The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-11-02
HISTORICAL
DEPARTMENT.
MAcULAY, ENGLISH HISTORIAN.
His Well Known Review of "Rauke's
History of the Popes,"

| IlOSl WFISly lSdu Oh EuSllSn eSSdylSlS
and historians, was born near London
| Oct. %, 1900. Out of Difference to the
wishes of his father he read law, and
was called to the bar in 1926. But the
labors of the profession were little to
his liking; no business of consequence
came to him, and he was soon deep in
literature.
Anecdotes and "reminiscences go faI
to show that while still a lad he dis
played in a high degree many Of the
mental characteristics which later in
life made him famous. The eagerness
with which he devoured books of every
sort; the marvellous memory which
enabled him to recall for years whole
pages and poems, read but once. were
as characteristic of the boy as of the
man.
Though he began writing at the age
Of 16, when he wrote an anonymous
letter to the Observer, of which paper
his father was editor, who inserted it
in utter ignorance of the author and
brought down on the periodical the
wrath of host of subscribers, it was
not till 1925 that he awoke one morning
to find himself famous. His essay on
John Milton" published in the Edin-
REVIEW. WAS praised ana COl1pll-
mented on every hand.
Having now found his true vocation,
he entered upon it eagerly and with
delight, and by 1880 such was his popu-
larity that he was elected to parlia-
ment. In 1S4O appeared the greatest of
all his essays, those on Won Rauke's
History of the Popes." His essays
began to appear at regular intervals
and honors of every sort were now
showered on him. But the enjoyment
of his honors were short-lived, for in
December, 1852 he died.
Subjoined we give Macaulay's bril-
liant tribute to the Catholic Church,
written in his well known and able re-
view of "Rauke's History of the PopeS."
No more eloquent and striking recogni-
ton Of the power and influence of the
Catholic Church ever appeared from
the pen of Catholic:
There is not, and there never was on
earth, a work of human policy so we'll
deserving of examination as the Cath
Ollie Church. The history of that Church
joins together the two great ages of
human civilization. No other institu-
ton is left standing which carries the
mind back to the times when the smoke
of sacrifice rose from the Pantheon.
THE proudest royal houses are but
of yesterday when compared with the
line of the supreme pontiffs. That line
we trace back in an unbroken series
from the Pope who crowned Napoleon
in the nineteenth century to the Pope
who crowned Pepin in the eighth; and
far beyond the time of Pepin in the
august dynasty extends, till it is lost in
the twilight of fable. The republic Of
Venice came next in antiquity But
the republic of Venice was modern
when compared with the Papacy; and
the republic of Venice is gone, and
the Papacy remains. The Papacy re-
mains, not in decay, not a mere an
tique, but full of life and useful vigor.
The Catholic Church is still sending
forth to the farthest ends of the world
as those who landed in
Kent with Augustine, and still con-
hostile kings with the same
spirit with which she confronted At
tia.
The members of her communion are
now no fewer than 10000, 900,
and it will be difficult to show that all
other sects united amount to 10000, 900.
Nor do we see any sign which indi-
'ates that the term of her long domin-
on is approaching
She saw the commencement of all
he governments, and of all the ec-
'lesiastical establishments that now
exist in the world. and we feel no as
'urance that she is not destined to see
he end of them all. She was great
md respected before the Saxon had
set foot on Britain, before the Frank
lad passed the Rhine, when Grecian
'loquence still fiourished in Antioch,
when idols were still worshiped in the
emple of Mecca. And she may still
xist in undiminished vigor when some
raveler from New Zealand shall. in
he midst of vast solitude, take his
tand on a broken arch of London
Bridge to sketch the ruins of st. (
Paul.
I'VE often hear it said that the
World is becoming more enlightened,
nd this enlightening must be favor
bic to Professionalism and unfavorable !
o Catholicism. We wish we could |
hink so. But we see great reason to
oubt whether this be a well-founded |
expectation.
I'VE see that during the last $50 |
ears the human mind has been in the |
ighest degree active; that it has made |
reat advances in every branch. But
'e see that during those years Prot
stantism has made no conquests
-orth speaking of. Nay, we believe
hat as far as there has been a change
hat change has on the whole been in
lvor of the Church of Rome.
"Of the dealings of God with man,
o more has been revealed to the nine
zenith century than to the first or to
ondon than to the widest parish in
he Hebrides. 1t is true that in those
lings which concern this life and this
orld man constantly becomes wiser
nd wiser. But it is no less true that,
s respects higher power and flu
Ire state, man, in the language of
-oethe's soothing fiend-
remains always of the same stamp,
nd is as unaccountable as on the
first day
THE history of Catholicism strik-
gly illustrates these observations.
uring the last seven centuries the
lblic mind of Europe has made con-
ant progress in every department of
ocular knowledge. But in religion we
IN trace no constant progress. The
ecclesiastical history of that long
eriod is history of movement to and
-Four times since the authority of
lie Church IF Rome was established
Western Christendom has the hui
an intellect risen up against her yoke.
vice that Church remained complete
victorious. Twice she came forth
ON the conflict bearing the marks of
uel wounds, but with the principle of
ie strong within her. When we re-
sct on the tremendous assaults which
lie has survived we find it difficult
conceive in what way she is to per-
h."
THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS.
The origin of the College of Cardi- ;
ais is obscure but IL is certain that IL, | !