The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-21
DIR. Miyart's Lapse From Catholicism,

lgEs . Ahl'V s''t
Science and faith have long co%ntended
for tho mastery In the mind OF DR.. ST.
GEORGE MIvART, and science seems at last
to have prevailed. DR.. MIvAIT - by far
the most conspicuous man OF science among
English Catholics, and some years ago,
when he had failed 20 make his Views on
evolution conform to tho Church's dogmas,
he publicly announced his submission to
the ecclesiastical discipline, In n remark
able article on The Continuity Of Catholl-
clsm' published in the January Nineteenth
Century, he again puts forth views which
must inevitably bring him under the ban
OF the Church, as IS int,matcd IN the Tablet
the mouthpicce u Cardinal VAUGHAN.
regret as sincerely rs any one can 10. that DR.
My.vr should Ne numbered With those who have
lapsed from the Catholic faith. and We pray can.
estly that diytre grace may let win IN him the vic.
tory Of Christian humility. But - long as he holds
the errors which no now processes, in opposition t.
the te. hing % CA4Is. and H. Church -. "a can us
no doubt in the mind OF any Catholic that Als place
is no, inside, hut outside the pale. Men who have
ceased tn believe IN Catholic dogmas IN work moth.
ing but mischief while they stand within. outside,
the best OF them are harmless and the Church Of
COP is all the stronger and better for their promp.
elimination. This. however. is a consideration
which belongs not to Us. but to ecclesiastical au.
thority."
DR.. MrvARr believes that since the third
| century there has been no breach in the
| continuity" OF tho Roman Catholic Church.
There have been many notifications Of
worship, OF organization ard OF doctrine,
but none SO sudden or considerable at one
time ns TO constitute a breach. There have
been, too, very great notifications in belief
which have never been formulated In dog
mas, and Catholics have changed their views
with their growth OF knowledge. Some
such notifications affect the entire Catholic
body, others are general among the better
educated, still othors are confined to a fow.
while some are extremely exceptional. Or.
MIvARr speaks OF them broadly because
the creed OF the educated OF to-day will
become the belief OF the many on the NOR
row !" he denies, however, that he entertains
all the now views, and says that he writes
on his own authority alone.
He notes the changes Of attitude toward
usury and witchcraft, the different way in
which gambling and cruelty to animals are
regarded, the more tolerant spirit toward
the heather and other unbelievers. the
shaking Of the idea that there is no saliva
ton save in the Church, the unwilling
ness to assent to propositions that are not
supported by adequate proof and the readi-
ness to accept new ideas. He points out
what an upheaval in mems minds must
accompany the giving up OF the idea that
the earth is the centre OF the universe and
the object Of GODS special care which made
Il easy to believe that for "the salvation Of
a race, the only material objects Of divine
care and love, GoD Himself had descended
from His celestial TO His terrestrial sphere.
and taken to Himself the nature OF that
being who had already been created In His
image" He goes on:
"How great must have been the shock to men
: brought up In this belief to learn that their earth
r vas but a floating speck OF dust amid Q practical
! inhnity OF vast revolving spheres. many II which
were possibly, IL not probably, pcopled by being,
equal or superior TO man and having. it might be
, yet greater claims upon the good will Of the Deity
) They could no longer behold the crystal foor o.
Heaven, nor reasonably regard a volcano as n foun
[ tain II supernatural Internal fire."
DR.. MrvARr takes up n belief, "upor
= which the whole Of Christianity was sup
4 posed, and Is often declared, absolutely {,
rest" which he asserts has vanished,
namely, that tho Bible is an entirely
supernatural work, every word of whiCl
has been directly inspired by COP Him
r self; a belief enjotned on all Catholics
g This, he says, has been entirely aban
. doned by educated Catholics, for whom tn
Bible Is "inspirci,' as Homer or Dante o
Shakespeare is inspired. They have givel
a up, moreover, the Hebrew conception o
n the Deity rs n kind OF "Omnipoton
y CESAR" and the old notion Of sin as a
= offence against a sort Of "supcrnatura
y Popc-King," while morbid notions abou
l. He'll are vanishing, thanks in part to Dr.
MIvARr's writings.
Concerning matters of dogma his opin
e ions may be summed up thus:
n Original Sin and the Biblical account O
d the Fall no man Of education now regards a
< more than a symbolical myth. The RedemI
y ton Of mankind by CHRIsT's death on tn
al cross has been Explained successfully I
1t Catholics as redemption by cheatin
IN the devil" and redemption by legl