The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-08-28

Rome. when he left Venice a blss-
ing morning In July he was created
BY the prophetic CRY Of Long live the
Pope!" He did not for a moment be-
hevs hs would not return again.
h's Election q Pope.
IL was no light Inheritance to sue.
coed such a pontif as Leo XIII. for
In many ways Leo symbolized the old
order. ~incarnating. as he did. the arts.
tocratic Ideal Of the scholar and the
diplomat.
There was a great difference Of
opinion as to the qualifications Of
Pope Plus x. for his ONCE. His cleo
tion. a compromise, was particularly
pleasing to Austria, Germany and
France. and in these countries, with
the exception Of France in recent
years. he was highly commended for
wisdom and strength
That diplomacy found no place in
Plus mind is evidenced by many of
his acts. His action toward the
French government was perfect In In
difference. Therefore France had all
the trouble and the pope was out of II.
As to Italy, he increased the cor
dial understanding between church
and state, which was not thought
wise by Italian churchmen. However,
his action resulted in an uplifting Of
the church in italy. The diocese had
been In a most deplorable condition
because Of the long conflict between
church and state.
1t Is much easier to face the rulers
Of Europe on a question than the car
dinals assembled In the Sistine chapel,
but Pope Plus did not quail or show
timidity when he informed the ar-
dinals as to his perseverance in the
lines he drew for himself. He waA
firm, brief and unrufled, and made it
plain that he would not lean in either
direction to lend weight to favored
plans Of different cardinals or fac
lions.
When the trouble between the
! church and state broke out in France
and the Concordat was dropped, the
world looked to the pope, specializing
as to what course he would take.
What he did seemed to be the only
right thing. according to the Ameri.
can idea. He ignored the nation.
One great reform Pope Plus assom.
fiished, and it promises to be we re
membered In history. He proved that
diplomacy In church matters is 8
thing Of little Importance compared
with the direct teaching and preach
ing OF the gospel to the poor.
Compared with the policies of hi.
predecessors of recent times the lean
ing Of Pope Plus X. has been held Il
be ul~tra-orthodox in purely ecclesias
. tical principles and ultra-conservativ'
J in temporal relations.
} An instance Of his uncompromisini
attitude against advanced tendencie
, was afforded in hia opposition t
, woman suffrage. as voiced by the pop
t upon the occasion of his reception c
a delegation Of Italian Catholic ladie!
Reforms In Church Government.
His now famous Apostolic constit1
ton was considered as embodying tn
most sweeping reform ever attempte
by a Roman pontiff since the eel
brated Council Of Trent, In the yeal
from 1545 to 1863, In that it dismisse
the entire congregation of the cout
Gil, a committee of cardinals charge
with the Interpretation of the Cou
ell OF Trent, and placed all affairs
the hands Of separate tribunals ar
courts Of appeal.
BY virtue Of one of his document
known as the "Sapienti Consilio," Il
congregations composing the Rom;
Curia Of the Catholic church ha'
been completely reformed and Il
American hierarchy has been accor
ed a recognized voice In the COVER
ment Of the church. In fact, all Ca,
olics outside Italy have been grant
Il a new political standing by the ord
II whereunder 200 bishops, $4,000 prize:
n and 80, 1000, 900 Catholic laymen in
English-speaking countries have tn
affairs examined and passed upon
:. cording to the general law Of [
a. church and by ten different cong
EdtlODS, liStOan VI obCs 40
Another reform was that effected
the papal bill requiring the return
a., sacred music in use by the Rom
Catholic churches throughout
%. world to its austere and suave purf
" And still another bore upon the re
= sion of the catechism, a move dear
nc the heart Of the late Leo XIII, whe
a., by instruction In the catechism Is
longer regarded, as in years past,
q the adjunct of a basically religi
education, but is now held to repl
jar everything-mothsr, the schoolmas
the general mental environment.
Pope Plus was in every respec
ese man OF, peace, and the clerical Il
TIA bles id~6pain and Portugal during
al latter years Of his life greatly affec
dis his health. When Spain and Portu
elo- following the lead of France, br
the away from the church. he refused
holy take any decisive action against tn
SER He held steadfastly to the