Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-26
zHE PoPrS ENcYCLIcAL.
Interesting Extracts from the snihenut
Trsns,suen into Eafiish.

4 Ipppsinffeu INTO Eokusn'
| lBv telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l
BAIrrMoRE, November 25.-The
f,,st full and authentic translation into
English of Leo KILLS encyclical on
the Christian Constitution of States APP
pesrs very different in its full form
from the cable condensations already
published.
Instead of condemning in any way
modern civilization in States as they
exist at present, the Pope highly ap-
proves of all real progress and true
| freedom. II is in short an exact rever-
sal Of the policy pursued by the late
| Pins TX. whose encyclicals invariably
condemned modern civilization as athe-
istic and pagan. In order to show this
| n few extracts will suffice. After con-
| demnipg anarchism and lawlessness,
Leo XIII. continues; "These, then,
are the things taught by the Catholic
| Church, concerning the constitution
and government of the State. No form
| of government is, per Sc, condemned
so long as il has nothing repugnant to
Catholic doctrine and is able, if wisely
and Justly managed, to preserve the
| State in the best condition. Nor IS 1t,
| per Sc. TO be condemned whether the
people have greater or less share 10
the government 4; for at certain times
and with the guarantee Of certain laws,
snch participation may appertain not
only to the usefulness, but even to
the duty Of the citizens. Moreover,
there is no just cause that any
one should condemn the Church as
being too restricted in gentleness or
inimical to that liberty which is
natural and legitimate. In truth, the
Church Judges it no. lawful that the
various kinds Of divine worship should
have the same right as the true religion.
still it does not therefore condemn
those Governors of States who, for the
sake of acquiring some great good, or
preventing some great i'll, patiently
bear with manners and customs, so that
each kind of religion has its place in
the State. Indeed the Church is wont
diligently to take heed that no one be
compelled against his will to embrace
the Catholic faith. For similar reason
the Church cannot approve Of that lib
erty which generates contempt of the
most sacred laws Of God, and puts
away the obedience to legitimate power.
for this is license rather than liberty.
On the other hand, that liberty is natu-
ural and to be sought, which, if it be
considered in relation to the individual,
i suffers not men to be slaves of errors
and evil desires, the worst Of masters
if. in relation to the States, it presides
wisely over the citizens, serves the
faculty of augmenting public advan-
tages, and defends the public interest
from alien rule. This blameless liberty,
worthy Of man, the Church approves
above all, and has never ceased striving
and contending to keep firm and whole
among the people.
Therefore, what they say that the
Church is jealous Of the more modern
political systems repudiate in mass,
and whatever the disposition of these
times has brought forth is an inane and
contemplate calumny. The madness
of opinion it indeed repudiates 1t re-
proves the wicked plans Of sedition,
and especially that habit of mind
in which the beginnings of a vol.
untary departing from God are WISH
BILE, What
ever may happen to extend the range
of knowledge, the Church will always
willingly and joyfully accept, and she
will, as is her wont in the case OF Other
departments Of knowledge, studiously
encourage and promote those also which
are concerned with the investigation o
, nature. in which studies, if the minds
! find anything new, the church is not II
opposition. She fights not against tn
search after more things for the grace
and convenience Of life--nay, a yer.
foe to inertness and sloth, she earnestl..
h wishes that the talents of men should
by being cultivated and exercised, bea
still richer fruits"
J.. After quoting the action Of Catholic
It in former times, even under the Roma
d empire, the Pope continues to exhol
= the faithful to renewed efforts In tn
It political world. "For Catholics, II
d deed, as many as are worthy OF tn
n name, before all things it is necessar
10 to be, and to be willing to be regarded
n as most loving sons of the Church
d whatsoever is inconsistent with tn
4, good report, without hesitation
in reject: to use popular instit'
te items as far as honestly ca
ID be TO the advantage Of tru'
p, and Justice to labor that liberty OF a
&c ton shall not transgress the bounds o
of dained by the law Of nature and
70 God; so to work that the whole
N. public life shall be transformed into,
ot we have called it, Christian ina
We and likeness. Means to seek these en-
sh can scarcely be laid down upon one III
rs form plan since they must suit plac
"a. and times very different from ca
other.
Nevertheless, in the first place,
concord of wills be preserved aud I
likeness Of things to be done soug
-. for, and each will be attained best if
'u% shall consider the admcnitions OF
'vN Apostolic See. Let oil understand Il
n y; the integrity Of Catholic protest.
can by no means be reconciled W
~. opinions approaching toward natur
oa , ism or rationalism, of which the 81
v y total is to uproot Christian institute
s altogether and to establish the supre
Ton acy Of man, Almighty God be
W. w.. pushed on one side. Likewise,
-, is unlawful to follow one line
duty in private and another in publ
so that the authority Of the Chu
shall be observed in private and spu
ed in public, for this would be to ]
20 together things honest and disgrace
the and to make man fight the battle "
nys himself, when, on the contrary,
ing' ought always to be consistent with b
rson self and never in any least thing
BACK manner Of living decline from Christ
ent. virtue but IL inquiry is made ab
nee. | nrinc;ples merely political. concern