The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-01-17

Guizot, an author hostile to the Cath
Ole church, writes of the intellectual
activity of the sixth century. He rec
ommends and speaks highly of the
poetry of St Fortunatus, who flour
ished in the sixth century. He COM
pares the poetry of st. Avitus with that
of Milton, awarding the palm of merit,
in many respects, to the former, who
was bishop of Vienna in the sixth CEN
tUry.
If we follow the course of history
from the sixth to the eleventh century
we will find this intellectual activity
encouraged by the church. The names
of Alcuin, Scotus, Eregena and Raban
Maur bespeak the intelligence of their
time. The facilities introduced by the
invention of the printing press for the
general diffusion of knowledge were
not as good as they have been since,
yet there can be no question of the in
tellectual activity that prevailed every
where in the eleventh century St.
Anselm was brilliant scholar and pro-
found philosopher. His treatise on the
existence of God is unrivaled in any
age, whilst his name is more than suffi-
cient to redeem the age in which he
lived
From the eleventh to the sixteenth
century the scholars and au-
thors, who fiourished, can hardly be
surpassed. Abelard. as a professor of
philosophy, Greek and Hebrew, was
besieged with pupils from all parts of
Europe. Albertus Magnus and st. Ber-
nard enlightened the world.by leaving
to posterity the rich legacy of their gil
gantic intellects, consisting of twenty
two huge folio volumes, treating of the
most varied subjects. AS metaphysi-
cal writer, st. Thomas Aquinas stands
without rival before-or since his time.
st. Bonaventure, Rodger Bacon, Pet
rarch and Dante fourished during this
period, yet Historian, apparently OBJ
livious of the fact, terms these Dark
Ages.
The names quoted fiourished when
Historian alleges that the catholic
church by her authority retarded prog
ress." They were all Catholics, and
for their learning and piety received
the highest marks of honor which the
church could bestow, many being
crowned as saints of the church
Since the sixteenth century our es-
teemed correspondent seems to be sat
isfied with the attitude of the Catholic
church. He comes down to date by re-
ferring to the action of the present SUI
preme pontiff in appointing a commits
sion of learned men to keep abreast of
the times and meet all unfavorable
criticism of the Bible. We are pleased
to have Historians approval of the
action of the church in the twentieth
century, whilst his assurance of
friendly spirit is consoling. But we
can assure him that the church needs
no special pieading for her attitude to-
ward science and learning from the
first to the twentieth century. Her
record is an open one, showing that she
always fostered science and learning.
These were the peaceful implements of
war, which she used when her soldiers
of the cross tried to subjugate the saw
age and convert pagan nations. The
first effort of the Spanish missionaries
in the Philippines was to civilize the
native savages, then preach to them
the gospel of peace and good will. If
we compare her success with that of
our own efforts at home in civilizing
the American Indians, we must award
to her the palm of success.
The reference made to Calico in al
postscript requires special answer
We will give the reply in our next
number.