Year: 1874

The Religious Question I'm Germany


and England.


We print elsewhere this morning most in
teresting conversation between our corre-
spondent in Munich and the celebrated DIR.
Dolinger. The name of this famous theolo-
gian has received q new prominence from
recent events. As the friend and correspondent
of Count Arnim there has been the theory that
in some way he was connected with the fallen
Minister. AS the friend and correspondent OF
Mr.. Gladstone, it has been thought that he
in some way inspired the recent manifesto OF
the ex-Premier. These circumstances give
especial interest to his communications. Be
yond this his opinions rs the leader Of the old
Catholic Church. now growing and already
an important theological party, are always
entitled to respect. The Doctor gives radi-
cal construction to the views OF Archbishop
Manning in regard to the Vatican DEGREES.
IAN order from Rome," he says, ''may decide
the most important vote in Parliament."
"The civil election in every Catholic country
is now thing quite uncertain. because it de-
pends entirely upon the will Of foreign po-
tentate." s'This is the side of the question
which ought to be studied in the United
States"


We are not disposed to underrate the i'm
portance given to the will Of the Pope by the
Vatican DEGREES. We can understand how
devout churchmen of the Catholic faith
would, like the abolitionists in this country
before the war; recognize "higher law in
dealing with political affairs than the Statutes
at Large. We could understand. for instance,
how Catholic clergyman would disobey the
Falk laws if we were to pass them here, on
the ground that there was "higher law"
from infallible Rome that commanded him to
disobey unjust laws, even at the risk Of mar
tyrdom. But there is nothing in this which
would not also do under similar circum-
stances There is no law that could make
member Of the Society Of Friends or a
Mennonite engage in war, no matter how
grave the danger to the State. They recog-
nize q s'higher law" than the command
of the country. Consequently Papal in
fallibility is practically only o form Of
that infallibility which is inseparable from
the religious Office, and the belief Of every
minister of every evangelical creed, that he
is the Ambassador Of Christ, who is the Lord
and ruler Of heaven and the earth. As q
theological speculation this is undoubtedly
correct. But practically it has no force. It
is impossible that free citizens in any country,
in England or in America, would await orders
from Rome before voting, or that the mem
bers Of Congress or the House Of Commons,
no matter how devout their religious faith,
would be governed in their duties by the
wishes of q foreign priest, who knew nothing
of the internal economy Of politics, whose
time was absorbed in masses and religious
Offices, and who, with all his infallible wis
dom, probably did not know whether the
Mississippi or the Rio Grande was the
boundary Of Mexico, or whether Chicago was
an inland or seaport town. To state this
case as even possibility is to show at once
its absurdity. DR.. Dollinger seems to us to
present an extravagant case when he assumes
that the effect of the Vatican DEGREES will be
to impose the will Of the Pope upon the civil
conscience of any intelligent American or
Enghshman