Year: 1869

The following article is copied from the Har-
risburg Ielegraph, the chief Radical organ of
Pennsylvania. Under the title of "The Great
Popish Council,'' and in the worst spirit of
crusade against the Catholic population, it
says:


In December next the Bishops of the Church
of Rome will gather from all parts of the world
in the Vatican, at the summons of the Pope.
If the history of this Church did not warn us
of the designs of this cOncave, we might read
lily have discovered them from the Encyclical
letter of the Pontiff, published in 1864 That
remarkable document caused great uneasiness,
at the time of IFS PRONUNCIATION, to countries
entirely Roman Catholic; it was the source of
anger in many where the population was equal
ly divided in religious faith and it excited de-
risiOn in countries mainly or overwhelmingly
Protestant. In these last, our own among
them, it was looked upon as the peevish pro-
test of senile old priest, beset by dangers he
could neither avert nor patiently endure. And
many who pass their time cOntenning the pow
er of that splendid superstition, and the ability
of It's priesthood rested, and still rest, in a Sc
curty which the designs of the Church do not
warrant.


These designs are nothing less than the dec
laratiOn of the temporary infallibility of the
| Papacy, and the absolute temporal sovereignty
of the Pope. The virtual accommodation of
the King of Italy, the assumption Of superior
authority to the Emperor Of Austria in mat
ters of civil governments; the alarm of Bava-
ria, next to Portugal the most besotted govern
ment in the world i'll Popery; and the caution
! given by France against too bold an assump-
| ton Of power by the EcUmenical Council, all
point unerringly to the tendency of the hier-
archy and the distrust OF the Governments Of
continental Europe. Let it be remembered
that the Jesuits are intent on political power
now, as they have ever been; that the dogma
of Temporal Intalliblllty is darling scheme OF
theirs; that if they are successful, the con-
science of every Catholic in every land would
be bound as firmly to uphold the temporal SOW
creignty of the Pope as it is now bound to &C
| cept the doctrine of Trans-substantiatiOn, or
the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed
Virgin; and some idea of the danger TO tempo
raj powers from the arrogant assumptions of
the Church of Rome may dawn on the most
crcdu,ous mind.


Let tie Ecumencal Council declare the dog
ma thar the Pope is supreme in temporal at-
fairs and infallible, and not one Government
on earth can depend on the loyalty of its Cath
olic population, in any case where the Pope
may refuse his assent to the acts of GOvern-
ment A word from Rome can place Ireland
in frenzy of rebellion, to which will be added
all the enthusiasm of religious fanaticism, in
opposition to the English Government. Let it
announce then that our schools are hOt-beds of
hcresy, as it has already done; let it command
its votaries to withdraw allegiance for such an
engine of the devil as our Government, and to
work day and night for its overthrow, as it
must if it be true to itself and its teachings,
LOT hat thorh
summate ability has been the dread and the
admiration alike of mankind for five hundred
years, be authorized to carry out the orders of
the Church, and where would we be -Four
millions of Catholics led by the Society of Je-
sus, trantically intent on purglng ChrlstendOm
of so mOnstrous q crime as Republican govern
ment which condemned the true faith, which
refused to prevent the teaching of heresy in
her schools; which denied the Papal power,
laughed at its assumptions, Knocked its zeal,
and gorified in its defeats would prove
source of danger so far greater than the three
hundred thousand slave holders, that the fallen
aristocracy becomes as nothing by comparison.


Our present purpose is fulfilled when we call
attention to this pregnant subject, but we shall,
from time to time, discuss the Great Council
and its designs and acts in such spirit as they
may seem to demand; hoping always that the
attempt to make the Pope superior in tempo
raj things over constituted civil government
may eventually prove a fantastical dream of
some mouthing enthusiast; or at the worst a
scheme of that pestilent society which has in
trigued against every Government on earth,
and been driven from all except our own. But
while hoping these things we are bound to say
that we are hoping against hope. That cv.
dences accumulate on all hands that the Pope.
dom is on the eve of q struggle for the resto-
ration of universal sovereignty, and that it
should be closely watched and sternly met. For
IN the defeat of such scheme lies the hope,
and the last hope, of liberty on earth.