The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-24

the spirit of Gcd who guides her. the doc
trlne contained in proposition xviii, Of the
ana approved by the church should be sub
m1tted to examination, as if the church
could frame a code of laws useless or heavier
than human liberty can bear
But, beloved son. in this present matter of
winch we are speaking. t, ere is even great
Ell danger and NOSE manifest opposition to
Catholic doctrine ard discipline in that opn-
Ion Of the lovers of novelty. according to
which they held such liberty should be al
lowed in the church that her supervision and
watchfulness being in some sense lessened,
allowance be granted the faithful each one
to follow out more freely the leading of his
own mind and the trend of his own proper
activity: They are Of the opinion that such
liberty has its Counterpart in the newly-gv
civil freedom which is now the right and the
foundation of almost every secular state
In the apostolic letters concerning the
constitution Of states. addressed by us to the
bishops of the whole church we discussed
this point at length, and there set forth the
difference existing between the church. which
Is q divine society and all other social and
human organizations which depend simply
upon the free Will and choice of men.
1t is well then. to particularly direct at
tention to the opinion which serves as the
argument in behalf of this greater liberty
sought for and recommended to Catholics
LICENSE AND LIBERTY.
1t is alleged that now the Vatican can de-
cree concerning the infallibIe teaching au-
thority of the Roman pontiff, having been
proclaimed that nothing further on that score
can give any solicitude. and accordingly.
since that has been Safeguarded and put be.
yond question, wider and freer field both for
thought and action lies open to each one
But such reasoning is evidently faulty, since,
If ye are to come to any conclusion from
the infallihle teaching of the church. it should
rather be that no one should wish to de,
part from it, and, moreover, that the minds
of all being leayened and directed thereby
greater security from private error would
be enjoyed by all. And, further, those who
avail themselves of such way OF reasoning
wisdom OF the most high-which wisdom,
since it was pleased to set forth by most
solemn decision the authority and supreme
teaching rights of this apostolic see-willed
that decision precisely in order to safeguard
the minds of the church's children from the
dangers Of these present times.
cense with liberty, the passion for discussing
and pouring contempt upon any possible sub,
1ect the assumed right to hold whatever opin,
ions one p!eases upon any subject and to set
them forth In print to the world, have so
wrapped minds in darkness that there is now
a greater need of the church's teaching OF,
nee me- IMAM ever before, lest people become I'M
mlndful both OF conscience and of duty
we, 1ndeed. have no thought of rejecting
everything that modern industry and study
nave produced; SO far from It that we wei,
overwhelming scope of public WE'LL being
whatsoever helps toward the progress of
learnlnS and virtue. Yet all of this to be
OF any solid henef1t-nay, to have a real ex
istence and growth, can only be on the con
diton of recognizing the wisdom and an
thority of the church go
SCRIPTURAL ADMoNITIoNs
Coming now to speak of the conclusions
which have been deduced from the ahova
opinions, and for them, we readily believe
there was no thought of wrong or guile. vet
the things themselves certainly merit soma
degree of suspicion. First, all external guild
ance is set aside for those souls who are
superhuous, or indeed not useful in any