Year: 1870

A u Ii. ~


BY special letter from Naples we report this
morning the third days proceedings Of the
members OF the Deistical Council assembled in
that city, with the resolutions which were
adopted by them preparatory to the adjourn
ment of the body. In previous communica-
tions from the same pen we have already do
tailed the Inauguration of the meeting and its
preliminaries. We now present It's platform
and results. The exhibit is strange one,
coming as 1t does from classic, educated
and at one time over pious land, to be read by
Americans in the full light of the civilization
and common school education of the nineteenth
century.


The Council in Naples was called ostensibly
in opposition or by way Of free-thinking
contrast to the Ecumenical Council in Rome,
but, as will be seen, the representatives hur-
ried on with such rapidity of thought that they
almost Immediately lost sight of the very
reverend aud aged gentleman who claims to be
the visible vicegerent Of God on earth, and
scared far away over his head to assail and
defy the heavenly enthronement. There wero
Frenchmen, Italians, Germans and English
men 30 that the war notes went forth in q
chorus Of almost Babelic utterances. 1t was
young Italy and old and young France, with
decrepit assumption OF medGval Britain, in
what appears to us poor plagiarism
Of Voltaire and miserable imita-
ton Of Robespierre, lacking the genius
of the one and the personal courage OF
the other, and with the Goddess Of Reason
behind the scenes. s'War to the death with
God, s'war to religion and the princes" were
the short and sententious utterances with which
the doctrine Of woman's rights and the more
subtle essentials Of many Of the modern
isms which have crept so silently into the
midst Of our own population In many places
were proclaimed. The PRONUNCIATION Of gen.
eral proclamation of atheism was advocated,
and finally, as we are told in conclusion,
''many illustrious atheists gathered at the
table, not to protest against the Ecumenical
Council, but to combat God"


Unhappy Italy! In her pursuit Of union
and consolidation has she evolved only the
elements Of governmental disunion and social
anarchy? Loosing herself voluntarily and
by violence from recognized centre of dis
cipline and order, is she really incapable of
walking alone in decency before the nations,
or has she fallen from the path OF rectitude
merely in temporary lapsus in consequence Of
an unadvised adoption Of new code Of
morals-one which bears such fruit as was
lately seen in the palace near Florence
during the morlbund marriage of her
death-sick King2 In that instance il
was free love and marriage, to-day It is
Delsm and s'war on God" We regret all this
sincerely. It is to be lamented for the sake
Of Italy, her morals, her government and her
finance, for the sake of France and for the
sake Of Germany. Our special writer's in
Paris have told and tell Of Traupmann; from
Germany we have news Of the murderer of q
clergyman, who, as he informed the judge,
was convinced at nineteen years of age that
s'there is no God, that it was all q fable" and
even worse. Among ourselves we have mur-
ders, family butcheries, assassinations, the
knife, socialism, clerical sentimentalism, free
love and deathbed marriages. What Is the
reason? Is it from an unrestrained license o
preaching and teaching? Shall we have a
moral reaction and repentance, or u complete
dissolution Of the bonds Of society?