Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-27
TEzF; THIRD pan tGs Will.
Isu>iucss 10 bc Considered by The
forthcoming Catholic Convention.

the l hitta states accompanied by their theO-
lo2ians and attended 10y their secretaries. will
come from every portion of this couatry Rep
resenting people Of every cline and tongue.
they viii come from the east and the west
from the rising To the setting sua-from the
n0Ith and the s0uth-frcm the frozen REGION Of
the great lakes to tie warm latitude OF the Gulf
OF Mexico A. the United states covers a ter
TItory more extensive than the Roman Empire
In The time OF Augustus, 81 the bishops aud
aTehbl~hOPs :T0!I the more distant sees viii have
To cross 4 wider extent Of country than the
apostle Idul contemplated when lac set out from
Jerusalem 70 preach the Gospel to the licnties.
At The beginning OF this century the Whole
population OF the Catholic Church in the United
States dd not exceed - 100 scattered fE0m
Maine to Georgia. from MARYLAND to Kentucky.
ihere was cfi.y one biSiiOp-the venerable john
Carroll the first bishop OF BaItmoTe-hencc the
rank which this city las always held as the
primary 81" Of the United States. Instead of
one bishop there are now fourteen archb!SuOES
AMI sixty bishops. From 2Jtsn the number of
Catholics has Increased TO 1.Hh1.0J0. TIL cOun-
try from one end To the other is covered with
churches converts aSy iuGlS ScO OILS aE rcli giOuS
Institutions Of ever Kind.
At Rome last winter y hen the order calling
together The thi.d Il-nary COunc:! o. Baltimore
was under discussion at the Vatican. there was
some question of appointing an Apps Ollie Lec,;te
to the Council and an eminent Italian theolo-
gian WAS actually selected for the position but
upon consultation with several American
IIfitt'S ti!t' III 4tuit II II ufiiN CttttcI not
to send the Lcgatc. and To allow the Council to
remain where 1t properly belongs in the hands
ofthe hierarchy OF the Catholic Church OF the
United States.
MEMBERS OF TIE COUNCIL.
The Most Rev. James Gibbons Archbishop OF
Baltimore and Primate of the American Cath
Ollie Church, Was. appointed apostolic delegate
with full powers to convene and preside at the
council. His einiEence. Cardinal McCloskey
Archbishop of New York owing to infirmity
caused i3y his advanced acre will not te present ,
but will bc represented by his coadiutGr Arch
bishop C"rrigan- The hierarchy OF the United
States consists Of one cardinal archbishop. thir-
teen arc;ihshops ard sixty bishops. Ali OF
these. except Cardinal McClOsEey. will be pres
ent at the council. The venerable Archbishop
kenrick, OF ST. Louis. who attended the tyyo
previous Flenary councils and who has not batn
outside of his diocese for many years has sigui-
fed his Intention OF being present at this third
plenary council. notwithstanding he is now four
score years old.
BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL.
At a recent conference of Archbishop Gibbons
and several bishops. together with several of the
most learned priests ofthe archdiocese scheme
of certain questions and points upon which the
plenary council will be called upon to act was
submitted for consideration as preliminary
step ana in order To facilitate the action of the
council " hen the business is brought before it.
Although this conference was held with closed
doors. AMI It's action has not been made public,
StlI IL l. known that one of the most important
subjects 10 be brought before the council will be
the establishment in the United States of the
canon laws of the council of Trent. [ D TO this
time this has been regarded by the church only
as missionary country. although We number
larger Catholic population than Great Britain
ami Ireland At present the parish priest is
subject tn be renewed or transferred at the will
oil ms biShop. tut under the canon law he could
be removed only for serious offences and by es-
tabli>iled methods. He would be parish priest
for life The canon law also regulates the
finances OF the church. and the canons adjust
the relations OF bishops and priests. The cauOns
would also elect the bishops in case OF a vacancy
whereas at Present the bishops elect one an
other.
ORGANIZATION.
The plenary council will he composed Of two
Branches or houses. corresponding 10 the Senate
and House Of Representatives of the United
States The archhishops and bishops and higher
di@nitaries form che house. and the theOlomians
Will be- divided into congregations equivalent
to committees of ten or twelve each in number
Each congregation viii BE- presided over by a
BISHOP. and vii! have its secretary. To each of
these congregations * referred some particular
subject matter which the council is called TO
le@l>iate Upon- One congregation will have for
Instance, fer its consideration the subject of
priests, another education. another canon law
anu ~ Il4G u4I4tItliJ leinIelS OF the
grcgation will express theirvews and east their
votes The secretary viii take account OF the
opinion or View which majority of the unan-
lmOu> congregation sustain. making a report
CT TIE result. the reasons for Ii, and the num-
Der sustaining IL. Which account is reported to
the other house, when the bishops and arch
bishops in their turn consider. discuss and vote
upon II. approving it entirely. rejecting il or
accepting II with some modification as the case
may be- Finally the action of the council is re-
turned to Rome. when the questions are again
Considered by the congregations of cardinals
and eminent theOlOgians. Their action is made
Known to the Pope whose approval makes it a
hnality. The proceedings of the plenary coun-
Gil, as thus finally affirmed or modified bv the
highest legislative body OF the church. are
printed and sent to each bishop. &C. who was
member OF the plenary council. for his guild
anee III the execution Of his office.
Hollands fight with the Sen.
From Good Words
After delicious breakfast of coffee and thick
cream. with rusks sCOdes and different kinds
of cheese. always Indispensable in Dutch break
fasts, We took TO the railroad again and crossed
Zealand. which chiefly consists of four islands
NOordt Beveand. Zuid BeveIand SchOuwen
and WacheTe1. and is less visited by the rest
OF the Netherlands than any other part Of the
country The land is all cut up into vast
polders. "a the huge meadows are called which
are recovered from the sea and protected by
embankments Here. II human care was with
drawn for six months, the whole country would
be under the sea again A corps of engineers
at.