The Irish standard., 1917-01-13
The DESIRE FOR
UNITY WITH ROME
THE DESIRE FOR UNITY WITH
ROME.
Longing Expressed by Non-cathoIics
On Many Occasions.
The Remarkable Utterance of Thack
cray.

The Remarkable Utterance of Thack-
cray.
The desire for the unity of Christen-
dom crops out among men Of serious
minds on many occasions. The long
ing for the renewal of the oneness of
the Church which existed prior to the
great revolt of the sixteenth century
has particularly increased since the
outbreak Of the great European strug-
gle. At the beginning of the war a
number of religious periodicals pub
lished articles which reflected this
feeling, which the nationalism and
of the Protestant sects in
the face of the conflict had served to
increase. 1t was felt, as it has long
been felt. that Professionalism has
somehow failed of it's supposed great
purpose-that it has been a force for
destruction rather than for construc-
ton, that the division which it created
was far from desirable. 1t is particul-
arly interesting to note this recogni-
ton of the error of the Protestant re-
volt and the desire to correct it on the
eve of the four hundredth anniversary
of the beginning of this revolt. For
this year marks the commenoration
Luther's break with the Church,
which has been marked for celebra-
ton among all Protestant people.
There are many men, long before
the present, who have expressed this
longing for unity with the See of
Peter. In the most unexpected places
it will be found set down. Who would
look, for example, to THE Newcomes"
of William Makepeace Thackery for
such u statement! Very few would
expect to find it there. And yet there
it is, in Chapter XXXV of that novel,
and it is put in the letter of Give
Newcome to Pendennis. There must
be moments" the son of the lovable
old colonel says, "in Rome especially,
when every man of friendly heart,
who writes himself English and
Protestant, must feel a pahg at think
ing that he and his countrymen are
insulated from European Christendom.
An ocean separates us. From one
shore or the other one can see the
neighbor cliffs on clear days, one
must wish sometimes that there were
no stormy fulf between us; and from
Canterbury to Rome pilgrim could
pass, and not drown beyond Dover.
OF the beautiful parts of the great
Mother Church believe among us
many people have no idea; we think
of lazy friars, of pining clustered
virgins, Of ignorant peasants worship
ping wood and stone, bought and sold
indulgence, absolutions, and the like
commonplace of Protestant satire!
Lo! Yonder inscription which blazes
around the dome of the temple, so
great and glorious it looks like heaven
almost, and as ii the words were writ
ten in stars, it proclaims to all the
world that this is Peter, and OH this
rock the Church shall be built, against
which He'll shall not prevail"
"Under the bronze canopy his
throne it lit with lights that have
burned before it for ages. Round
this stupendous chamber are ranged
the grandees of his court. Faith
seems to be realized in their marble
figures. Some of them were alive but
yesterday; others, to be blessed as
they, walk the world even now doubt
less; and the commissioners of
heaven, here holding their court a
hundred years hence, shall author
itatively announce their beatifica-
ton. The signs Of their powers shall
not be wanting. They heal the sick.
open the eyes of the blind, cause the
lame to walk today as they did
eighteen centuries ago. Are there not
crowds ready to bear witness to their
wonders? Isn't there tribunal ap.
pointed to try their claims; advocates
to plead for and against; prelates and
clergy and multitudes of faithful to
back and believe them! Thus you
shall kiss the hand of a priest to.
day, who has given his to a friar
whose bones are already beginning to
work miracles, who has been the dis
ciple of another whom the Church has |
lust proclaimed saint-hand in hand |
they hold their way by one another
Till the line is lost in heaven" Then |