, 1881-09-25

was never any well-.1cIined German National
Church. and the Reformation necessarily
look on Il character different from That Ut the
couii lave remained in the Roman Catholic
Church with the hope OF reforming it
was impossible. Rome, demanded 4 coin
pllte anu absolute obedience, and the
very first step tnwtrd any reform OF Roman
formers from the Church. There was
then npcn to Luther only the choice bctweelt
founding I'LL Old Catholic, Church, which
should retain the priesthood and as much us
russibIt Of the Roman doctrine and dlsrlp-
line, Or the establishment OF ncw fn'tli and
the organization Of Il new Religions >ttnolili-
nation. Had he chosen the iorincr course,
we have no reason IL believe: that his i'll
tluencr upon tho Church Ut Rome. Ill coal
pt!lin., the latter to the adoption OF sub
stulltial reforms. would have been any great
er than it WIS or tllan that Which DR.. DOL
iinyer and his associates haze eXcrtcu. The
Cnllilcil Of Tren1 did, indeed, conscnn cnr-
tain ilaGrailt abuses which Luther had dc
rollcuus Roman doctrines. it formulated and
sealed will. it, appreciation the VERY errors
which heGcr!lI;ll rcfprners held III abhur-
renee. Had the Reformation merely result
etl IN the establishment OF an old Catholic
Church, it woul.l have excrtctt no LASTING
Influence u,a,n tile world. The new
church would have attracted tho. atlc'!~
ton, and, to some eXtellt, won ttie adj
lesiul,. nf Intelligent anti thoughtful men.
rirnIt,.ans would have btri able to MI
t!trssalltt wherein it dlIcr.'u in matters nt
faith from the ltonlan Church, nHu suutd
lave appreeiatc. the Importance uf those
differences. just il! our !l;ly the same s'lass
Of men ram understand Alld nbprtcl;,tc lil1l-
gers position: but Oh the mass Uf tile ltnpl.
if would have lluu IN Influence. THE peasant
and the artisan could understand Luther
whvsl lie told theiM that the Bihlc wns the
only rule Of faith aln pr;tctlcc, and tint they
lad The right 10 frame their own crecu with
out the guidance 1T the priesthood; out ~
could never lave kinslrd their enthusiasm
fur new church, permitting monks to mar
~, anu teaching cus'staitlltlon lt'ste:.tl of
trallsul)stautia.ion. Such Il church Woltld
|1;ty,. met will, perhaps us .lnllch SUCCESS rs
has attended tile Uid Catholic Church VI to-
day, but the vast, trenpl1tlous, and far
rracl!nS rush Of Professionalism would never
have followed.
Neither Lutller nur D0llinger nor any other
returmpr, whether Protestant or Catholic,
can reform the Church of !sullc from below.
| }ayu,al. priest nor Bishop eau differ III the
slightest degree iu,in llcE formulas without
thereby cuttin, himself loose from the
| Church. Any reform must come from the
pu1p and the College of Cardinals. tltld cretl
| tiet the refnrlltrS lnslst have sufficient ill
| 1lucnrr with tho Bishops tt, control :: general
| council. Luther may devise /. new creed
and DIlliIytr may organize Il new ct1itfcti,
hut rome is irollrl;,tl :g;lis! their influence.
| should accomplish nothing else. it Will 1T
| least furiisl, Il CONCLUSIVE answer t" those
critics WHO fancy that they are wiser than
the great rcfurmcrs, ai.tl call sr',ly point nut
| the errors Of policy which tile rciorluers colll"
/ mitleu.