The record-union., 1894-08-04
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
ligious Newspapers
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed III the sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

'On the FOurth OF july, at WaShlng-
ton, number of prominent men, parish
! toner's of st. Joseph's Church, Peterson,
n. j., met Mgr. Satolli to request him to
settle difference between themselves
and their rector. We have no
doubt of the final result in this case,
| judging from the results In former SINH
lar cases." says the New York Church
man (P. E.). "The American gentlemen
who spent their Fourth of July in solicit
ing an audience from an Italian clergy
man will be kept waiting suitable sea-
son and will finally be compelled to sub
nit absolutely to the will of the Papal
Ablegate. That is what he is here for.
His decisions are final. The Pope. over
and over again, has approved his course.
There is no other choice for members OF
the Roman Church but submission. But
what a spectacle! American citizens
cooling their heels in the ante-cham ber
OF foreign priest, and obtaining an un-
gracious interview only after humiliat-
ing delayi American citizens bending
before the authority of an Italian who
cannot even converse with them in their
own tongue! American citizens eagerly
and painfully deciphering a curt letter
their duty! American citizens quietly
abiding by the decision Of an unnatural
lied foreign intruder, who does not even
trouble himself to learn the language OF
the people whose affairs he comes to ad-
judicate, although a school boy could
have learned English in the time this
doctor of the church has been resident in
the nited StateS.o
Speaking of the Pope's appeal for
church union, the New York I7ldepe1ld-
eRt says: "Now what answer have Prot
estants to make TO that? They must an
swer that what is asked of them is that
they accept the primacy and authority OF
a man who is Bishop at Rome, and that
their best intelligence and their best
scholarship tell them that Christianity
has nothing TO do with any mans pri-
macy, with the supremacy OF any See or
with the succession of any ecclesiastcs.
They have read their Bible, and they
have studied the history OF the early
church with as much zeal, earnestn ess
and desire to know the truth, with as
much openness of mind, and with as
little prejudice as have Pope Leo and his
college of cardinals. If they are wrong,
they are wrong Notwithstanding study
and prayer; and they believe they have
the Spirit OF God. To them it is nonsense
to put the weight of all primacy and in
fallibility and Vaticanism upon the
verse, Thou art Peter They are salts
fed with the kingdom of God, which
Is righteousness and peace and 10y In the
Holy Ghost, and, following st. Paul,
they refuse TO submit to the authority of
any modern st. Peter, because they be-
lieve that Christianity is liberty from
and not subordination to any formal
elements. We thank the Pope for his
affectiOnate interest. We believe in his
sincerity we see in his invitation not a
bit of the cunning of the spider invita-
ton to the fly. But we tell him that
with a great price we have obtained our
freedom, and we propose to stand fast to
it; and that we believe that the future
of the world and its present influence
and power, under the guidance of the
Divine Spirit. are with Professionalism
rather than with Cathoiicity.o
1.-The Supreme Court of Alabama has
recently decided that bequest to pro-
vide for the celebration of masses for q
departed soul is null and void, on the
ground that there is no living benefi-
ciary of the trust. No doubt ;" says the
LiU3ng Church (P. E. of Chicago, this
will give great satisfaction to those
whose anti-Roman feeling prevents them
from observing what is involved in such
decision. In the first place 1t is plainly
declaration that the Christian belief
that those who have departed this life are
still among the living is false; that, as a
consequence, the Catholic belief that
prayer may be profitably offered for
those who are thus living is unground
ed. 1t is, we imagine, an unprecedented
thing for our courts to pronounce in this
way upon the truth or falsity of matters
of religious faith. Even the secular pa
pers have drawn attention to the ques-
tionable character of this decision, and
one of them has remarked that it would
make it impossible to provide by will