The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-03-25
THE IDQUISlTION.
Bishop .Kaiu's Third Lenten
Lecture Yesterday,
THE STEPS AGAINST HERESY,
Under the Early Christian Emperors'
IIeresy Regarded as IL Crime
Against the State as Well as
Against the Church.

Against the State as Well us
Against the Church.
AS anticipated, the Cathedral was
again crowded, last evening, Bishop
Kahn having announced that his third
lecture would be on 'The Inquisition,"
In his Introduction, the Bishop alluded
to certain not uncommon mistakes made
in reference to moth the origin and the
purpose OF the InquisitiOn as a tri-
buual OF the church, Even Prescott
attributes its institution to st, Dominic,
who was dead before its establishment
in 1929; whilst many seem TO imagine
that it was created for the special pur-
pose Of dealing with Professionalism and
Its adherents.
The Bishop Contended that itgrew out
of the ideas universally entertained by
Christian nations respecting heresy, and
that its object was not merely to dis
cover and punish the guilty, but also to
shield the innocent u~njustly accused.
Those familiar with the codes sanction
ed and followed for century after CEN
fury in all Christian lands, know that
heresy was regarded as u crime against
the State us well us against religion, and
the civil legislation against it was based
on this construction, All Protestant
nations adopted the same view, and
most of them carried it into prac'
teal operation with a striCtness not
Celled by any Catholic nation.
But, as Hallam and Dollinger both in
sist, the heretiCs OF the twelfth and
thirteenth centuries were all infected
with the detestable principles OF Mani
Cheism, which were inimical to all 30.
Ciety, and
DESTRUCTIVE OF ALL MORALITY.
This accounts for the specially severe
legislation Of the thirteenth century,
and the erection OF thOtribunal OF the In.
QUESTION. "Had these seCts triumphed,"
says DR., Dollinger, "the consequences
would have been general ruin, a return
TO barbarism and heather liCentiousnes."
Their conviction was not easy, since they
admitted the lawfulness OF resorting to
any kind Of deception to evade detection.
Amongst them hypocrisy was regarded
us a virtue, II under its mantle they
could escape the punishment deCreed
against them. 1t was the instinct OF
self.preservatiOn that dictated recourse
10 the most elIeCtual means Of bringing
to light these enemies Of Ceristian sOCie.
ty, whilst u sense Of justice required
every measured OF security to be taken in
favor Of the innocent. This was the two.
fold object OF the lnQuisitiOn formally
established by the Council Of Toulouse
in 1920. Upon il. is fashioned our own
Grand Jury, or Court OF Inquisition. In
every parish n priest and two or three
laymen were deputed TO investigate
cases Of suspected hGresy and report the
same to the proper authorities. The
Bishop maintained hat these Courts OF
InQuisition, us approved by the church,
cannot be Justly charged with undue Sc
verify; not that instances OF extreme
rigor may not have occurred; but these
were indeed comparatively rare. In fact,
their lenienCy and tendency to mercy
rather than to justice cannot be denied.
1t is TO the lnquisition that Europe
owed its preservation from moral evils
which, II unchecked, would have oblit-
Grated every yestige Of civilization,
Therefore the christian world owes to
the Pope, who, through this institution,
averted SO dire a calamity
A EBT OF LASTING GRATITUDE.
But so widespread were the ramifca.
tons OF those impious and disgusting
heresies that a whole century passed be-
fore their thorough suppression. Then
for Il century and q half, VIC scarcely
hear OF the InQuisition, although it still
continued in nominal existence.
1t was on November !, 1873, that Pope
Sixtus ~, at the urgent and repeated
solicitations OF Ferdinand and Isabella,
sanctioned the establishment OF the in.
QUESTION in Spain. But, in giving the
sanction, he supposed it would be car
ried on upon the principles OF justice
and mercy, Coniormably To the rules
already laid down and followed in pre-.
vious courts Of inQuisitions. That he
had been deceived, his many and bitter
demonstrations against the Spanish in
QUESTIONS abundantly proved. That
Spain in those days contained within her
borders many dangerous elements, no
historian pretends to deny. The Moors
were still in partial possession OF Gran
ada whilst the country was overrun by
JudaiSing Christians who were charged
with hostility to tho throne and secret
alliances with its enemies. Under m
appearance OF CatholiCity, numbers we're
known 10 be IN reality still attached to
their ancient faith. These were said TO
pervade all the higher walks Of life. This
explains why the InQnisitlon which was
directed to their DETECTION, was odtOus
to the nobility, hut
POPULAR WITH TIE MASSES.
No other proof OF the severity and
even cruelty very often exercised to.
wards the victims brought before these
tribunals can be required than the |
strong and repeated eXpostNlations nd.
dressed 10 the Spanish monarOhs by,
not only Sixtus ", but his successors,
Innocent VIII and Alexander vi. They
used the whole power Of their high
office to mitigate the rigors OF the pro.
Ceedings Of the Spanish officials; for the
lnquisitiOn in Spain was more OF a pOlit-
iCal than Of an ecclesiastical tribunal, all
the officers being entirely subject to the
crown. Those who fled from perseCu.
ton in Spain were kindly and cordially
treated, whenever they made their way
into the papal territories. At one time,
on account Of tho Pope's protestations
against tho undue severity Of tho Span.
ish lnquisitors, the relations between
Spain and Rome were entirely broken
Off and tho ambassadors on both sides
imprisoned, and the King published a
decree threatening with death any one
who dared 10 publish within his dom.
inions
ANY rArAL DOCUMENT ToucIllNd THE IN.
QUESTION.
Thnan hnipU tha unn,nuiionad fnrIH NJ