Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-19
THE POPE,s ENCYCLICAL.
- Universal Review OF the Present
Condition or the WOrId-HOw the
MisehIefs and the Sins or
Humanity May be Rem
edied.

London Standard, April 30: The follow
ing is a translation of the full text of the en-
cyclical letter of Pope Leo XIII:
Venerable Brethren, Health and Apostolic Benedic-
ton:
Although only short time elevated, in the
inscrutable designs of God. and without any
merit on our own part, to the apostolic Dig
nifty, we feel ourselves impelled by an ardent
desire, and, SO TO speak, even a necessity, TO
address you by letter, not alone for the pur-
pose of manifesting our feelings of deep af-
lection for you, but also in the fulfllmeDt Of
the charge which God has intrusted to US,
with the object of encouraging you who are
called on to share our solicitude, and of con-
6rming you In the struggle with the present
age, which, in common with Us, you ought to
sustain for the church of God and the saliva
ton OF souls.
In fact. from the very first hours of our
pontihcate there was forced on us the sad
spectacle of the evils which on all sides over.
whem the human race. We see the general
subversion of the supreme truths on which
human ".rty is based as on foundation
the Sit. Of mind which cannot en-
dure any le-i nate authority; the perpetual
desire of dIssenSIon, from which arise lntes-
tine quarrels and cruel and sanguinary wars;
the rejection of the rules which govern NOR
ais and insure the carrying out OF justice
| the Unsuitable lust for transitory pleasures
and the forgetfulness of things which are
eternal, both extended to such a degree OF
insensate fury that frequently unhappy beings
| dare to lay violent hands even on themselves
We see again the inconsiderate government
| of States, the lavish expenditure and malver-
| sation of the public funds, the lmpudence oil
| those who from the moment that they COM
NIT the worst treason eudeavor to pass toI
champions of liberty and of all the privileges
T. ll,.& L., 4 IS 1ao1 IL
pestilence which, penetrating into the very
marrow of human society, leaves 1t no re-
pose, and threatens it even with fresh revo-
lutions and the most calamltous results.
TIE REVOLT AGAINST THE CHURCH.
Now, we are convinced that the principal
source of these evils is the contempt and re-
lection of the holy and august authority of the
church, which presides in the name of God
over the human race, and which is the sup
port and maintenance of all legitimate au-
thority. The foes of public order are perfectly
well aware of the fact, and consequently they
have considered that nothing could aid more
in upturning the foundations of society than
to wage an incessant war on the church OF
God, to render it odious and hateful by scan-
dalous calumnIes, such as representing it to
be the enemy of true civilization, to weaken
its strength and authority by continual at
tacks, and to destroy the supreme power oil
the Roman pontiff, who is here below the
protector and interpreter of the eternal and
immutable principles of right and justice. II
is in accordance with this belief that we I'M
happily find laws subversive of the divine
constitution of the Catholic church promul-
gated in the greater number of States. This
is the reason of the contempt of the episcopal
power and the difficulties thrown in the way
of the exercise of the ecclesiastical ministry,
the dispersion of the religious orders, the
confscation and public sale of the property
which served to support the servants oil
the church and feed the poor.
From this cause arise the measures
leading to the removal of public insti-
buttons devoted to charity and benefcence
from the salutary direction of the church, as
we'll as the unbridled freedom of teaching
and publishing all that is evil, while, on the
other hand, the right of the church to instruct
and bring up the youth is violated and OPP
pressed in every possible manner. 1t is no
other cause which has led to the occupation
of the temporal principally which Divine
Providence accorded centuries ago to the
bishop of Rome, so that he might exercise
freely and without hindrance the power con-
ferred on HIM by Jesus Christ for the eternal
salvation of the people. If we have reminded
you of this melancholy accumulation of evils,
venerable brethren, 1t is not for the purpose
of increasing the sorrow which such deplo-
rable state of affairs must In itself arouse IN
your breasts, but it is because we believe that
at its mere mention you will clearly perceive
how serious is the situation which calls for
our ministry and our zeal, and with what as
siduous care we mu labor with all our
strength, especially In those perverse times
in which we live, to defend and to vindicate
the church of Jesus Christ and the dignity of
the apostolic see, which is the object of so
many calumnies.