The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-12-22
IN ALL ITS DETAILS
Something More About the Latest
Encyclical of the Pope and the
Causes For 1t.
BIBLE PRONOUNCED INSPIRED

In Whole and in Detail, and If Science Is
at Variance with Its Teachings, Then
1t Is Science That Is at Fault-The Con-
the Document.
ROME, Dec. 14.-The pontifical en-
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 i'm
portance. The Latin text is very ex-
tended and does not occupy less than 90
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
encycllcal, II 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 Paris. 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 NJ. Loisy, concerning
the teachings of sacred books in the
same institute. M. Loisy claimed, in
brief, that the object of IA church is
to teach moral ideas, to turn men to-
wards that which is good, and to
conduct him to salvation. In conse-
quence, one 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, fol
US to state that the deluge could moi
have happened scientifically under the
conditions described in the Bible, so long
as the Biblical description had rs a re.
suit the Improvement of man and the
spread of morality? 1t seems useless t.
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 tn,
pope should pronounce himself ex
cathedra. Doubt had arisen on tn,
points of the Genesis and on more THAI
one of the parts of the Biblical COS
mogony, which are no longer in accort
with physical truth or with scientific
facts recently acquired. The professor.
Of theology experienced the need O
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 g,
to Rome i'll order to plead before tn
pope the aust which he sustained in hi
pamphlet.
True in Whole and In Detail.
The pope res ed to end the debat
by al encyclicaI. the substance of which
has already been cabled. He has dissi
pated all doubts expressed by the recto
of the Catholic Institute of Paris, Mgr
d'Hutst. and by the professor Of tina
institute, NJ. Loisy, i'll declaring tina
the sacred books are inspired i'll tn
whole and in the detail, and that if, il
certain points, they seem to be out o
accord with science, this is either TIT
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 il.