The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-14

ogy" The writer was quite lately selected oy ths
IRISH Catholic bishops To nil the post or rector OF
the Catholic University in Dublin. anu Formerly
ne mad been for seventeen years one OF ,he
DIVINITY professors at the College OF Alaynootn
An article from his pen 'Maynootii Theol-
oey was therefore sure 10 command atten-
ton. and any readers would certainly be justi-
fed In assuming that they could not have
more reliable authority for all connected
with the divinity teaching the college. The OBJ
jecs of the article was to mote some remarkable
transitions IN the teaching of the theological school
OF great Irish seminary and to point the moral
to be gathered theretrom.' In his narrative Dr.
Neville entered with much detail into the position or
the French Church toward tho celebrated four arti-
ces of 1852 defining the ''eccsie Galcane lbeyates
and inferred that. according all appearances at
least. the French Church was Identified with that
body of opinions which ere usually designated by
the appropriate name ofGalcanism. In all this DIR.
Neville said nothing new. but followed tie view which
has been accepted without dispute for nearly
turtles. He related the circums tances which led
the intr, .duction OF some French clersymen-refu-
gees fleeing from the revolutionary proscriptionas
professors into May nootL and he traced the inhu-
enee of the theological opinions OF those professors
on thei2 course o.. divinity teaching, and so on
the opinions imbihed by the students who followed
their lectures opinions which must. OF course. have
influenced aud guided those students subsequently
In their preaching ana pastoral conduct when en-
gaSed IN the discharge OF clerical duties. Dr.
Neville declared with marked emphasis that under
the direction OF those French professors tine Irish
(Catholic) clergy became Gallican to the core"
1hE NEWSPAPER CONFLICT.
The Tablet OF October % contained letter ques-
tiOning the correctness several assertions regard
ing the Gallican articles made by DIR. Neville in the
Dublin Recietc Referring in detail to o work upon
the proceedings OF the French clergy in 1852. pub
lshed in 1865 by NJ. Germ. French judge. the
writer Of the letter infers that u
suppose that the Gallican principles were ever re-
ceived by the Church of France" He adds 1--WE
Nevlles gratuitous assertion that the Irish clergy
became Galican TO the core. DR.. Neville replied
to this letter IN the Tablet of November g. He does
not seem to have been acquainted with
GERMS work: but referring TO the sug-
gestion that ho had made "gratuitous as
sertion' concerning the Irish clergy, ne says. II
stated fact that the French refugee professors in
Maynooth were Gallicans. and that they taught in
clergy. through their teachings. became illican
the core. And these all facts. speaking CT May.
nooth College and of the Irish Church well into the
present century,"
SOME THEOLOGICAL HISTORY.
Whatever the we'll informed historical student may
be inclined to with reference to the general adr
heson Of the body of the French clergy to Gallican
opinions. few who have even superficial acquaint-
ance with the outlines OF Irish history during the
first sixty years OF this century will
ture to call in question the general accuracy
Of Dean Nevlle's description of the theologi-
cal opinions OF the Irish Catholic clergy
during that period. During the years Immediately
preceding Catholic emancipation there were public
inquiries concerning the state Of education in Ire.
land conducted both by royal commissioners and
parliamentary committees Archbishop Murray. the
celebrated Bishop Doyle and other Irish Catholic
preates were examined as Witnesses and he will be
u marvellously dexterous pleader who will succeed
in rcconciling the opinions concerning the Papal
powers and privileges represented by them in their
evidence with the ''dcfnitions of the Vatican Coun-
Gil. Similar inquiries were held during the ten
twelve years subsequent to emancipation, with
similar results. Nay. what is pertinent still.
against the granting aid to Maynooth College
of the public funds Lord Palmerston's government
issued q commission OF inquiry into the teaching
and condition of the college unless err very much
the evidence show that the opinions respect
ing the Papal prerogaives which then found favor in
the divinity school, if not ul echo OF the Galican
declaration OF 1882 were still less an anticipation OF
the Vatican dogmas.
SOME NOTEWORTHY TRANSITIONS.
Maynooth, however, has changed i'll many ways
since 1885, and since the dsestabshment OF the
Church in 1869. the year before the prom
ulsation of the Vatican DEGREES. The OBJ
ject of Dean Nevilles article in the Dublin
was precisely to mote some remarkable transitions
in the teaching Of the theological school of the
great Irish seminary Changes of this character
in academical institutions are usually Of slow
complishment and scarcely perceptlbe at the time
to those who are engaged in eecting the transfor-
nation. 1t even sometimes happens that. however
great the change OF front may in the enc be found
to be- yet the successive steps by which has been
wrought were. each in its turn. only developments.
before. But the present PROFESSIONAL body OF May.
nooth College seem to have taken Dean Nevilies
to heart. They were especially offended By
his reiteration in the Tablet Of the substance
gard It to be- told phet their
decessors in the divinity school of the college were
Gallieans and that 1.-The Irish clergy through their
Of November Is contained another letter. The
writer this time Rev. DR.. Walsh. who 10 tho
vice president OF Maynooth and at present the act
ing head owing to the illness of the president that
profound scholar. Dr. Russell. Dr.. Walsh says that
1t has been pressed upon him by many Of his
"oficial colleagues that formal and official con-
tradcton should be given to the strange statements
regarding the theological teaching OF (Maynoothl
College. contained in a letter of distinguished
Irish ecclesiastic, published in the Tablet" He pro-
ceeds to deny categoricaly that .'the French pro-
fessors taught in accordance with Gallcan opinions
in Maynooth. and he states. cas- q fact. that the
Galican Liberties never were taught in the College
Of Maynooth. He declares that there Is ''an over.
whelmng array of evidence. fortunately still ex.
tant. by which the statements against which lhel
he will ask tho editor Of the Dublin Revie,c to give
an opportunity of setting forth that evidences in
Dr. Walsh addressed letter to the Dublin Freemana
Journal, which had referred to the controversy.
He deprecates in the ,.. strongest terms the
subject IN the columns of a public newspaper"
He declares that the clergy and dignitares OF the
Irish Catholic Church deeply 'pained by the allie
cation rashly made that the priesthood was any
period of its history 'Galican to the CORE" That
such statements should shave been repeated by the
writer in the columns Of the Tablet he regards
nothing less than calamity" He reiterates his in
tenion to demonstrate in the pages OF the next num-
Der tho Dublin ''the groundlessness OF the
charges made against the college,"
THROUGH GALILcANIsM TRUTH.
The final stage of the controversy has, for the
present been reached by the publication in the E'ee
man Journal Of November 20 Of letter from Dean
Neville himself the author of the whole tempest,
which he retracts nothing. but wishing Ito stand
right with his brethren in the ministry and his
article in the Dublin the following sentence which
conveys his purpose" in writing the article by
the sheer honest following out OF principles incul-
Gated them by Gallican masters the Irish born
theoogians of the College of Maynooth forced theis
through the lines OF Galllcan1sm, ana formed Q
successful junction with tho grand theological army
of the Catholic Church" But evidently Vice Presi-
dent Walsh and his colleagues will ignore any
such grand strategical feat. They will not
accept the ambiguous compliment which attributes
to the divinity teaching of the college this wonder
full tour de force. They will decline to agree to any
story which would represent May nooths Vaticanisrn
of to-day only development OF its Gallicanism
of former years. Those who are interested in the
quarrel-and they the whole clerical body in
England and Ireland. and many aymen also In both
countries--will look orward with eagerness to the
YER O. fOr
promised. will appear in the January number Of
the Dublin Reriec
SUNDAY IN. PARIS.