The true northerner., 1885-10-15

1t Makes Many Concessions to the Ad-
vanoed Spirit of the Nineteenth
Century.
The Hierarchy Invested with Power Of
Control Over the Material Affairs
Of the Church.
baltimore special !


The American OF this city publishes a
special letter from Rome having reference
to the confirmation and effect of the de-
crees passed by the Plcnary Council of Bal
timore. The writer says that their infiu-
ence will be felt throughout America, and
to beneficial purpose. A canon. which
took its origin in medivel times. and was
founded on and constituted for a civiliza-
ton that has almost passed away. is cut in
to by the DEGREES. They will constitute law
suitable for the time The education of
the clergy will be elevated to the wants of
the time. The Christian civilization of the
people will be made to keep pace with the
material civilization of the time. Christi
anity will be brought into harmony with the
education and civilization of the
present age. Regulations have been
made for the establishment of schools for
children. normal schools for teachers, and
a university for priests and for those lay
men who devote themselves TO the pursuits
of higher know. edge. 1t is not by
-benetices, that great feature OF the mid
die ages by which. VIII lie education was as
sisted, ii was also hampered that these re-
suits are to be obtained. "Benefces" will
not be brought in as q means Of support.
The Catholic Church in the United States
wants no subsidy from the state, and thus
it will not become servant. or rather q
slave, of the state, as il has so often been
in European countries, such as France and
Austria. The church in America prefers to
depend for her support upon the free Offer
ings of the people.
In the new dioceses il is provided that no
such thing as parishes and parish priests,
in the old canonical sense of the term, will
exist in the United States. These were
founded on "benefices," but there they will
- H. x.<~k
indicate that pastors who have created and
fostered a congregation, and mtde the des-
ert to blossom as rose. Will be harshly
treated or removed from the places they
have built up. There will not be an abso-
lutte removability of pastors. A certain
percentage of them will be declared i'm
movable. and this holds good except in
cases where faults are ascribed to the pas
tor, and these faults and their consequences
will be determined by trial. A certain
amount ofNiberty of action is required In
the United States both by Bishops
and clergy. and it is not advisable
to remove or curtail their liberty. The
dignity and authority will be increased and
brought more prominently into relief.
They will have their courts over those OF
bishops, in which appeals will be received
before such appeals can be sent to Rome.
In future bishops will have permanent
board or council, which they will assemble
at certain intervals during the year. They
will also give some voice to the clergy in
the selection of bishops.
Another important decision Of the Balti-
more Council refers to societies or associa-
tions. A stop is about to be put to indis-
criminate, iniudicious, or conflicting con-
demnation of secret societies. Hence
forward the condemnation of any secret
- l. a. ox~k
board Of all the archbishops Of the country,
and all cases of such a nature must be re-
ferred to them for their judgment and de-
cision