The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-08
The United States Will
Mold SOciety's Form.
identification with Dynastic
Parties a Mistake.
Careful Preparations Tor the
New Evolution.
Cardinal Lavigerie Sounds the Note
OF Warming.

ROME. April Cardinal Lavigerie's
toast at Algiers and the events which
rapidly followed that striking utterance
are still much discussed in church circles.
Everything clearly indicates the decided
drift of the catholic church toward modern
democracy. But those who have enjoyed
the confidence of Pope Leo XIII know
that he has always considered it of prime
importance for the church to free itself
from Identification with the old dynastic
parties. Such Identification he has be-
lieved was the great mistake of the church
in the Latin countries. The clergy in
stead of being national has only been
officially representative of the dynastic
party and the church has, therefore,
suffered with that party as the victim of
popular passions and hatreds.
Especially in France the pope has long
been desirous OF bringing the church into
harmony with the popular party. But it
was necessary to move slowly, so as to
wound royalist and aristocratic suscepti-
bility as little as possible. Preparations
for the new evolutions were carefully
made and when the decisive hour came
Cardinal Lavigerie body struck the new
note.
Leo XIII, ike all men of force, desires
TO rule directly. He studies everything
for himself. All the most important sub
jects he reserves for personal considera-
ton and decision. For instance, he is
now making a careful and systematic
study OF the educational question in the
United States, for whose democratic insti-
tutions he has great admiration. In all
countries the pope has favorite corre-
spondents, upon whose advice he places
special reliance and who are charged with
carrying out his personal policy. In
England it is Cardinal Manning; in Bel
GUM, Cardinal Gossens; in the United
States, Cardinal Gibbons; in the East,
Cardinal Strossmeyer; in Austria, Car
dinal Schonbern; in France, Cardinal
Lavigerie. This body of chosen mer
might be called the general staff of the
pope, by means of which he obtains in
formation and acts.
Thus, when on Oct. last Cardinal Law
igerie arrived in Rome, Leo NH charged
him personally with the important religi-
Gus and political mission of bringing the
church in France into harmony with the
republic. There has been and still is
much discussion as to whether the car
dinaPs toast at Algiers received its impulse
from the prophetic brain OF the pope or
sprung, unpromted, from the ardent soul
of Lavigerie himself. But it is learned
from absolutely trustworthy sources that
the pope had previously not only ex-
pressed a strong desire that the movement
should be inaugurated, but had definitely
instructed the primate OF Africa to give
France the IA lying cry.
Lavigernie's speech brought a storm of
letters 20 they atican. All France grew
excited The bishops clamored for advice,
the old parties protested, the timid people
knew not what to think. While the idea
OF the toast was suggested and approved
BY the vatican, the form it took was not
entirely satisfactory. The ardent prima'e
OF Africa went somewhat beyond bounds
He attacked the old parties and taunted
them with having been In alliance with
Boulangism.
Said Mr.. Pion, with regard to this
point. 'The cardinal has not lived in
alliance with the old parties. He knows
neither their prejudices nor their con-
dit:ons Instead of attacking them he
ought to have coaXed them"
But this vigorous language has its good
side. It made all France understand un-
mistakably that the church intended to
break with the past. There was no more
equivocal meaning. Pope Leo NH said
with regard to this:
"The cardinal has done right. 1t was
necessary to strike great blow in order
to get out OF this condition OF hesitancy
and confusion"
The letter of Cardinal Rampolla to the
bishop of Tourse repeated in a gentler
form the advice given in Algiers. The
African cardinal had spoken as COM
mander, as a general The Roman car
dinal spoke as q diplomatst. They com
peted each other; the royalists praised
the letter. Every one read in it what he
liked to find. A witty cardinal said,
apropos of the many contradictory COM
mentaries:
Cardinal Rampolla's letter is like the
speech of the apostles at Pentecost; every
one thought he heard his own language"
But the blow had struck home. Pro-
tests. to be sure continued to come from
France. Monsigner FreppeI made last,
but useless, attack. The pope overpow-
cred him with civilities. but renewed his
order to cease all opposition and to join
the new movement. In furtherance OF
this cause, Leo XIII, composed the letter
of Cardinal Richard on the social duty OF
catholics. The support OF the whole
episcopal body shows that the work has
been successful. The evolution has
reached its final conservation. It will
come to pass in spite of the opposition
and the passion of parties.
Tine pope sees that the future belongs
to democracy. He has, like Messrs.
Cesar, Cantis and Bonghi, like all cul-
tured Italians, a great admiration for
American democracy. OF which he is a
close student. He is convinced that the
United States Will furnish the form for
the conclusions of European society. as
we'll as ecclesiastical questions. He be-
lieves in the fertile and irresistible disposi-
ton OF the ideas of the new world in the
old world.
All cultured Italians have a strongly
marked historic sense. Leo XIII pos
sesses this in very high degree. He
knows how to distinguish between the in
tellectual and social currents. He believes
sincerely that Europe is marching toward
democracy with republican institutions as
the predestined goal. In his character as
pontiff he dare not say sol nor can he