The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
EnrIish Catholics In Modern Times.

selves and with all nations" NJ. w. H.
EnEIish Catholics In Modern Times.
We are indebted to Mr.. wmFRlD WARD.
author Of William George Ward and the Ok
ford Movement" for the two volumes collective
ly entitled The Life and Times Of Cardinal
Wisenan Nongmans, Green & Co... This book
has been produced at the suggestion of Cardinal
Vaughan. who placed at the authors disposal
the subjects correspondence and other docu-
ments collected by Cardinal Manning and by
Rather Norris who undertook TO compile
a biography. but only lived to complete tho
first chapter. Comprehensive as this work
is. 1t contains only n comparatively brief selec-
tion from Wiseman's large foreign correspond.
ence. the letters chosen being chiefly from DOL
lingsr and from members of the French Episco.
pate on matters of international interest. Tho
long and important political memorandum re-
lating to the movement for Italian unity which
was drawn up and presented by wiseman him.
self to Lord Palmerston in 1s47 is hore pub
lished for the first time. Naturally. 1t 10 the
part OF Wiseman's career that concerns his
work for the Catholic Church In England which
Is dealt with most fully In these pages. The au-
thor is justified in believing that the close bear
ing of Wiseman's work on the progress Of tho
Oxford movement, and it's historical Importance.
viewed in the light OF the dramatic story Of the
English Catholics since the Reformation. will
give this part Of his life an interest even
for readers who are not his co-religionists.
Nicolas Wiseman came to England in 1885.
What was the position Of Catholics in that coun.
try at that time, and how had that position
been modified since the days Of Elizabeth An
answer to the question is indispensable in order
to understand the changes wrought by Wise
man himself, and by Newman. Manning. and
others. Some seventy pages Of tho first volume
of this work are devoted to the romantic story
of the "Papists." as the Catholics came to DO
called in England after the establishment of the
Protestant ascendancy. 1t is the broad features
Of the checkered career Of the English Pap
lists" in its relation to the history OF the English
mind which we shall outline in this notice. re-
serving for another time some account Of
Wiseman's life and the rehabilitation Of Cathol-
icism In England. to which he contributed.
The word "Papist' was used as early as tho
reign Of Henry VIII. The term was then ap-
piled to the very few who stood out against tho
Royal Supremacy. The bulk of the nation. sick
OF strife and conscious or the sovereign's abso-
lutte power, accepted the new LEGISLATION with
little show OF discomfort. Sir Thomas More's
daughter, for instance. Margaret Roper. ac-
cepted the Royal Supremacy with a conscience
clause to save her allegiance to the Papacy. By
the mass Of the people the provisional accept
ance Of the Royal Supremacy does not seem to
have been at first regarded as a decisive act.
Even Bishop Tunstall, who. under Elizabeth.
refused to take the oath of supremacy,
had, In Henry's time, expressly maintained
that TO separation from the Catholic Church
wns involved in 1t. The expectation, in truth.
was general that the quarrel between the King
and tho Pope would be made up. as many O
quarrel had been before. BY the time of
Henry's death. however, the course of events
had thrown more light on the import Of tho
new system, and the religious changes in the
reign Of Edward vi. convinced many that, in
the circumstances of the time. the Royal SUI
premacy involved a permanent breach with
Rome, and led, necessarily. to the dominion of
Professionalism. AS soon as Englishmen began
to identify the cause Of the Catholic theology
with that of the Papal supremacy, the number
Of those known as "Papists" increased. The
danger Of finally breaking with the Papacy was
felt to be a very different thing from protests
against individual Papal en~croachmcnts, a
thing as different as is constitutional agitation
from rebellion. Thus Gardiner, who had ncqui.
esced In the Royal Supremacy In Henry's reign,
now recognized tho justice of the view which
had been taken by Sir Thomas Moro that the
unity of the Church was really at stake. He
declared for the Pope. and probably represented
the prevailing trend Of the English mind at the
time. Prof. Beesly, who has made @ careful
study OF the matter, holds that tho return to
communion with the Catholic Church and the
recognition Of the Pope as its head, which took
place under Queen Mary, gave satisfaction 10
thrce-fourths. perhaps lvo-sixths, of the nation,
and to a still larger proportion of its most
influential class. the great landed proprletors.
It Is certain that the whole system which
had been pursued during Edwards reign
fell with a sudden crash on Mary's &C.
ceSsion. This was q great and unique oppor-
tunity for the old Church. and, had q more con-
~ciliatory policy been adopted, 1t is possible that
the Catholic reaction might have borne perma-
nent fruit. Prof. Beesly thinks that, II Mary
had confronted herself with restoring the old
worship. depriving the few Protestant clergy of
their benefces, and Furnishing only outrageous
attacks on the State religion. Elizabeth would
not have had the power, had she even had the
inclination. to undo her sisters work. Unfor-
~tunately for Catholicism, the martyrdoms
ut Smithfeld, endured by the Protestants with
heroic fortitude. disguised Englishmen anew.
You have lost the hearts Of 10000 that were
rank Papists within these twelve months"
wrote q Protestant to Bonner. Cranmer's exc
cution. enhanced In its effect by his ~fruitless at
tempt to escape by recantation. affected the pop
ular mind most Of all. Tho implacable war de-
clared against heresy. In which not even re-
pentance could save tho victim from the stake,
caused a deem dread Of Roman fanatacism and
Roman power. the effects of which have not on
tirely passed away to this day.
In this state of things tho general relief expo
rienced at Elizabeth's accession invested her,
temporarily. with o peculiar influence. Driven
by stress of circumstances on the Protestant
party for support, she attempted the religious
settlement which Is familiar to all readers of
ancient history. The Council of Trent had not
Yet made Its unRlterable definition OF the issues,
and some modus rirendi did not seem beyond
hope. She made no startling change In the ex.
ternal framework OF the Church. and formula
ries not ultra.Protestan but calculated to
secure. at least, the external conformity
OF all moderate persons who were yearn-
ing for religious peace. were made the basis
of the now settlement. 1t is true that,
for the mass. was substituted the prayer book
of Edward VI, but from this was omitted the
40 nunriotian 81 the ssnataaFahIa anonnItfo. "a