The times., 1901-03-24
IT'S no unnatural curiosity that

the gains and losses of three gen
erations, our inheritance from the
mast our own administration of the
same. and the prospects of our descend
ants. Religion can only gain from such
survey. for she is a world teacher on so
large n scale that all ordinary human
methods of comparison and summary are
too dwarfed and insufficient for her Her
message is to all humanity; hence only
the most universal criteria are rightly
applicable to her. 1t seems to me that
this is especially true OF the Oldest his
torical form of Christianity, which Is Ro-
man Catholicism. The Roman Church
has had a message for all humanity in
every age ever since ST. Clement
penned his famous epistle to the Corin-
thians or St Victor caused the Chris
tian world TO meet in special councils
for the solution Of a universal difficulty
IT is no mere coincidence that. at the
opening Of the last century of this mysi-
cal and wonderful cycle of 1000 years, the
Bishop of Rome should again address the
world in tones whose moderation and
sympathy recall the temper and the argu-
ments of St Clement, his far-away pre-
decessor and disciple of St. Peter.
The year 1S00 was a very disheartening
one for Catholicism. 1t still stood erect
and hopeful. hut in the midst of poliu-
cal and social wreckage the result of a
century Of skepticism and destructive crit
icism that acted at last as sparks for an
ungovernable popular frenzy, during
which the old order appeared to pass
away forever and a new one was inaugu-
rated with every manifestation OF joy.
The tree Of political liberty was every
where planted and the peoples of Europe
promised themselves a life of unalloyed
comfort for all future time. Catholicism
was the religion Of the majority of these
people, and was cunningly obliged to bear
the brunt Of all their complaints, justified
and uniustiftable, although the authori-
ties of Catholicism had long protested
against many Of the gravest abuses of
the period, sustained in formal defiance
Of the principles and institutions of the
Catholic religion. The new Caesar threat
ened to be more terrible to the independ-
ence Of religion than any ancient one, and
the revenues and establishments by which
Catholicism had kept Up its public stand
ing and earned the esteem and gratitude
of the people were swept away or quasi
ruined.
All the acquired charges and duties Of
the past were left to the Catholic re-
lgion; yet the means to carry them on
were taken away, sometimes by open vio-
Ience. sometimes by insidious measures,
but always by gross injustice. TIE final
incidence Of this injustice was on the
common people. since the Church was
after all only the administrator of very
much that she was thus dispossessed OF.
With this overturning OF all the conditions
of Catholic lifc came new problems, new
trials, and a period Of indefinite, uncer-
tain circumstances that were finally set
al rest only at the Congress Of Vienna in
1875. by which an end was put to the po-
liticaI changes that began with the revo-
luton Of 17S9
The modus vivendi then reached and
soon consecrated by a series of concor-
dats has remained substantially the basis
Of the dealings of Catholicism with the
Governments of the Old World. Only one
formal and permanent violation of this
legal situation has taken place, the vio-
lent and unjust dispossession of the Holy
See by the Government Of the House of
Savoy, in fragrant violation of every title
that could be invoked by a legitimate civil
power. Elsewhere Catholicism has under
gone much suffering. both in the States
OF the Old World and in the Republics of
South America. But, the above vital
conflict apart, the old century closes with
no very acute or intolerable condition OF
things, although there is much that does
not reply 10 our ideas OF fairness and JUS
tice.
THE VATICAN COUNCIL.
The chief event Of this century from
the point Of view Of Roman Catholicism
IS undoubtedly the holding Of the Vatican
Council Since the Council Of Trent the
Bishops Of the Catholic world had not
met in common under the guidance Of the
Bishop OF Rome. The grayest interests OF
religion seemed at stake after more thar
a century Of public inhdelity and the
overthrow Of all former safeguards OF
faith. The character of doctrinal au-
thority and its visible tangible possessol
were declared by the dogma Of Papal IN.
fallibility. The genuine relations Of rea
son and revelation were set forth in IN
nistakable language.
The troubles that followed the close o.
the Council in some parts Of Europe wer,
neither serious nor long-liyed, since it,
teachings were in keeping with the gen
eral sense Of Catholicism. It promoted
notably mutual respect and concor,
among the Bishops and gave to the mul
titudos Of Catholics in the Old and New
Worlds a new sign Of the unity and In
ternal yigor Of the Church. The scene
Of the Council are indelibly fixed in m
memory, for ! was the youngest and hum
blest of the 6s7 Bishops who composed Il
a General Council is the very highest &C
Of the life Of the Church, since it present
within a small compass, and at once. a
the movements that have been developin
in the course Of centuries and offers t
all the faithful and 70 all outside tn
Church straightforward answers to all IN
great ecclesiastical problems that come u
for settlement Had the Vatican Counc
been finished IL would have taken up Il
grave subject Of ecclesiastical disciplin
That is reserved for the reopening Of ii
Council at some future date.
THE MISSIONS OF CATHOLICISM
IT is incumbent on the Catholic Churc
10 spread the teachings Of Jesus Chris
and this by his own divine comman'
Going. therefore. teach all nations"
In this century she has not been vi
faithful. any moro than in others. No 20
tion Of the vineyard has been neglecte
the martyrs blood has wstered son
parts more abundantly. but in all the mi
sionary has toiled without ceasing, HI
spent himself. In the Far East Cathol
missions have been carried on in Indi
China, Tibet, TonIin. In every part
Africa, northern, central. and souther