The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-08-04
Ouestion-Answered.

Editor Audldnche-Will you kindly state if
within your knowledge, what was the cause of
the very extraordinary courteses extended the
agents of the Church of Rome, who recently
visited this country for the purpose of bringing
certain insignia of rank and credentials OF Office
to the recently elected Cardinal Gibbons OF Bal
timore; that they should have been met at the
steamer in New York harbor with govern.
ment tug and that Secretary Lamar attended
the coronation exercises as a representative of
the cabinet2 Have we ever had such demon
stration of governmental attention as this to the
delegates of any Protestant Church visiting our
country, and why is the Church of Rome emit.
tied to any preference over others2
Is not complete and entire separation of
church and state one of the fundamental princi-
pies of our government? INQUIRER.
["Inquirer" seems to forget that the Pope
possesses a certain temporal power which has
always been recognized. The denial of this
claim is the cause of the arrangement between
the Italian government and the Church. This
temporal dignity is purely by courtesy, but it is
recognized in many small ways. The one
above mentioned is a case in point. Besides
this if the Archbishop of Canterbury came to
America, would he not receive similar attention?
Or the patriarch of the Russian Church.
TOR AVALANCHE
The above is from the Avalanche,
published in Memphis, Tenn. The
questions propounded to the Avalanche
were sent to that paper by a reader of
the Central Presbyterian, who has sent
US the slip. We beg leave to remark,
that the matter referred to by In
quirer" had nothing whatever to do
with the Pope's claim to temporal
power. The answer of the AUalanche
will not do. If the patriarch of the
Russian Church" could influence as
many votes in this country as the
Church of Rome, he might, possibly
(and would probably, receive " similar
attention"
We published an article few weeks
ago on the subject matter Of "Inqui-
rer's" questions, and we have reason
to believe that the article led to the
questions propounded to the Avalanche.
The statement of the AUalanche that
the Pope possesses a certain temporal
power" is not correct. His temporal
power ceased to exist in 1870, after the
battle of Gravelotte, when the troops
of Victor Emanuel entered the Pontif-
cal States, and the French Zouaves
ION the 21st of September) marched
out of Rome. There was, previous to
that time, an American minister resi-
dent at the Papal court. There is
none now. The present representative
Of the America government in Rome
is accredited te The united Kingdom OF
Italy, and has nothing whatever to do
with the Pope. Moreover, the recent
visit Of the Papal delegation to Balti-
more, to induct Cardinal Gibbons into
Office, was a purely ecclesiastical act,
and had no relation whatever to any
secular authority claimed by the Pope.
We know very well the Pope claims
ga certain temporal power " he claims
the right to regulate, in some degree,
all the kingdoms of Europe, and kings
and emperors at one time held his
stirrup; but fact is one thing and a
claim is another, and his claim to the
States of the Ghurch is no longer re-
cognised by practical politicians. The
Bourbons claim to be the rightful mon
archs of France, and the Stuarts claim
to be rightful monarchs of Great Bril-
tain; but the President of the United
States does not recognise these claims,
and we presume that President Cleve-
land would be the first to deny that he
recognised the temporal claims ofthe
Pope.
The Papacy is not at all backward
in what it claims" but Americans pay
very little attention to its "claims. "
Read the article published by us else
where from the H0mHetic ReUtew, enti-
tied "The Vatican" by Prof Stucken-
berg, of Berlin, and notice the claim ="
of the CiUilta C'attoltca, cited in that
article. This organ of the Pope
dclaims" that "the Church has the
right and duty to oppose, improve, and
also to abolish the civil laws, if they
conflict with ecclesiastical laws"