The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
Pre-Reform ntion England.

lsh true that. before the rejection 81 the Roman
jurisdiction by Henry VIII. the Catholic Church
had last itS hold on the affection and the ir,cIl-
gcncc Of the Enpish people This question J.,
answered IN the negative nv H.. Francis Aidan
GaSquct IN volume entitled The Ere OF he
Information Putnsms), Tn" book dos not
profess TO be a history Of the English Rcforn,a-
ZION. OF even to oncr a consecutive narrative II
the religious movements in England during III,
sixteenth century. II merely presents a series
OF studies the collective aim Of which is 10 in.
dictate the position OF the Church in the eyes Of
the nation at large Just before the Reformation
began, To exhibit the attitude Of mrn's minis
10 the Roman ecclesiastical system as they knew
H. ami TO set forth what regard To religion they
were dong, and saying, and thinking about
when the change came upon them Information
on these subjects is still difficult to get and the
Work before us is designed to supply sonc cyl.
dencc concerning them The author does M,
deny that in many things there was need NJ
reform. This was recognized by the stauncbes,
sons OF the Church; and the Council OF Trent
itself affords proof In its DEGREES that BY the high
est authorities IL was Acknowledged that every
effort must he made TO purify the ecclesiastical
system from abuses superstiiions and scandals
WHICH In 'hc course OF the long ages OF its cx-
istence, had sprung from its contact with the
rulers and ministers
DR.. Gasquct denies, however TINT tho
movement for reform began at Trent ar
was simply the outcome OF a terror insni,,L
by the wholesale detection Of nations Under thc
influence OF the Lutheran revolt lie points ont
'ha' INC need Ind been long recognized by the
most devoted sons OF the Church There L,J
long been those who had been designated ms tho
"moroso Cardinals who saw whittier things wer.
tending. and str0ve 10 the uinlos: Of their pov,,
to avert the threatened catastrophe ,Jnnss.,
mas shown that, in the middle Of the fifteenth
century, Tor instance, Nicolas Of Cusa initiated
reforms In Germany, with tho approval, II no,
ny INC positive injunction, Of the Pope lis
REFORMS however were founded on the principle.
not OF destruction but OF publication and re-
newa' Holding thatit was not for men to ca ango
what was holy, but for tho holy to change man "
he began by reforming himself end prcechin-
by example. lie restored discipline and c,rcrIv
welcomed tho revival Of learning and the invcn.
hon OF printing as the most powerful auxillaTics
OF true religion His projects Of genera ccclesins
Teal reform presented 10 Plus H. arc pronounced
admirable, Without wishing to touch tho or
ganization Of the Church he desired fun and
drastic reformation in head and members" This
purpose obviously differed from the aim of those
who attacked tho Church under the leadership
OF Luther and his followers The object of I'M,
latter was not the removal and publication n,
abuses, but the overthrow Of the existing rc
ligious system. DIR Gasquet insists that in tho
half century preceding A. u, 1917. or even 1921
no one drcamt OF changing the basis OF the Chris
tian religion as II was then understood The
most earnest sons Of the Church, indeed did ma,
hesitate To denounce this or that abuse but thev
never intended that their work should under inc
the edihcc. such an outcome Of their efforts wss