Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-29
VATICAN COUNCIL.
Some Interesting "reminiscences BY
Cardinal Gibbons.
PEH-pICTURES OF NOTED pRELATES.
The Gathering which Assembled In Rome
In December, 1S80--The Present Pope,
Cardinal Manning, and Others

Cardinal Gibbons has an article in the
April number of the North American
Review on Personal "reminiscences OF
the Vatican Council" The article is In
part as follows:
II happened to be the youngest bishop
that attended the council OF the Vatican.
and while my youth and inexperience I'M
posed on me a discreet silence among
my elders, ! do not remember TO nave
missed single session. and was an atten-
tive listener at all the debates.
when the council was convened In
Rome December s. 1869. the Catholic
bishops OF Chrlstendom, resident and titu-
lar. amounted to about 1000. AT an early
stage of the council the number of pre-
lates in attendance was 7S7. Europe was
represented by ia prelates, North ana
South America by 49, Asia BY 50. Africa
by II. and Oceanica by l3 bishops.
Every continent, every island OF Inn
portance, every nation on the face OF
the globe except Russia was represented
by its hierarchy. The bishops kneeling
together around the altar in the council
chamber could exclaim with truth In the
language OF the Apocalypse: Thou mast
redeemed us. O Lord. 10 God in Thy
blood out Of every tribe and tongue and
people and nation
NO prelates attracted more general at
tention than the venerable patriarchs ana
bishops of the East. / may here observe
that the Oriental Christians comprise TWO
classes. the schismatics. who separated
from the Catholic Church chiefly in the
fourth and fifth. and ninth centuries,
and who are not now In communion WIN
the see of Rome. and the orthodox CHRIS
tians. who acknowledge the judicial SUI
premacy Of the Pope. Only The latter
had representatives at the council. though
the former had also been invited by nus
TX. but chose to decline These venerable
prclates had nothing In common win
their western colleagues except their ialth.
Their peculiar rites and ceremonies, thelr
Uturgical and popular language, their
dress and long flowing boards stamped
them with a personality all their own.
Some Of them recalled TO mind the patrl-
archs Of old OF whom we read IN the
Sacred Scriptures, and they might SIT for
q Moses or an Aaron.
'The Eastern Christians In communion
with the Holy See are divided INTO the
following rites:
",rhc Greek Rite itself, subdivided into
Pure Greek. Italian Greek, Rouihaniah'
Bulgarian. Ruthenian, Melchlie Greek
'''rhe Chaldean Rite.
'rhe Syrian Rite
''The Syro- Msroni;e.
The Syro- Malabar.
'The Coptic. subdivided into Coptic
proper and Coptic Ethiopian.
FROM THE CRADLE OF THE RACE
"The Orientals came from the banks of
the Tigris and Euphrates. the cradle OF
the human family; from the banks OF the
Jordan. the cradle of Christianity, and
from the banks of the Nile the nome
of the Oldest historic civilization. Ihey
came from Chaldea, from the lands or
the Medes Persians. and Abyssinlahs'
from Mossul, built near the site OF an
cient NineVah, and from Bagdad, FOUNDED
not far from the ruins OF Babylon. They
assembled from Damascus and Mount
Libanus. and from the Holy Land, sane
tilted by the footprints Of our blessed
Redeemer. What a spectacle they pre-
scented. what reverence they excited.
I'nchangable as the hills and valleys OF
their native soil, they wore the same tur-
ban. and the same pale and thoughtiul
countenances which their fathers wore IN
the DAYS of John the Baptist and they
exhibited the same simplicity of manners
that Abraham did nearly 1900 years ago,
when he fed his hocks in the valley of
Mamre and gave hospitality 10 angels.
ENGLISH-SPEAKING BISHOPS.
1.-THE Vatican Council incidentally af-
fords us a most striking and gratifying
evidence OF the growth OF our language
among the nations of the earth during
Of he.
responding expansion of the Catholic re-
ligion throughout the English-speaking
world We can form just estimate OF
this increase by comparing the number or
English speaking bishops who attended
the Vatican Council with the number or
the same tongue at the Council OF Trent,
which assembled $50 years ago.
AT the Council OF Trent tho whole
continent of America was without
single representative. having been dis
covered only fifty years before. Oceanica
was then a terra incognita. There was
no bishop from Scotland. England sent
one prelate and Ireland three TO that
council. consequently there were only
four English-speaking representatives at
the Tridentine Synod.
"At the Vatican Council there was an
English episcopate numbering upwards OF
40 members. Prelates speaking our
tongue assembled in Rome from England,
Ireland, and Scotland, from the United
States and Canada form Oceanica, the
East Indies, and Africa. Daniel Webster,
In speech in the United States Senate.
speaks OF England as a power which has
dotted the surface OF the whole globe
with her possessions and military posts,
whose morning drum-beat following the
sun and keeping company with the hours,
circles the earth with one continuous and
unbroken strain Of the martial airs OF
England
I'VE may not less confidently affirm
that wherever floats the British or Ameri-
can flag, aye. wherever the English Ian.
guage is spoken, there also is raised aloft
the banner of salvation, and there, too.
is announced in our own familiar and
noble tongue the gospel Of peace and re-
Cancellation. And l venture to hazard the
prediction that at the next Ecumenical
Council, IL held within fifty years the
representatives Of the English language
will equal, If they do not surpass in num>
bers. those OF any other tongue.
LEADERS IN THE GATHERING.
'Tn every deliberative body, both civil
and religious. there Is always found
select number who come to the front
and are conspicuous among their COM
peers by their acquired reputation, their
ability, or their eloquence. Inc vatican
Council was no exception to this rule.
Among the prelates who took promi-
nent part In the debates l will single out
"A few who impressed me as recognized
leaders In the assembly, though / may
say in passing that there were present
many silent Solons like the venerable
Archbishop McCloskey. Of New York. and
the present Bishop of Buffalo. whose
voice was not heard I'm the council hall,
but whose influence was felt In the COM
mittees.
THE LATE CARDINAL MANNING.
Cardinal Manning was unquestionably
the most attractive figure among the
episcopate of England. His emaciated
form and ceaseless activity suggested a
playful remark made 10 him in my hear
ing by Archbishop Spalding L know not |
how your Grace can work so much, for |
you neither eat nor drink nor sleep He |
delivered the longest Grafton In the coun- |
Gil. and yet II hardly exceeded an hour. |
which is evidetce Of the usual brevity Of |
the speeches.
''rhe question IS commonly put In Amer
lea. How long did he speak, In Europe |
they ask: What did he say? Cardinal |
Mannings discourse was a most logical |
and persuasive argument, and. like all |
rhetorical ornament, and from any effort |
TO arouse the feelings or emotions. II |
was scriptural and historical treatise,