The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-26
THE PAPACY.
Third Letter to the Herald from A"
Roman Prelate."
ACTS OF Plus TX.
Evident Failure Of the Bull
Incffabilis.
NOT LEGALLY PUBLISHED.
Necessity for a "Legal' Settlement Of the
lnfallibiliiy Doctrine
ACTS OF Plus TX.
NOT LEGALLY PUBLISHED.



Roxx May 8. 1873
TO THE EDITOR TIE HERALD:--
Leo XIII. will make dogmas. On tins head
the Catholics Of the universe may rest easy. Tho
PontiG presently occupying the Vatican Will forbcar
defining articles OF faith differing In this respect from
Plus TX. who wished to define the conception Of the
yirgn and the Popo's infaibillty. Tho stability Of
Catholic belief been the admiration of tho RgcG
What is still rsctcd in Che churches to-day Is tho
Nicens Creed with some additions made by the second
General Council, hcla at C0nstantnopc IN tho year
ISL This creed symbol already completely formed
rs early fourth century, substantially the one
attributed 10 the apostles TIE Oh always watchos
with care deposit tradition No doubt she was
obliged 10 revoke actnitions 10 suppress hserodoxy
according AZ IL ortfted from dogmatic tradition; bnt
the thought Of raising tho dignity OF
M article OF faith which before matter
Of opinion. In tho Middle Ages the tour great 100
logical schools watched each other that freedom IN
matters opinion might remain at the rame time I'M
impaired. BY this ANXIOUS and dtstrusMu walchfa
ness these schools became Of great service 10 the
science OF theology.
BISHOPS PRlEsrs
What vigilance NO tho Council Of Trent 70
prevent the SERIOUS Of matters
opinion taking rank with articles OF iathl lts aim
was to repel the Of Calvin ana LutheS
without. however, interfering with tho doc
trines which, up TO that time, had been
freely taught 10 the universittes and schools
] give you two three examples OF the vgiisnce OF
which speak. During the studies preparatory tho
twenty third session IL proposed 70 denne .
dogma that the hierarchy, composed Of bishops,
priests aud ministers, OF divine institution
From this It would follow that the difference between
u priest and n bishop would be Of divine right, and
this point would nave become dogma. The canon
fefea I'M an A
fcctsd tin expressions setting forth DIVINE right
jus d,vnus instsuho dtU,na. THIS Disagreement kept
tne twcn back year. AsIast tired
the fight the thsoiogians accepted tho expression
oyd,nario divino which simply means the disposition
or permission OF God all the affairs OF lite
dersiood thing. H. therefore, not dogma Of faith
that superiority OF the bishops priests % OF
immediate divine institution. Have the Epsscopaitaus
or Presby OF the United States and OF Great
Britain made note OF tnisY doubt IL. The Council
Of Trent altered dscress, modifying thor formula,
Whenever an attack opinions held free sp-
pretended.
DOCTRINES DoGAAs.
In 1879 Pope Innocent XII absolutely forbade the
olvgians app auy epiihct whatever TO doctrines
concerning which tho Church tolerated freedom OF
opinion. About tho time Bossnet wrote the
famous preface to his sHistary OF the variat,Ons.'
showing sia,iiiy OF dogma creed be the
terisiic feature Of truth. During tho three last
centuries Holy Soc has given out some degmatic
definitions. In general they Apply 70 the docsrnai
canons OF tho Council Of Trent 10 ihe errors OF
Baius ana Jansenus. The Church. rejecting somi-
PeisEianism tho oden time, was compelled 70
take MP against the noions Of
Jansenius No doctrinai decisions Of the Holy See
ever attempted the TRANSPORTATION OF opinions
hitherto held as tree in1o articles Of faith. The
declaration OF tho French clergy In l6S2
ssido by Popcs lnnocent III. and Alexander VIII.
precisely Tor endeayoring TO uphold and make
obligatory controvertsd OPINIONS although the
Urine Of ih6 opinions not oensured BoasaeL In
his "Defenso Declaratonis, opeaiy proclaimed that
he did not fear tho condem nation or the doc
trno, and his, book tended 70 show that abe
opinions held In danger Of theological
censure We nnd also an example OF the same watch
fuiness In the oogmatc constitution AuctorsS ffei
which dealt the death blow to Jansenisna. Plus vi.
condemned the want sincerity Of Janseasls Of
Pistoja who inserted the Declaration Of l6s2 among
DEGREES OF faith; the doetrine, however, OF the
ARTICLES remained without stigma and the same II
had been. II we examine with the theological
qualifications applied TO the eighty Hour Janssnist
propositions, enumerated N the Aforesaid Auctoren
fdei, We will dnd at every step msxims previously
censurcd In wcsiie. Huss, Luther Calvin, Jaassnius
mud Quesne, but we never meet condemnca opin-
ions previously controvcrIsd among Catholic snsoo-
CLANS and jurlseonsuits
ATTRACTIONS IN rHg cHrRcH
what has especially Hxractsd a great number OF
Protcstants TO the Cathohc Church. and more par
ttcuiarIy In England, such men as Newman, Faber
many Others. Is the spectacle presented OF tho
solidity and perpstuity OF Catholic doctrines Has
tho daughter Of Sion lost her crown, her beauty, a.
mentioned IN Holy wrt-Egressa est a Efa Sion
omrs decor 1us2 Could Bossuet to-day write the
preface to his History OF tho variationssv surely
rh~t
always with his apostles, and consequently
with their SUCCESSORS until alton Of the
world In my letter shall speak Of the infal-
bIlity OF the Pope. To-day ! confnc myself TO the
bull fncgabdis, OF the sth OF December, 1854. In
which Popo Pius TX wishes 10 raiso 10 the rank OF
dogma and article OF faith tho doctr relative TO tho
conception OF the Virgin.
BULL rSEvrABtLis.
This bull ie.Gabilis received with delight as 4
dogmaiic constitution, irrevocaby ending tho con-
troversy long maintained among Catholics
Far from me any thougnt to rise up against the
docsrine, to contest u, 90 raise doabts Bossueps
sermon is the best ytmms what 10 most solid ON the
question The only question presumeao ask 10 this,
Was tue bull inc6abths legally promulgated. There
10 no doubt about tho publication OF the Pontincai
act-this every one knows Publication, however u
not legal prom uigaton In other words was the bull
ineGabiis published In formal session OF q General
Counchf Was the legal formality Of posting on
mo doors OF the basilicas OF Rome, which
10 OF the very essence OF prom uganon for Poniincal
laws was this formailty al least, ak, gone through
with ~ regard TO The bull fncDdJan concerning the
conception Of the virginf This IA merely inquiry
OF fact simple question OF iegm iormailty Formal.
ny however, Is essential and tho fact remaas ire.
sistipic
WAS the ACT LEexLf
In the Grst place. inquire whether the assembly
OF bishops called 10 Rome in 1874 10 assst 1t the
aogmatic definition be considered - a council
properly called. Every one agrees that was
not a couaclL Plus TX declared openly
that he intended In way TO hold
council but simply meeting, ertya conci.
nusl council 10 convoked BY special