National Republican., 1883-11-12

was concluded that the church at all times,
and, consequently, in tho sixteenth century,
had this holiness. The monsignor said that
tho decrecs of the council of Trent bore too
painful testimony to tho corruption existing
among the olorgy and tho people, but this
was no proof against the truth and
holiness of the church; no moro than
the conduct of Judas would prove the
apostolic college corrupt, or our own evil
deeds prove the falsity of tho commandments,
or tho crimes narrated in the daily press
show that tho American constitution telChrs
wrong doing. To show the church was more
vigorous than ever at the time of tho roforma-
tion, ho appealed to tho imitation of Christ.
The spiritual combat, the works Of st.
Theresa and others living Immediately before
or during the Luther period as literary
evidence; to the labors Of st. Francis Na-
vier, in tho old world and Of st. Louis
Bertrand in the now, as missionary evidence
to the orders of tho Jesuits, the oratorinns,
tho fathers of tho pious schools, tho fathers
Of st. Jerome the Thoatines, and Others, as
evidences of tho creative power of association
to SITS. Igngtius, Aloysius, Stanislaus, KostlSa,
Theresa, Cajctan, Philip Neri, and a dozen
others, as evidences of the church's power to
make heroes of holiness Mt the very time her
enemies would fain mako believe she was cor
rupt.
This evening the monsignor continued his
subject, first disclaiming any intention of of.
Tending anyone by what he should say of
Luther as q roformer. He said that If
he wero in London to-day and should ask
what was tho state of intelligence
in Europe when Luther lived 90 out of 100
would say IL was state of gross darkness,
and would add that Luthcr'5 spark kind!ed
the whole world into a blaze of light.
IIo would show that nothing was further
from the truth than this modern view of Lu-
thor's period, and of his influences. Ho as
aprtn1 "a lipi
estantism, was the world indebted for the
light that followed the fifteenth century.
Printing and paper, those powerful agents
in the diffusion of knowledge were invented
before Luther was born. Tho discovery
of this now world was the result of tho
energy, learning, and liberality of Catholic
Spain. At that time sixty-four universities
of learning existed in different parts Of Europe.
Church architecture and the art of that
timo were also cited as evidence that the
Catholic church was not supprcssor of learn
ing. The existence of republics with pros
pices gave the lie to the charge
that tho Catholic church was tho
enemy of energy, learning, and lib
erty. Without speaking in any detail of
tho life of Luther he would menti0n one or
two points that were sufficient TO deprive him
of the title of rciormer. When ho was
20 years old he took solemn vows
in the Catholic church. This was
u voluntary act, but q most solemn
obligation, yet ho voluntarily broke his vow.
This was not the mark of u saint. Another
fact, cited with reluctance, was that he
wrote and left to the world letters of such
coarse consciousness that any pure man would
suffer his right hand to be cut oil rather
than write them. Rcformers were not
made of such material. Tho monsignor
said that Luther's heresy was special,
i'll that 1t was revolt against the
principal authority, and the assertion of the
right of private judgment instead; yet with
singular inconsistency he undertook to say
what should DO tho private Judgment Of all
his followers.
Looking to the fruits of Luthers teachings
| Mgr. Cape said: "a recent publication says
there are 236 divisions of tho Protestant reli-
gion in England alone On tho con-
tho same everywhere throughout all
time. Luther's teaching tends to destruction,
not to building up. 1t tonds to rationalism
| and agnosticism. Communism, another of
| its legitimate fruits, was not known in the
middle ages. Revolt against the principal
authority leads to all this No nation has
| ever been converted to Christianity by
Luther's followers. 1t would be impossible
when the rule of private Judgment WAS to
| govern. Passing to tho popular claim that
Luther gave the Bible to the masses, Mgr.
Capel said that before Luther was born
the Catholic church translated the
scriptures into the language which was
the mother tongue of all people of learning.
He argued that Christianity does not depend
alone on reading the Bible During tho first
three centuries of Christianity there was no
New Testament. Tho Catholic church says
read the Scriptures, but do not place
your own Interpretation on them.
In conclusion he begged his hearers to look
at this matter in the light of history and
reason, and not blindly follow the shibbo-
leths of prejudice repeated during 400 years.
Monsignor Capel goes to Lexington, KY, to-
| morrow