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movement of 1848, he passed the bulk of his long pontificate as a leading reactionist. He offered to the extreme party in the Curia an opportunity it was sure not to neglect. In 1854 a pilot balloon was sent up in the shape of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin. As this did not seem gravely to ruffle the surface, it was followed in 1870 by the portentous Council of the Vatican; which alienated from the Roman Church many of its most able, learned, and loyal supporters, and stirred the indignation even of such a man as Newman, though he believed in the Papal infallibility. The decree itself was indeed couched in terms which, from different points of view, might be held to render it either innocent or senseless; for no man alive knows what are the conditions necessary to make an ex cathedra declaration, or how many and what such declarations exist, or even whether such a curiosity is to be found in the whole range of Church history. But it is not so with the twin declaration of the Council, which lays it down that the Pope is never to be resisted in any matter, by any persons, or under any circumstance; and thus reduces the whole Latin Church, nearly a moiety of Christendom, to an ignominious servitude.

Such is the principal contribution which, amidst the tempest of unbelief, and with every motive of duty and policy recommending conciliation or abstention, the great Latin Church of our time has offered to the concord and union of Christendom.

The recent declaration of the Patriarch and Church of Constantinople has shown how fearfully the Council of 1870 has widened the rent between Eastern and Western Christendom. As for the Protestants of the Continent, and the great and growing Churches of the

English-speaking race, it is, I fear, obvious that, even had all the old controversies of the sixteenth century been adjusted, the Vatican Council supplies, for us as well as for the East, an insurmountable barrier to the unity of Christendom. It is only with a bleeding heart that such words can be written; but surely we cannot, in the face of Scripture, history, and reason, give over the determination of our faith to the successor of Liberius, of Vigilius, and of Honorius.

There remained, however, in the minds of some a hope that, with the demise of Pius IX. a new era might begin; that perhaps modes might be devised for retrieving some of his miscarriages; that, at the very least, no new one would be added to the list. And now has come this damnatory Bull against English orders, a telum imbelle sine ictu as to its effect, but only too clear in its meaning, and breathing in every line the sentiment, "All ye who covet union, look for it anywhere except to Rome." And so by an authentic act the Pontificate of Leo XIII. takes its place with that of Pius in the list of reactionary Pontificates.

Yes, "in every line," including those lines in which. the Pope assures us of the unbounded tenderness of his heart, and the intensity of that yearning with which he longs once more to number us among the sheep within his fold. As it is impossible to suspect so good a man of speaking an untruth, we are compelled to believe that he thinks there is some value, some healing efficacy, in these declarations. They tempt us to suppose that, in his loftiness and pride of place. he cherishes a profound contempt for our understandings. We do not consider that deeds of hostility are countervailed by words of beneficence, or a commen assault by a compliment. The

barriers he would have us surmount are indeed many. At present it may be enough to say we cannot be content with mutilated sacraments, with an imprisoned Bible,* with Aristotelian metaphysics exalted into definitions of faith, with the transfer to any human tribunal of an allegiance due to God alone. These Papal utterances, their sincerity notwithstanding, are for us (so far as I know) no siren songs; they are charged with an ineffable emptiness, and pass by us like the idle wind.

But let me not conclude in terms of controversy. We are all bound as Christians to desire the well-being of Christendom; and herein not least of the great Latin Church. Little as this review may tend to inspire sanguine expectations, let us heartily desire and pray that she and we alike may fail wherever we are at fault, but that in every good design and effort, she may prosper to her heart's content.

CHÂTEAU THORENC, CANNES,
March 26, 1897.

*Those who may deem this expression harsh should read the recently published articles by Dr. Wright on the melancholy experience of M. Lasserre in connection with his translation of the New Testament into French.

3 JUN. 97

LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.

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