The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-11-25
Which is it to be?

We understand perfectly the popular
dictum that circumstances alter cases."
We know that the sin Of keeping an i'll.
regulated watch is very different one in
the case Of lounger, who has only social
appointments to fulfil, and in that Of an
engineer, who has an express train with
hundred lives in charge, and but FIVE
minutes grace in which to make his
crossings and turn outs. But in all in.
stances which may be given to illustrate
this maxim, the essential points of right
and wrong lie far deeper than the mere
circumstance can reach. Therefore, when
we are told that the policy ofthe Romish
Church in Spain, in keeping out all intru.
sions of heresy, is no measure of the pol.
icy of the same church in England aud
in America, we are inclined to ask wheth.
er the reason is one Of mere circumstance,
or because Of want of power. Where q
thing is wrong per Sc, it is wrong every.
where and always. Killing may be mur.
der or justifsble homicide, according to
the circumstance but theft is theft in
China as in Peru. Now, exclusion from
the benefits and helps of Holy Commun.
ion carries with it the risk Of dying in
mortal sin, and therefore Of eternal con.
demnation. This is the view Of the
Church of Rome. When a person is ex-
communicated, it certainly should be for
something which is evil in itself,not mere.
ly evil because it is forbidden.
Apropos of this, we wish to quote q
passage from the circular just issued to
his clergy by the Bishop Of Minorca:
1--WE renew and reiterate our sentence
Of the highest order Of accommodation
against heretics Of every sort, kind, and
description, against their pupils or adopt.
ed children. against their fathers, moth.
ers, preceptors, and all who sit at meat
with them. We fully excommunicate
all scho aid or look kindly on them; we
excommunicate the domestic SERVANTS of
all hereticS we excommunicate all and
every person or persons who dare to le.
house to O hereto or Protestant for
school or services, and every one who
gives money or makes loan, or leaves
legacy to such persons; we excommuni.
cate every one who lives on terms of
friendship with such heretics, and every
one who dares to say or write one word
in their defence"
Perhaps this may be all right. accord
ing TO Utramontane views but how can
the domestic servant of Protestant be
in deadly sin in Minorca, while being in
perfect innocence in New York? Inter-
course with heretics is either right or
wrong in itself Fit deserves excommu-
nication in one land it docs in another.
The consequences are tho very same in
Spanish dominons and under the flag OF
the United States.
The simple reasons why the Cardinal
Archbishop of New York does not issue
a similar pastoral are, first. that he dare
not, because his flock would turn their
backs upon him, second, that he is too
wise to cut off his own revenue, and,
thirdly. that the appearance Iqs ofi Of such @!
York too hot to hold him. Therefore the
Cardinal Archbishop of New York, for
sufficiently worldly reasons, is lodging q
sacred duty, or the Bishop of Minorca,
for reasons best known to himself, is as.
suming that which is not duty at all,
but griovous wrong.
There are no circumstances which ca
alter the case. Cooking the dinner of
hereto upon Minorcan hearths cannot
possibly be more sinful than pretending
to cook it upon New York ranges. A
savory ola ip Port Mahon cannot be sin.
full Except on friday when hash 10
the Bowery is innocent. We cannot find
that st. Paul made the laxity of Roman
belief an excuse for the eating of meats
offered to idols, while the fanaticiam of
Corinthian faith forbade the same The
sin was sin anywhere in the heather
world ifthereby tho weak brother was of.
Tended. Now surely the faith of sever
faithful SPAIN" the mother of the Inqui.
sition, connot be weaker than that of the
imported population of New York. famil.
lar with the new.found heresios of gas
and stationary wash.tubs.-The Church.
man.