The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-05-12

tclIostruck the key note when he pointed
Spain TO her colonial possessions In Amer
in ASia and Africa, and would have her
show how she would maintain her rela'
tions with these colonies, and through
them with the whole world, il the govern
nsnt adopted the irreconcilable Ultra
montunc % attitude. The Bishops in their
latter 10 the clergy, as above stated, style
.nc6 liberty Of worship disastrous lib
erty, and we'll they may, when they con.
sider what II cost those who believed in it.
The liberty OF conscience and Of wor.
shin was, as France aud Spain well
know, the price OF blood. Viewed from
an earthly standpoint it was, as historic
Spain can testify, disastrous liberty.
But here perhaps we may find the right
and title by which Spain claims her reli.
gious unity. We admit that she obtained
Il, right or wrong, at an immense cost.
But does the cost OF anything always
prove ones right and title good and valid.
Let US examine as to the validity Of her
claims with respect 10 her boasted relig.
ious unity. Are her title bonds good
Let US see. They date far back. France
and Spain were, more than GOO years
ago, cooperative in the great work Of
eliecting religious unity. They were Of
one mind and one heart in the work. For
more than twenty years Of the former
part Of the thirteenth century the number
OF persons put TO death in the southern
provinces OF France was not less than one
million, who, for the advocacy Of the
rights OF conscience and liberty.of wor.
ship, we're tortured by the inquisition and
at the stake. In the year 1914 vast num-
bers fled from the south OF France to the
Spanish provinces Of Arrugon and Catalo-
MIA, seeking shelter from the storm Of per-
secution. During the pon,itical Of Alexan-
der ", Of the same year, great numbers
Of the PrOtestants known rs Waidenses
we're settled in those provinces, and had
several churches duly set in order with
their bishops and deacons. In the year
1892 the Inquisition was brought into
Arragon. The office Of making in
QUESTION against them was committed by
Pope Gregory TX TO James King, at
Arragon, who was 10 see that the In
quisitora in the execution Of their office
were not molcsted. A commission was
at the same time given to the Archbishop
Of Terregonc, the Metropolitan City Of
Catalonia and his suffragans, to consti'
tute court Of inquisition there also,
against hcrctical depravity.
The following is copy oil the bull
which was issued for that purpose:
"Sincc the evening Of the world is now
declining, we admoniSh and beseech your
brotherhood and strictly command you
by our written and apostolic words, as
you regard the divine judgment, that
with diligent care you make inquiry
against heretics, and render them infa-
nous, by the assistance Of the Friars,
Prelicants and Others whom you shall
Judge iit for this business and that you
proceed against all who are culpable and
infamous according to our statutes lately
published against heretics, unless they
will from the heart absolutely obey the
commands OF tho church which statutes
we send enclosed in our bull, and that ye
also proceed against the receivers, abet
tors and patrons OF heretics, according Il
the same statutes. But il any will Who'll
ly. abjure the heretical plague, and return
to ecclesiastical unity, grant them the
benefit Of absolution according to the
forms OF the church and enjoin them the
usual pepancc."
Such has been the cost at which the
church Of France and Of Spain obtained
its religions unity and by which the Cath
olic church maintains its religious unity
wherever and whenever the same churcl
has the power to enforce it.
VERiTAs.