The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-12-13

IL Ia Science That IL MT Fault--The Com
troversy May BE Opened ms a Result OF
the Document.
ROME, Dec. 13.-The pontifical IN
cyclical upon Bible studies, some de-
tails of which have already been cabled,
Is attracting considerable attention in
ecclesiastical circles from the fact that
it is a document of the most capital inn
portance. The Latin text is very ex-
tended and does not occupy less than 20
columns of a large sized newspaper.
Even from a literary point of view, the
encyclical has great value, for it is
written in choice Latin of the most ele-
waited tone.
Cause of the Controversy.
In order to appreciate the scope of this
encyclical, it is necessary to revert to
the causes which have rendered it neces-
sary. This recalls the controversy
caused by a pamphlet written by Mgr.
dHutst. rector of the Catholic institute
of Pans, in which it was sustained that
the points of the creed book which
should be considered as inspired are only
those which concern the dogma and the
articles of faith. This pamphlet was
written in defense of the doctrines
which had already been propounded in
the same sense by M. Loisy, concerning
the teachings Of sacred books in the
same institute. NJ. Loisy claimed, in
brief, that the object of q church is
to teach moral ideas, to turn men to-
wards that which is good, and to
conduct him to salvation. In conse-
quence, n can accept as parallels, able
to contribute to spread of religious
truths and of morality, the portions of
the Bible which, from the chronological
point of view do not agree absolutely
with historical truth or scientific truths.
What would it matter, for example, for
us to state that the deluge could not
have happened scientifically under the
conditions described in the Bible, SO long
az the Biblical description had as q re
suit the improvement of man and the
spread of morality? 1t seems useless to
give more development to the explana-
ton of this controversy.
Necessary to Say Something.
1t is certain that after the noise which
it made it was indispensable that the
pope should pronounce himself ex-
cathedra. Doubt had arisen ON the
points of the Genesis apa~on more than
one of the parts of the Biblical cos
mogony, which are no longer in accord
with physical truth or with scientific
facts recently acquired. The professors
of theology experienced the need OF
hearing an authorized voice which
would Indicate to them the path to fol
low. Mgr. d'Hutst was almost accused
of heresy, and Judged it advisable to &C
to Rome in order to plead before the
pope the cause which he sustained in his
pamphlet.
True In Whole and I'm Detail.
The pope resolved to end the debats
by an encyclical, the substance of which
has already been cabled. He has dissi
pated all doubts expressed by the rector
of the Catholic Institute of Paris, Mgr
d'Hutst, and by the professor of tina
institute, NJ. Loisy, in declaring tina
the sacred books are inspired in thu
whole and in the detail, and that If, il
certain points, they seem to be out D
accord with science, this is either thu
result that these points themselves hav,
been badly interpreted or that science i
mistaken.
1t would not be impossible that thi
encyclical will reopen the controvers,
instead Of closing it.