the Roman Church there are at present not
more than six Thousand Old Catholics in Prus-
STA. The legislation of 1873 having called forth
the Pope's anathema, an attempt was made to
prepare q protest against his action, but
The bishops having refused to present to cura-
scarcely a thousand signatures could be secured.
cies under the prescribed conditions, supple
mentary law authorized the parishes to choose
their pastors Not one has awaited itself of
the privilege. As to the fines imposed from
time to time on refractory ecclesiastics, they
have been paid by popular subscription, and
the recusanu bishops on their discharge from
Imprisonment have been carried home in
triumph.
The great test of orthodoxy, for unbe-
levers, is success. For several years the
secular press of America has kept silence in
presence of Bismarck's brutal persecution,
expecting that a new success would bolster
up his policy and render his victims ridicu-
lous. Time, however, is dispelling the
illusion and bringing its own revenge.
Journalists so long hesitating begin now to
look back to the truth and weigh it. The
Sun says:
Even in despotic State like Prussia there
are obvious limits to the Intervention of the
civil authority in ecclesiastical concerns, but
these were ignored by the Prussian statesman
and his conductors.
The Sun goes on to find natural con-
sequence of this despotism in the passive
resistance of the Prussian laity, and in &c
doing violates all the laws of probability
and ignores all the evidence of history
But the fact remains admitted and stands
new proof of the Church's vitality in the
face of tempest which would sweep Pro
testantism out of existence.