The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-09

Tracts for the Times determined the move
ment, and whose subsequent life has been
devoted with unswervng singlencss OF aim
and tlreess industry to its propagation
BY all tho loyal weapons OF polcmical con-
trovcrsy and all the aesthetic charms OF elo-
qucnt exposition, with tho resources Of q
most accomplished and disciplined intellect
and the fruitful example of u blameless life.
the whilom tenant Of the Brompton Ora
tory has sought to lead his countrymen
back to the faith OF their fathers.
1t was in 1871 that john HENRY NEWMAN,
then Fellow OF Oricl, and at that date just
~ years old, found himself constrained to
pronounce distinctly in Tract Ninety" for
or against the Church Of Rome. He had
been distinguished I'm earlier hfo for We
hemcnt defence Of the English Reformation,
but OF late years. I'm conjunction with KEBbE,
Pussy and HURRF',I FRoUDE, he had do
veloped views teriing to abridge and OBJ
literato tho do .rinal differences between
Catholicism and the Anglican Communion.
From the end Of 1884, IA he tells us in his
Apology" he was on his dcathbcd az re-
garded his membership with the Anglican
Church, and lie gradually arrived Mt the
conviction that no valid objections could be
raised against joining the Roman BY 1919 no
had taken two significant steps by resigning
his living and making formal retraction OF
all the hard things he had said against tho
Church of Rome. Three years later he had
boon received into the latter communion,
and had left Oxford for good, to enter upon
the most strenuous and effective propaganda
which our generation has bcheld
During the thirty years which have passed
since Father NEWMAN, returning to England
from his studies in Rome, established orato-
ries at Brompton and Birmingham, he has
published as many volumes. Many of these
writings are of an occasional character. but
a large proportion of them are accepted as
important contributions TO ripo and precise
knowledge in the direction Of philosophical.
historical, and religious research His
Grammar Of Assent" is n text book upon
logic in Protestant universities; his essays
ON primitive Christianity, the medieval
learning, and the reforms OF the sixteenth
century, have commanded the profound re-
spect OF Protestant historians; and his
apology" to which we have referred
has taken rank among the masterpieces Of
autobiography. So incessant and fecund has
been his literary activity, that the intelli-
gent portion Of the English public has at
times seemed to be more Interested In the
working OF his individual mind than in that
OF any other living person. But although,
owing to various circumstances, DR.. New
MANS inner life has been laid open more
completely than often falls TO the lot OF men,
few people havo been more strangely and
persistently misconceived. We need not re-
call these misconceptions, or inquire into
their causes, the rather that they have
cleared away, and that he has himself pro-
vided the best means for their removal in
his writings.
1t is well known that Father NEWMAN be-
longs to the category OF those Catholic theo-
logans who are disposed to minimize the
import Of certain doctrines. as for example
that OF the Papal infallibility They incline
to define 50 strictly the domain OF faith and
morals, and 70 insist so rigldly On the er ca
thedrd element in Papal utterance, as great
| ly TO diminish the chance OF interference with
the civil power. We need not say that an
opposite tendency is evinced by the Ultra
montanes, who at present command large
majority Of tSe Sacred College, and in whose
ranks Cardinal MANNING unquestionably
belongs. But the curious revolution within
tile CuIia which seeuus - bv futvshodowod
by the nomination Of DR.. NEWMAN, will be
more appropriately considered when the
names OF the other new Cardinals are an.
nounced in consistory Meanwhile not only
earnest Catholics but well-lnformed persons
OF all crecds will esteem the dignity CON
ferred on the quondam Oxford tutor and
preacher not above the deserts of one who
has done more than any other living Eng
lishman 10 advance, commend, and dignity
the Church Of Rome.