The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-09-10
|T.R. BARS LOR|MER BARS MODERNISM
Pope RenewS War and Re.
iterateS His Rules.
HE ISSUES AN fNCYLICAl
Pontif Forbids Young Clergy to
Read Newspapers and Periodi-
calls and Demands Oath
Of Loyalty.

Rome. Italy, Sept 9.-Pope Plus X.
issued an encyclical giving new and
practical measures to be adopted
against the growing "modernist" cam
paign.
The pontiff reiterates all Of the rules
previously set forth against modern
ism. especially in the original ency'
clical. issued several years ago, and
adds that the bishops and the rectors
OF Catholic colleges must watch at
tentively the development OF the young
clergy. seeing to 1t that they are well
prepared to fight error. forbiddlng
them to read newspapers and peFiodi-
Gals, and avoid distracting them from
their studies
Every professor in beginning his
course. every acolyte before being pro-
NOTED, every new Confessor, curate.
canon or holder of a similar Office. and
every ecclesiastical official before TAX
ing possession OF his post must take
an oath OF loyalty to the healthy Cath
Ollie doctrine and discipline.
In September 1907. the pope issued
a long encyclcal against modernism,
in which he traced the history OF the
movement and entered into an expla-
nation of its doctrines These were
considered in their relation to philos-
ophy, belief. theology and history.
In discussing the methods OF the
modernists. the pope said:
"In their writings and addresses
they seem not unfrequently to advo-
cate now one doctrine. now another,
so that one would be disposed to re-
gard them as vague and doubtful. But
thore is a reason for this. and II Is to
be found IN their ideas as to the mu-
tual separation of science and faith.
Hence in their books you find some
things which might be we'll expressed
by a Catholic, but in the next page
you find other things which might
have been dictated by nationalist.
when they write history they make
no mention of the divinity Of Christ,
but when they are In the pulpit they
profess IT clearly. In the
same way they draw their distinctions
between theological and pastoral eHer-
cises and scientific and historical exc
gesis. So too. acting on the principle
that science In no way depends upon
faith. when they treat OF philosophy,
history, criticism. feeling no horror at
treading ir the footsteps OF Luther,
they are wont to display a certain con-
tempt for Catholic doctrines. for the
holy fathers for the ecumenical coun-
ellis. for the ecclesiastical magister-
ium: and should they be rebuked for
this they complain that they are being
deprived Of their liberty"
Considering the distinction he says
the modern'sts make between science
and faith, the pope continues further
on in the encycllcal:
THE object OF science they say Is
the reality OF the movable; the OBJ
ject of faith. on the contrary. is the
reality OF the unknowable. Now. what
makes the unknowable unknowable Is
its dlsproportion with the Ineligible
a disproportion which nothing what.
ever, even in the doctrine OF the mod
ERNST. can suppress. Hence the I'M
movable remains. and will eternally
remain, unknowable to the believer as
well as to the man Of science.
Certainly this suffices to show super
abundantly by how many roads mod.
ernism leads TO the humiliation OF all
religion. Tho first step in this direc-
ton was taken by Professionalism. the
second is made by modernism. the
next will plunge headlong into athe-
ism"
In applying remedies to curb the
modernist movement thspope enjoin.
cd upon the ecclesiastical authorities
a strict adherence to encyclicals on
the same subject promulgated by his
predecessors and supplemented these
with his own rules.
In these he directed that close SUI
pervlsion b. made OF the selection OF
directors and professors OF Catholic
universities. and vigilance exercised
over publications. so as to prevent the
printing or selling OF prescribed books.
He recommended censorship to this
end. He also directed that council
OF vigilance" be instituted In every
diocese to watch for any sign OF mod
Tfnism.
Archbishop Ireland thus defined |,
modernism in a statement couple Of
years ago:
Modernism is, in its arguments and
tendencies. the denial of the super
natural in the Christian religion-the |,
elimination Of the divine element in
the Christian revelation in the scrip |
lures, and In the church."