The Bee-Hive. — 1871-12-16 (London, England)

POLICY OF THE POPE.  TILE time, it is to be hoped, will never return when men will be so unreasonable and cruel as to make difference in religious creed and practice matter of life and death. More than one soot of believers and observants are still in existence whose predecessors roasted other men alive because they could not believe and do as their persecutors believed and did. Bu t we trust that, whether of one soot orof another, all have renounced that extremity of barbarity and intolerance. We should say, without assuming to answer PI LITE'II question, with an invidious preference of one Churoli over others, that all Churches and their adherents will best consult the interests of their faith and scot, by closely copying the mildness, charity, and forbearance which assuredly distinguished JESUS CHRIST, Him after whom nearly all religious professors call themselves. All, however, have not learned this wise lesson, and the POPE appears to be of the number on whom it is, in a great degree, thrown away. The Italian Parliament sits so near him that he can almost hear those speakers who have good voices. If he does not like their:neighbourhood, nothing prevents him from going further off. Instead of using that liberty, however, the old gentleman indulges in outcries about the tide of moral and spiritual evil which the Italian representatives have brought in with , them. Rome, till they came, was the "Holy City." To use sacred language, there entered ' into it nothing that (Wall, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie. It was all purity, excellence, and truth. But, when King Vicrori ENISIINUEL and the chosen representatives of the whole Italian race came in, there was a rush of the unbelieving, the abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, and all manner of impure persons, whom it shooks the HOLY FATIIER to think of. "Is Rome," he asks with uplifted hands, " Rome, that has always been the centre of Catholicism and of Truth, to become now the centre of Heresy f" We undertake to answer his appeal. "The pretensions of the Church of Rome," we assure the PorE, " have had all the consideration in every State that they will ever have, and no further advantage will be gained by raising the cry of ' Heresy against all who will not believe, and. do precisely as the POPE and his Cardinals may choose to dictate."  THE NEW BELGIAN MINISTRY, DIE Belgians have, or are to have, a ohaugo of Ministry which is virtually no change.  The outgoing men were all Rights and the incoming men are all Rights; that was a Priest-party Cabinet, and so likewise is this. The new Premier is about the oldest man in Belgium, and has sat in its Parliament ever since it bad one. The aged gentlemen, who has gone with the Church for forty-seven years, is not likely to cause her to forsake him when his strength fallen], and he will much need whatever help she thinks herself able to give. The ablest of M. TnEux.'s colleagues, M. MaLosr, is not merely a good financier, but a generally capable man, who, without being opposed to the Propaganda of Rome, has declared himself the decided foe of the Propaganda of the International Society. The new ILINIE MINISTER, a university professor, lets a repute for moderation, the highest praise of the new MINISTER of WonKs being, that he will not be so much laughed at as his predecessor. The MINISTER of jusnen is a rising barrister, for whom somebody must give up his seat in the Chamber ; thereby causing a new election, and enabling some expression of public opinion. The FOREIGN MINISTER is a wealthy nobleman who takes his title front " Aspicmont," but not with the eminence of that name on which GA RIBALD' received his wound. The Ministry of War remains in the hands of the military reformer who hold it before. The private characters of all the men are allowed to be good ; nor is it disputed that the state of parties in the Chamber dictates the choice of a Ministry of Rights. But it is equally certain that, while the country parts are Rights, the towns are nearly all Lefts, and that, unless the priest party fairly show some moderation, there will be demands for a remodelling of the representation, which will give the majority of the people their just sway. •