New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-04
wharf AND NF4LLIBILITT.
Tracts FROM THE LAST PUBLISHED
WRITING or THE CELEBRATED
ROMAN CATHOLIC SCIENTIST

A
-. current number OF The North American
10y contains an article on Roman CongTega-
- and Modern Thought by Dr.. ST. George
- who has just died in London. IN it he re-
-es his whole controversy with the Roman
--.,1i, authorities. from the time ats scientific
-s..-rs were denounced 10 the Congregation OF
= T,5ex in 1870. To his recent inhibition by Arch
-, vaughan. Failing in his efforts 10 obtain
.s4.r-erv answers 10 why his writings had
=. ensured hy the Holy Office. he withdrew the
.5r,ission which ne had formerly made. and
of,a- his only contention was with Cardinal
--.rgtsr The remainder of his article IS in part
Is follows
...- mature reflection and many mental strug-
q : had come 20 the conclusion that the Roman
$500 Church tolerate TRANSFORMING
-scess OF evolution with respect to many of its
fsoeBas or SINK by degrees into an eHete and
Ss1s--5csrr BODY. composed Of ignorant persons. 4
- ~ women and children and number OF men
mass o11.-7irsre men was acquainted with a not
-@r5sfaers BE number Of cultured English Ca-ao
I-s-sergy as wei as laity-who were severely
If 81 y -,arter boat which they were anxious was
-. e-rt1,de toward Scripture which had been taken
fn nor iutoerabie by that terrible encychcal of
5 - A-1 A. "Providentissimus Deus, nv cultured
s-iends varied greatly in breadth Of views and
rref dissent from received dogma. but all agreed
q ~ The necessity OF freedom regard the Bible
ron the point OF view Of the higher criticism
snf TO declare without disguise their entire dlsbe-
ri IN the historical truth OF large portions OF l.
70 ny mind i was clear that unless the intalli-
biry Of the Church could be seriously diselaiIned
sgd the possibility Of error in passed coclar de-
Crees allowed, the aeeaIul eVo!ullon OF dosna was
Impossible. But i changes IN the meanings OF
F1r-aa could once 0e admitted by authority pos
she or even Il the assertion that they mad changed
were only tolerated, an immense gain would be
Convinced that such would be the case wrote
II articles which appeared in The Nineteenth
Century" AID The Fortnightly Review" respec-
on purpose / made them Of a startling charac-
50 thar might be anle 70 ascertain Wheoaer
r;ed IN the Roman Church or was not a
iena1ls 0ne-Wherher il was in any way possible
Ny effort was successful. and though deeply
regretted, and regret, this clear demonstration;
his advisers. thar the Roman Catholic Church has
r0r progressive Church. feel none the less CON
vlnced That better that such fact should be
come clsnctly knoMn nan ina. Il saioIIo f M
tbroTgh a pretence OF logically Impossible liberal
Dr.. zivart then gave the profession OF faith 70
which he was required 10 subscribe. He continued:
The books ali parts of which I WAS called on 10
declare had God for their author. include that OF
krchanzeI Raphael with the aid Of the liver of
fish, overcame a homicidal demon and imprisoned
esbses is also among them as IS also the story
which relates how, when Daniel was thrown a
second time into the Hons den angel seized one
Ha bbakuk IN Judea by the hair OF his head and
carried him with his bowl Of pottage 10 give il TO
Il was OF course absolutely impossible for me or
.or any other scientific 10 sign such a for
that should be free 10 reject errors state
historically untrue such the account of
the serpent and the tree. the bringing Of animals
70 Adam 70 be named the history of the Tower of
Babel. that Of the Deluge, and so
Accordingly. / wrote TO my Archhishfp begging
him as my Ordinary 10 give me an authoritative
answer whether was or was not right in judging
that the signing Of the formula submitted TO
would be equivalent 70 assertion that there were
longer nationally and logically deny the veraciTy Of
the Biblical statements above referred 10, and
many. others equally untrue.
refused 70 sign the formula. But II is very
noteworthy that could get authoritative an
swer from ny Archbishop in reply 10 my question
The fact was. he dared not answer II He could
not allow that God had Inspired men 10 write false
hoods. that the Church had (as, Of course. II
has missed mankind IS the Word OF God FOR
thai the Councils Of Trent and the Vatican had
erred because he hidebound by the doctrine
o. re EEur. t1failibility, which as Catholic
-I-t.llshee he n2d sfrenuouslN 10 upho4c- Nelther
rouic Ne venture n declare that I bound 10
neia as certainly true all the Duerile absurdities
70 - found between gils Of the Bible There
lc authorities trf7e with truth and ''palter with us
~ double sense Most shocking IF all is their
,sale iathollcs VINO know not what Tsey must pc
leFe about Scripture vet dread peril 10 their i'm
nora souls 4 they DO not believe what the Church
The most imperative task for Roman theologians
o-I8 3 so % modify the meaning Of the dogma
q the fhurchS irfa lbi1ffV as - render possible
ence Trent and the Vatican have erred and thai
~ Fopes encyclical IS 70 be put one side as Of
me way win he prepared for the play Of evolution
~ Laa1rGh dogma through the future centuries and
le gradual construct ION Of CatholiCtty which
T.npolF an scientific truth and all the re-
.-lls tr3fns held m all forms Of belief. INCLUDING
- De- tiles and noble DreceDts Of the old Pagan
ssss #alch were 100 quickly and careiessly thrown