The Irish standard., 1901-05-18
A Catholic Writer in the New York Sun
Comes Nobly to the Rescue
of the Jesuits
Famous Historian of Toronto University
Completely Fails to Prove
,<---r-,~- His Allegations.

The following communication signed
"Catholic Student" appeared in re-
cent issue of the New York Sun in an
swer to the article of Professor Gold
win Smith on the "Rcligious Progress
of the Nineteenth Century"
Sir: The famous dictum of the
Comtc dc Iistory, and espe-
cially church history, for the last three
centuries has been a grand conspiracy
against the tluth"-sccms to find II
new application in the case of Mr..
Goldwin Smith, who ventures to give
Il Summing up" of the Progress Of
Religious Thought during the last
century in the columns of your paper
for April II.
do not propose to go over the en-
tire field covered by so distinguished
a savant. That were Il needless and
Il fruitless task, as he does not attempt
to subStantiatc amy of his statements.
We are supposed to take the will for
the deed In any matter treated by 50
great an authority. My task in the
present paper is to call the attention
of your readers to one of two of the
many reckless assertions made in the
course of his article, and in II dispas-
sionate way, to state a few facts as
we find them in history.
The first assertion is as follows:
"rhc Church of Rome, to meet the
storm of the reformation, reorganizcd
herself at the Council of Trent in lines
practically traced for her by the Jesu-
its. A comparison Of Suarcz with
Aquinas shows the change which took
place in spirit as plainly rs COM
pnrison Of the ,Jcsuits' meretricious
fame with the Gothic churches shows
the change in religious taste"
Now, Mr.. Editor, I presume Mr..
Smith knows something about the his
tory Of that famous council, even If
his knowledge has been derived from
the Infamous apostate, Sarpl. The
question is merely matter Of dates
The first session of the Council of
Trent was held on Dec. 13, 1916. The
Jesuit Order was officially confirmed,
for the first time by decree Of Paul
I'LL, dated Sept q, 1910. Hence,
within five years, band Of few
men, until then scarcely known to the
ecclesiastical world, practically
traced" for the Church of Rome the
methods Of reorganization which she
adopted Mt Trent. Is this history?
1t is true that there were two Jes-
uits at the council when 1t was first
convoked, acting in the capacity Of
papal theologians. But they were not,
by any manner Of means, the only
ones who acted in that capacity. A
special prominence was given to one
of them, Father James Layney, be-
cause of his extraordinary intellectual
gifts. But does that mean that all the
bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and
others present were 80 hypnotized,
mesmerized, or so thoroughly influ-
enced by him and his companion, Fa-
thcr Salmeron, that the DEGREES were
formed and passed at their dictation.
The Council Of Trent was held be-
tween the years 1545-1563, with two
intervals, on account of difficulties
known, presume, to Goldwin Smith.
The first interval was between Sept.
IA, 1547, and May ], 1851; the second
between April %, 1862. and Jan. 18,
1862. The DEGREES Of the council were
confirmed by the Pope OH Jan. 90,
1864.
Two .Jesuits at it's conception, and
two others during long-continued prog
ress, "practically laid down for her"
dhc Church of Romc) the methods by
which she "rcorganized herself at the
Council of Trent" Marvellous power
for four simple priests!
The second part of Mr.. Smiths as
sertion battles me so completely that
I am mt a loss to know II it has q
meaning. What had Suarez to do with
the Council Of Trent? The council was