The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-09-02

with the prospect In view. The State had
recovered the old positions which 1t had
lost, and for the future 1t might remain on
the defensive, taking its stand ON the ex-
listing Legislation. He had great hope in
the schools, which must gradually extin-
guish the superstition which had been
making such progress. Coming to the
circumstances of the Evangelical Church,
he expressed great hope in the satisfactory
results that would be accomplished from
the introduction of lay elements, both into
the parochial administration and into the
Church Government. He affirmed that the
several parties in the Church, both the old
orthodox Conservatives aud the Liberals,
must learn to tolerate each other. -Parti-
ality to one set of views and the condem"
nation of other persons were quite unevan-
gelical and contrary to the words of Our
Saviour. He did not approve of the pro-
positions submitted to the last Berlin
Synod to abolish the Apostles Creed. The
five Lutheran clergymeD seemed TO be de
lighted with their interview, and nara
tive coming from one of themselves de-
clares that whatever the Prince said with
reference to the Protestant Church was
uttered in u spirit of calm hope ard faith,
aud with full trust in the future pros
perity of the Church." How marvellously
the Chancellor ust have deceived them.
The first summary account OF this inter
view appeared in the Kolnische Zeitung,
and it provoked considerable discussion rot
altogether complimentary to the Suabian
clergymen. Thereupon Dean Bockheler
wrote a fuller account in the Schra6lScher
Mercur, of Stuttgart, and he subsequently
expanded this in the Daheim, warning, how.
ever, all persons reproducing it. He states
that Prince Bismarck abstaned from men
tioning names, although taking care that
the persons he referred to should be we'll
understood, and he also says that he does
a. do cad
with short hand accuracy This latter re-
mark probably justiies the suggestion of
several newspapers that Prince Bismarck
cannot possibly have given expression to
some of the sentiments attributed to him.
Thus, for example, how can he really # tel
quite content with the prospect" of the
Immediate future in cOnnexlon with the
Culturkampf7 In Germany, and espe cialy
in Prussia, the reputation of the Prince
rests exclusively on his successes IN foreign
affairs as domestic politician he is an
utter failure. But he is not an unintelll
gent fool, and he must know quite well
that the war against the Church has been
a defeat, has done no real mischief to
Catholicity, but is beginning openly to
break up German Professionalism. Aud now
he talks or is made to talk of reconstruct
ing the Protestant organization, by COM
pellng liberation of all dOgmatic ditferen-
ces, and by getting laymen to take control
vi UOIu llS UOClIiuo duu
Perhaps German Protestants will yet sorely
rue the day when the " Great Man." for
getting for awhile foreign intrigues, took
On himself to lay down the law on religious
matters.
PROTESTANT ORTHODOXY.
Considerable interest has gathered |
around what is known as the case of the |
preacher Rhode. This clergyman, on the
occasion of the Berlin Synod early in June,
delivered discourse, IN which he vehem
entity denounced the Apostles Greed as the
worst which could be imagined" the
omission of which would be a " holy deed"
And he especially selected the article, 4" He
IScended into Hedren," protesting that 1t
would be violence to his conscience ii
hose words were to be understood in
literal sense. He further professed his re
lection OF portions of the Gospel. The
Consistory of the province of Brandenburg.
that is, the Supreme Ecclesiastical Court
for that province, had all this business be-
fore them. The result may be summed up
briefly. Herr Rhode, who is one of the
clergymen of the Louisa Church in Berlin,
had not I" the courage of his convictions"
and did not maintain in his explanation
to the Conslstory the strong anti
orthodox attitude which he had held before
the Synod. On the other hand, the Synod
had not the courage to suspend or deprive
of his Office a man who had repudiated be-
fore the Synod the most fundamental doc
trines of Christianity, and even in his ex-
pianation had cast doubt upon them. ls
this an illustration of Prince Bismarck's
dictun, that the opposing parties 'Imust
learn toleration ~ Or ia 1t that Dr.. Hegel,
whose orthodoxy has been lately extolled
by King William with such warm eucomi-
una, finds it necessary to compromise with
his Liberal antagonist
GOOD ADTICE FROM SENATOR CONh-