The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-02-24

been foully slandered and oruelly perseouteS h.
MS rei gious and political opponents. This is no,
deppaStyg Of Il fs1sn Was to be expected from the
instinotlveiy hate and oppose the good. Msn
mas ever peen mans greatest enemy 80 it
% IN s1sr spg be- sS fb 50 It s now and
Il lie not greater than the master" said Jesus To
2 his Apostles. II. then, the divine Master anS ~
model mode Of OF Plus the Ninth was elaudered, perse-
reprs sentative had to share the came bitter
fate, both in bis own person and In that of his
$spirituai children, the bishops, priests, relig.
of the ISLANDERS invented and circulated neainat
the character of the late Pope are DO notar;s
ously false and palpably absurd that I cannot
my nndienos .ss and degrade myself
mention and refate, because I am well aware
that some so-called Christians are go ridisn.
,oasiy prejadioedi ID a and SO ipooncsivably igno-
~ that they spontaneously believe the vilest
priest. or the Catholic Church in general.
Ninth has been accused of altering the anoisns
Catholic Faith and coming new doemsa
namely the doctrine of the immaculate Con-
ept"a OF the eyer blessed Virgin Mary and
ters of revealed religion. Do the slanderars of
: the Pope understand the real meadipg and
exact nature of these dogmas, much less the
j grounds upon which they rest and the reasons
why they have been defined and published as
articles of faithf venture to assert puhiioIv
Z that not one calumniator in hundred can
Conception, Papal Infallibility or any similar
dogma of the Catholic Church. In their blind
zeal they olaspheme what they do not under
9stand and attack what does not exist save in
their conceited imaginations. With Christ on
the Cross Plus the Ninth meekly replies
Father, forgive them, for they know not what
they say or do.
In fact no pope, from Peter to Pics, h.s
|ooined or invented an article of revealed re-
ligion. With the last of the Apostles the
|chaln OF divine revelations WAS closed. Since
ipfallible head, had done NO more than en-
plain, rstify and define, publicly and solemn
~, such doctrines of revelation ss were In the
course OF time questioned by her enemies, or,
perhaps, misunderstood by some CT her own
children. In every case of this nature she
scrupnlously followed the ancient Catholic
form, and asked herself these two decisive
word of God, or the Bible, teach explicitly or
implicitly on the doctrine in question and
lastly, What has been believed in all ages in
the time Of Christ. upon this subject It was
strictly in accordance with this true and time
honored form of the church that Plus TX, az
divinely authorized guardian of the faith and
sopreme judge Of controversies, defined and de.
clared, with the appreciation Of the bishops
and faithful of the Catholic world, that the
Immaculate Conception and Pspal Infallibility
are to be accepted as doctrines of revelation
and dogmas of Catholic faith.
The late Supreme Pontif has been further
charged with resisting the violent suppression
Of the Pontifioal States and Papal Independ-
snce, and with opposing the barbarous tyranny
of the robber King OF Italy, the despotic Gar
Of Russia, and the bigotted Emperor of Ger
many towards their peaceful, law-abiding
Catholic subjects. This charge-to the honor
'f Plus the Ninth be it said-is true he did
oppose and condemn the depotism, the oppres-
'ion and the robberies of these mighty ones of
'he earth. Il was his bounden duty, as father
md protector of the poor and persecuted, to
ielare in the sacred, name of God that might
ioes not constitute right. His faithful BIZ
hey rendered to Caesar the things that are of
jDsar, were upjnstly seized, robbed, condemn
I'D, immured in dungeons, driven like wild
beasts from house and home, and ssns to stsrve
4 foreign lands or in the desert steppes of
ii beria-snd why Not for having rebelled
against the Government or violated it's Just
avs, but solely for claiming the right peace.
oily to serve God according to the dictates Of
heir conscience and religion, rather, for
cknow lodging the Almighty as their God
nd the Pope as Gods spiritual Vioegerent.,
nd his brutal Chancellor.
II it be q crime to claim the poor privilege of
vorshlPpIng God according to conscience,
zed nations, save few parasites of deDpotism.
tand branded as selfoonvicted criminals. If
'iotor Emanuel and G. Gsribaldi, aided by the
cum OF Italy and the farce of g nook election.
ad the right to rob the Pope Of the States OF
ne Church, Of the patrimony of st. Peter, Of
he capital Of Christendom, Of the joint proper
OF OF the Catholic world, Of the independence
the Holy See, all saoredly guaranteed to the
;huroh . aud the Popes for more than q thou
and years and il this ssorlegious robbery,
well as the cruel prosecutions in other de-
potio countries. ie to be countenanoed and ap-
roved by Christian aud civilized nations,
hen let no American freeman and property-
older, however peaceful his conduct or Just
is rights may be, breathe whisper of oom-
laint, should ever q villainous neighbor or
surping minion of the law seize him by the
hrost, rob him Of his property, cast him into
rison, or turn him out penniless to starve and
ie in the streets. Let us unite in beseechinR
ind heaven that such unohristian, inhuman
nd barbarous views and ways may never be
ransplanted from despotio Prussia, Russia,
nd Italy to the fcee United States of America.
The noble and gentle Plus the Ninth, though
obbed and reviled, and compelled in the IN
q 3rutable designs of Providence, to empty the
liter chalice to the very dregs, could boldly
ace his slanderous foes and, like his divine
Laster and model, challenge them: Who of
on can convict me of sin, of injustice, of inf
elity to my sacred trust during the long years
my lifef OF one fact We may rest assured,