New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15

a.
fort to upset the tyranny that rested upon them:
The learned world. the world OF politicians anu
theologians was absorbed in the gradual de'eiop-
mont of I.uther's doctrines. in the effort OF the
hierarchy 10 save It's prestige without CONFESS
inc i,s vices and the Jealous labors OF Charies
V ~ keen Christendom united and at the same
time purify the morals Of churchmen
III.
II vos ont Of all these diverse movements that
the Council Of Trent grew into reality. IL was
the distrust which the diversity created 'ha'
made the Council failure. Nobody was sa'is-
fed The Reformers were opposed 10 the ""o'e
machinery Of the Church. The blshops "eie
eager to recover the powers which lhe i"p"N'
had wres.ed from them. Statesmen wisheu ~ 81"
courage the growth Of national leehhs' -''
like Erasmus vainly hoped for peace rope sue
ceedei Pope, and yet the Roman cour' re''aiheu
,,r,ouch.d Rome was sacked by German Luz
therans and Spanish Catholics; poth iac'io"'
,,sd 20 carry ruin into the hated city, and TO
,reo, rho nrinces OF the Church with ribald con-
tempt Only one man In Europe really ieit 'ha'
q council could be Of any use. But that one was
the Emperor Chnrles V. If he tould nave hau
such a council he desired. In winch LAY INC"
IBID no nresent as we'll as bishops with free
MICH, have prevented schism. At least. he
thought 50.
Rut The. Popes could not yield these points.
,rho,. must call the Council. 1t must consist OF
bishops only. and the Papal supremacy must De
a, ,east tacitv conceded Every point was
rought over from the question where the Counci
shoud sit onward through all the maZes OF
doctrine. and through all the camor OF col
dieting interests At its best in point OF numbers
the Council was a mere shadow OF what gen.
cral council OF all the prelates In Europe shouIi
have been The Lutheran divines were Kept
away by subterfuges that reminded them Oh
the fate of Huss Whenever the bishops VINO
were present threatened the Papacy. they were
diverted by doctrinal debates and the congeniai
OCCUPATION OF heresy hunting Meanwhile. oy
u,,,e md little the whole world came to know
what was the matter with the Roman See.
One Pope more daring than the rest set an IN
yeetigating committee at work, and when ne
could not get any further action on the commit
tees report he permitted the document to be
published In Germany. Finally. the Council
after anathematizing oil the Lutheran heresies
and exposing in spite of itself the abuses or the
Church, was dispersed by the approach OF an
army under Maurice Of Saxony.
Froude maintains that Maurice and Charles
Y
the advance OF the former upon Trent was the
only means OF getting rid OF what had become
an intolerable nuisance TO Europe. He defends
the honesty and good intentions of Charles
throughout the whole controversy, and tries TO
show that IL Is only necessary to things
as the Emperor must have seen them in order
10 be convinced of his faithfuness. But he
was hampersd on every side by the ambition
Of Francis I; by the resentment OF Henry VIII:
by the aggressveness Of the Turks In the East
and the pirates in the Mediterranean: by the
disputes Of theologians and cunning diplomacy
OF Popes. Above all, it must be remembered
that his power as Emperor was matter OF
the Imagination rather than OF fact IL his
subjects yielded him obedience he was power
full; II they withheld IT, no man was weaker
than ne in Germany. His military strength
was In Spain, and much az the Spanish hated
Rome they hated heresy more. He did his
best to prevent the division Of the Church.
Though he failed In this yet his efforts brought
about results greater than he had anticipated.
His conciliatory method saved much for the
ancient Church, to which he was loyal. 1t also
opened the eyes OF the world to abuses which
had to be done away with. To him. well as
TO the Reformers. Is due the fact that every
one Of the hundred grievances Of Germany,
every one or the ABUSES cOmplalned or by the
English House Of Commons in 1929 has been
long ago swept away. and SO completely that
their very existence Is now forgotten"
This forgetfulness on the part OF modern his
torians is one Of the things Of which Froude
complains He quotes some as saying that 'the
Reformation settled nothing" On the contrary
In his opinion It setted everything that could be
settled Everywhere. in Catholic countries, as
In Protest ant. the practices have been abandoned
which the laity rose then 20 protest against
Popes longer depose princes. dispense with
oaths or absolve subjects from their allegiance
Appeals not any more carried to Rome from
the national tribunals. nor justice sold there to
the highest bidder The clergy have ceased to
pass laws which bind the aity and to enforce
them with spiritual censures Feonious priests
suffer for their crimes like unconsecrated NOR
tails. Too Jealous prelates cannot call poor crea-
lures before them ex-oflcio. cross-queston them
on their beliefs. fine. imprison. or burn them at
the stake. ExcOmnunications are kept In bounds
by the law OF libel. ltnerant pardon-venders no
longer hawk through Europe their Improbable
wares. Cardinals cannot add see to see
that they may have princes revenues or private
clergy buy benefices as they would buy farms
and buy along with them dspensations to neg
lect their duties" Above all. he adds. the world
has learned that 'snen can disagree in religion
without wishing todestroy each ott 80