Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-23

4 Of VtlF Nfult, NDlf0 tFP ~ iHdiiItN wv
sistoral AlIocuuons, Encyclicals, aud o.her
1 kpostolical Letters OF our Most Holy father'
Pope Plus IX.v The fifty-lftb error Is the
enc quoted: E" Ecciega sfot', ssatasqae
ub eccitsi0 sejunqeRdu. est" The Church
| ought to be separated from the State, and the
/ State from toe Church" Ths IS the error
against which be warns the faithful, be, OF
course. holding the opposite OF to'' COM
demned error.
Tbis IL the only quotation made and made
with the COPY OF the syllabus before me-
I The Bishop was mistaken In the accusation
| that | pretended TO quote Whist ] had NOT
read. The Bishop nav seek 10 invallda,e
the consequences which think necessarily
follow from such a dogma. ! know the use
which Is made OF the distinction between
s,oplnion" and faith" Does the Bishop
| mean Co teach that these eighty errors whioa
form the syllabus are only opinions. the prl-
yate convictions % His Holiness the Pope,
and not beliefs declared bg him for The very
purpose OF guiding aud preserving his pe0'
ple Ifthsse condemned errOrs are only the
personal fancies or opinions OF Plus "hy
does be prOmnlgate them with sacred pomp
under the most solemn forms OF Allocutions,
Encyclicals, &c. : when the Holy Father
speaks through these sacred forms does ne
not sneak tx Calhedra. and 50 bind the De-
lieis OF his subjects by his infsliblliiyy How
many Of the opinions in this syllabus does
the Bishop rejects MAY | reject them all
and vet not be judged guilty OF heresyY
when the Pope declares his opinion 10
these authoritative forms, Is It not Tor toe
formation OF the fnith o. his subjects! Inc
Pope's declared opriOn Is the faith OF bis
Church. To reject such deliYerances Is OF
the very essence OF heresy.
But, furthermore, thls distinction seems TO
me very small matter in settling this qucs-
ton a. to the POpe's power over temporal
things. What do / care whether the man
who seeks 70 deprive me Of life or liberty IS
constrained bg an opinion or 2 faiihy 1t ~
the practice, the deed he attempts to do,
that | resist, 10 matter what motive may
urge him 10 It's commission. 10 the light Of
the historic past IL Is worse than vain 10
DENY That The Roman Catholic Church has
united herself with the state wherever she
had the power % do so. Every government
in Europe furnishes proof Of this fact. To-
diy Tie Church Is Sh0Tn o. this power only
IN those countries that have IN one way
or another been delivered from her
woke. Nor has this been regarded
a stigma Of repro1ch, but Their A
Rloiv. In the prosperity Of such union
the Church was fair as the moon,
clear a. the sun. and terrible a. an army
with banners in the eyes Of her devoted
millions. | used the quotation from the
syliabus ~ definitely stating the iuiaioie
doctrine upon the subject Of the union Of
Church and state. 'rbc view Is sustained
by other statements made by the Pope 10 the
syllabus. what Is palmer than this-No. 81 A.:
" The Church has not the power OF ayaihng
herself Of force, or any direct o. indirect
temporal power" The condemnation OF
This as AT error is the papsl commentator OF
the opposite No. 70 . Every man Is Tree
10 embrace and profess The religion he shall
/ believe true, guided by the light oi reason
/ An Bmericans say yes but the Pope pro-
n0unccs and denOunces Tbs % On error. No
mctaphyslcal distinction can uresk the mean.
inc Of these uiterances or reverse tue his
tory u centuries. What is written II writ
ten. The p,pal conduct is Che best inter-
prefer OF papal belief. But only desired 10
correct The accusation OF the Bishop 10
charging me with making false quotltpu>.
.Scc0pdiu The Bishop says: ." / am Ro-
man Catholic. | am q Roman Catholic
bishop. ana here from thi, altar boldly pro.
claim that ! am opposed 10 the union OF
Church and state, and never wish TO see IL
in this land OF the free. l hone That such a
union Will never be BROUGHT about
| in this gloriou, republic Of the Wcs ."
! This noble uiterauce but confirms the posi-
/ ton | took in NV address before the cons
/ grese, that American freedom has an educa.
/ tiOns force. DO not question the sincerity
/ Of the Bishops statement. | hope he VIII
proclaim II from every altar In every land
where a kind Providence may direct bis lot.
/ Bot there is a difference Ia the way 10 which
| different men assent % the same verbal
statement. / believe in the pTiacip'c OF
! separation OF Church and state In this and
/ in every other country u the wOrlI-bc It
1 Protestant, Papal. or Pagan. Another may
| hold n, not ~ a universal principe, but a. a
wise cxpedient-the best thing under all the
/ circumstances. II is an article OF "faith y
| WITH one advocate, IL Is an "0p'nlon" with
another. Suppose the Roman POnt,h should,
| iu The exercise OF that power which is ms
| sole prrrogaiiyc cover the UnivcIal
| Church IA all things which relate to the dis
! cipline and government OF the Church
1 spread throughout the w0rd,' authorize
| lively decide that IL would be best for th.
/ Church's sake to bc united with tae
! United States, what would the Bishop
| be compelled t0 dof Would he Ie-
nounce bis present "0pipon" and accept
/ the decree 0f siaiih" made bY the Holy
| FatberY Tue uobly-eXpressed view OF the
! Bishop i but an opinion which. az The Pope
! decree, might easily give way and be- entire
| ly reversed.
/ Would The Bishop allow me 10 ask him
/ whether, II ne were citizen OF Rome, be
/ would urge .he continued separation OF the
papal States from the papal See and 80 pre-
/ vent the union Of Church and state IN
! ROmcY Would the Bishop from the altar OF
! ST. Peters take the same ground there fol
/ the continued separation OF Church and
state in Rome a. be has done in Richmond
In France some OF the buterost opp0ser'
| Of the present republic are found among the
! clergy. The more devoted % Rome tb,
more hostile to the French republic which
/ has wisely or unwiscly so cuttl'eu clcrloa
power. II the Bishop were a citizen Of
/ France would he side with The rcpuuhc Oh
! with the Church, which considers herself 8,
sggriNed by the Entertainments OF the civil
rulers?
put these questions not as questioning
the Bishops hearty utlerance, but desiring
to know the extent Of the principle, whether
indeed II is q principle ora policy. nm
sure he reioiccS with me at the dlsc>taOlish
ment Of the Protestant Church in Ireland.
believe, too, tia, he would be Willing To sec
the Church 81 England separated from The
state. Would he urge thc separation OF The
Church from the STATEN all Catholic countries
/ where Such union uoN cNloiAf >haii re-
gard Il rs the hAsbinger Of better day for
the world II Bishop liaiu will announce and
endorse the principle of separation complete
| and forever between the Church protestant
or Catholic snd the state IN all countries IN
which such union now exists. Such an eX
| precision Is more desirable for those COM
tries where this evil exists than for tin.
country, who're no such union exists or can
exist without the destruction Of the basal
principle OF our republic l shall rejoice
M concurring answer from the Bishop.
Wishing you aud all your readers, the hons
Orcd Bishop among The number, a happy
/ Christmas. / am &c.,
HENRY MCDONALD.
Atlanta, Ga.
Marriage Mt Hampton siduey.