New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

MoLIN0S 1HE ,OSd aL Charles scribncrs Sons
Nn.t Intelligent and reading people VINO Know
"os, 90 an. nrocress of religious thought
have heard at least. of the Quietists. bu' " %
safe 70 say that of these very lew kho" n'u.n
rigin and brici history of that phase OF lofty
rehg,ous enthusiasm which bears the strange anu
ollrunc name OF Quietsm In tins dainthS p''"'.u
h,tle book Mr.. John Bigelow has undertaken "
tcn the story of its RISE its sudden spreading
throughout the Christian world. and ITS eNthctio.
an extinction which followed the civil and cccrs'
ostical death of its prophet and apostle ho
author has performed his task thoroughly, anu n"o
done il in way that will satisfy ana pleaSc al
those who are likely to be interested IN MS soiii'
what reconcile subject. sno
Onietism was taught in the latter part Oh ''io
.ov.pteenth century by Michel de Molinos, hon'""
Catholic prizes. Of noble Spanish family ~, , "'
famed distinction in the usual pries'ly iu"' IA
Int If was not until he was forty-eien' S'".
that he published IN 1873 iltlio UooN aao,,
al Guida Sprituale." Ihis sPii'"' l., ao
attained n great and extended popularity ~ voc
.orsIo,ed into many languages, ana spieau al
80 tho world An English translation W. 5 pun
1;shoa in 1909: and from this MI. Bigclow queues
LARGELY Its name was well chosen III concei'0u
the spiritual part OF religion only Inc suo''""0.
of its teaching was, in our authors worus' .n"'
"the soul of nan Is the temple ana aooue U. "oN'
,;o, IN orcht therefore 10 keep as clean aud pure
from worldliness and the lusts oil the hesn 'iu ~
pride Of life MS possible" Nothing very s'ai'.'ns
.h; or ,.arv cantiyating one would say, nor lhueeu
very formidable in any aspect. buV 'niS ""'
oil &c indeed Mr.. Bgelow himself very fully sets
- A. consequence and coroary of this
r;,,ol doctrinc il was taught that those VINO
wished to attain the highest and purest form 0,
snirituol life should give themselves 10 q IeSe"o"
and ouiet contemplation of the DIVINE PeIiVC
with an entire submission TO the Divine WILL "n"
that thus they would be as 1t were aoSoroo" NV
the Divine essence. Nor was tins doc'ilhc nov nv
only among religonists of the Christian Ia'.' O,'
amonq those of all times and races ana c'o0'
&c foupd in full and striking development III '"0
religions of India But there was scmethlhs inoi''
Carried ont to its legitimate and logical CONCLUSION
+hi doctr,ne involved such an Indifference to what
80 called religious acts that it led to an entire
nec,ect Of them These religious acts were prayer,
,,urimogcs VOWS attendance upon eccleSaS'lca
functions of all sorts, masses for departed SOULS
and. chiefly confession. MOlinos taught tha' II WAS
not necessary to confess before receiving the sacr
ment. Here was the ruD
Onietism as we have said, spread quickly over
the Christian world. Not only the plous among Inc
General mass but bishops archbshops, cardinals
and even the Pope, welcomed the doctrine anu
Ycvercd him who proclaimed it. Monos went 10
upder the highest sanction in the odor of sanctity
Onecn Christina of Sweden, that strange union OF
The royal blue-stocking and the coquette, whose
couical career Mr. Bigelow describes with mis-
chieyOus junction. assumed the position OF patrohess
10 Monos and to Quietism; and the Pope hliIseil
was hardly behind her in enthusiasm. but great
was Diana of Ephesus; and the priests had taken
the alarm If Quietsm prevailed, they were
superfiuous.-taacfG od'oO, every man OF them
The Jesuits first, and then the lnqulsltlon SET 10
work 10 stamp out the new doctrines and in a com
DaratiyeIy short time they succeeded. There is in
all ecclesiastical history hardly to be found such
driphtful exhibition of the power of these Two
organizations as the swift and utter destruction
which they brought upon this pure minded Spanish
prlest who was so single hearted and so humble
that in the time OF his competest success and most
pervading influence he absolutely refused all
ecclesiastical preferment. In which very self
denial there was crime; for was 1t not scothng
at Holy Church, and Conforming OF her her-
archy-in brief silent condemnation II not an
absolute smashing of the religious machine' 1t
was as if man should set up patriotism and states
manship and philanthropy above party politics and
n proper disposition OF government patronage.
Anafheaaa ndrdHGthd
We must refer Our readers to Mr. BigeIoW very
interesting monograph for the particulars oil tins
af4ire d. M0lin0s which have adVisedy called
frrhtful The author has fortified himself by the
authority of contemporary record which he not
only cites but presents to his readers in full. lie
shows them the subsection of the whole Roman
Catholic world TO the sternly organized forces OF
the Jesuit College and the Inqulsltion. People OF
irrcproachable lives arrested and imprisoned
by the hundreds, and terror was sent abroad into
the churches and into the private oratores OF tile
pious rich and the humble houses of the poor. The
Pope himself was made to feel that he was III pelii
And finally Molinos recanted, consented to seem
TO recant; for 1t is not clear that he actually did
ANYTHING but submit to ecclesiastical discipline.
The last scene shows this pure, spiritually
minded teacher of simple Christianity standing
with manacles on his wrists before a vast assembly
composed of all the ecclesiastical and social emil
nence Of Rome while priest read his accusation
and his condemnation amid the futter of fans and
The blazing of Jewels. And then Michel de MoilEOS
the Quetist went in the habit of penitent to live
in narrow CELL which he did not leave until hi'
mortified body was borne to the only cell thai
could be narrower The simple truth OF the sac
story is that Quetsm was but part OF the protest
of the human mind against the religious tyranny IL
that day of the Roman hierarchy. But Monos and
his followers sought to do two things essentially III
congruous-tO protest against ROmo and TO remain
within the Roman Church The result was that
they fonnd the sons of ZeTniah too many fol-
shem In writing this little book Mr.. Bigelow has
done good service TO the cause of free thought and
spiritual religion.