The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-28
DR.. WENDTE'S LETTER.
He Congratulates Himself and OPP
ponent on the Prospects of an
AmiCable Conclusion,

pOnent on the Prospects or an
Amicable Conclusion.
Rev. Charles w. Wendte, in his latest
communication to the Examiner, in the
controversy with Rev. Father Yorke, con-
graduates himself and his opponent upon
the prospect of the discussion ending las
amicably as it began He thinks that of
the great value of the discussion in pre-
senting true Protestant, true Catholic and
true American doctrine for the clearing of
mems minds there can be no doubt. Fol
lowing, he says:
will now examine a few of the principal
pleas made by Father Yorke in defense of his
church. But first he asks me to sustain GER
tain of my direct charges against it by other or
better proof. ! will crafty him. To begin
with, the question of regicide. He denies my
assertion that the Jesuits have taught it as a
Justitiable act. am surprised at his boldness
in denying what is so generally admitted and
known and can be so easily proven. Thus Su-
areZ, TO whom my opponent especially refers,
in his work, "De Fide' Qib. vi, cap. A., argues
that when the preservation of the state requires
1t the nation may depose its sovereign, and
may, II necessary, depute any person to kill
him. This is especially true of an heretical
prince, for heresy annuls his title to the throne.
Still, as the Pope is arbiter of these questions
sentence of deposition should precede rebel
lion. To deny that the Pope could inflict such
penalties on hcretics no matter what their
~
To deny that death is natural punishment
for heresy is to assail the whole system of per-
seeution which the church has organized. But
Suarez maintains that the deposed king can
only be killed by those whom the Pope has
especially authorized. Isl papa regem deponat
alb ills tantum poterit expeln vel interfci
quibus ipse id commiserit.)
The Jesuit Mariana is even more outspokep
on this subject. In his book "De Rege ct
Regio Institutione,' Ebri III, Nogunt 1905
book l, chapters L to D, he treats especially of
the 6epOSifioO M Of
there IS no possibility of popular rebellion
every private person has the right to kill such
a one, not only by open violence, but by secret
means, as, for instance, by poison. Like
ferocious monster, he is to be the quarry of
everybody. (Omnium tells exagitardum statuas
quasi condele monslrum tells incubans."-Ch.
8, p. So
Mariana speaks with great appreciation of
the Iyrannieides of antiquity, and relates with
evident admiration tie recent assassination of
Henry III of France by the Dominican, Gle
ment-a "monimentum MOBILIZE as he terms
his deed. He tells how this young Dominican
impelled by religious enthusiasm and having
church, had contrived to obtain an interview
with the King, and had stabbed him to dea III
with poisoned knife and himself fell beneath
the swords OF the attendants. "Thus," he says,
did Clement perish, as many deem the eter-
nal honor of France higher might
confirming his courage and strength"
"Happy, indeed, were it for mankind If there
were many OF such unf1inching resolutions as
to sacrifice life and happiness for the liberty of
their country, etc (eh. 6, p. 60). Earlier
than Mariana, a Jesuit whose literary pseu-
dOnym was Rainod, justified tyrannicide in
his Ode Justa Republice Christiane in reyes
impios ct hareticos auctoritate," issued in
and the King of Spain. Concerning heretical
kings, he says: "Such @ one is the greatest
criminal among men, and, according TO Holy
Writ, must be put to death" etc.
DR.. Wendte quotes the Jesuit Molina,
Keller, Services and others on the same
lines and saws:
In this connection I may mention that ac-
cording to the eminent and trustworthy Ger
man church historian, DR.. Karl Hase, in the
principal college OF the Jesuits at Paris pic
Huguenot King Henry " as being dragged
down to hell by demons while his assassin.
Ravaillac, was being lifted to heaven by an
gels.
Still insisting upon his belief in the ut
terra ice of Bellarmine to which Father
Yorke takes exception, DR.. Wendte with
draws it because of his inability to locate
the expression in the authors voluminous
works, and continues:
See how handicapped my opponent is by the
necessity he is under of clinging. to the doc
trine OF his church, ''Semper idem."
How easy it would be for him to saw: ssThis
intolerance OF Aquinas, Bellarmine, Suarez
and all the rest was once the universal doc
trine of the church, but it was hateful wrong
and '1nonstrous' The church to-day is wiser
humaner. better than it was hundreds of wears
ago. To the modern and enlightened Catholic
conscience such ferocious sentiments and acts
we're enjoined by medieval Popes, councils
and theologians are abhorrent We have out
grown them"
testant would have no argument, but would
confess that his own spiritual ancestry was also
intolerant and cruel.
But this dogma of "always and everywhere
the same" prevents any such frank ayowal on
the part OF Roman Catholic churchmen It
would be the first step to acknowledging that
that church can change and improve that she
is not infallible. So Father Yorke is handi-
capped at the outset, and l must say with such
odds against him he makes a clever showing
and runs good race.
In conclusion Rev. Mr.. Wendte saws:
l cannot to-day reply to that part of nv on
ponents defense which bears on the problem
of church and state. 1t will need g. separate
and ] hope, so far as l am concerned, a final
article. But l must hasten in closing to ex-
press to Father Yorke my sincere qualification
and delight at his frank and manful answer to
my searching question concerning his own
personal relations TO the state. This contro-
versy was not undertaken in vain if it ONLY
eventuated in this notable, aud to many, no
doubt, surprising confession: 1.-The constitu-
ton and laws of these United States [ have
sworn to uphold and / would uphold them
against any Pope"
l shake hands heartily with you, Father
Yorke, on that sentiment, which / echo with
all my heart. whether or not it is consistent
with the teachings of your church, it does
credit to your good sense. your courage and
your patriotism. For, as said in my original
article on church and state in this series
people. are rarely consistent in such matters,
and it is fortunate for human society that this
is so.
We accept Father Yorke as a true patriot
therefore. His declaration establishes the
point made in my recent letter that the infu-
ence of our free American spirit our political
institutions and the Protestant principles that
underlie them, were making themselves
felt in Roman Catholic circles, and
even among the Catholic clergy. Hence
forth we enroll in our grateful recogni-
ton Father Yorke with Father Ducey, Father
MeGlynn, Bishop Ireland and other broad
churchmen and patriotic citizens of Roman
CATHOLIC confession. "May their tribe in
crease" May the Roman Catholic lalty take
the lesson to heart May they earn from this
brave and outspoken utteraEce that the state
Is above the church in all that concerns tenn
poral affairs, and that the decision as to what
constitutes temporal affairs rests not with the
church, but with the civil tribunals of the
state. CHARLES w. WENDTE,
Minister Unitarian Church.
Oakland, January %, 1896.
There are more than twenty species of