THE VATICAN DECREES AND THE GOVERNMENTS. 369 XXIV. organisation. Any change, therefore, in that organisation CHAP. gives the State an indisputable right to consider how far that change affects its relations towards the privileged Catholic Church. And it cannot be doubted that such was the case with regard to the Vatican decrees. It may freely be admitted that these decrees form only the point and pinnacle of a system, and introduced no extraordinary novelty for the Church or for the State; and that episcopacy had long been robbed of its roots, and the pope made absolute in the Church. Yet, for all that, it made a vast difference in point of law, when the remnants of episcopal independence were now formally and solemnly extinguished by the Council. The rela tively independent position, which the bishops had hitherto maintained, and which gave to thein a distinct sphere for the exercise of their official authority, was absorbed by the 'Plenitudo potestatis super omnes alias ecclesias,' and the truly episcopal jurisdiction ascribed to the Pope by the Council. Thus, for example, the co-operation, hitherto enjoyed by the State in the appointment of bishops, was virtually reduced to a nullity. If the sovereign hesitate to confirm the nomination of a bishop, on the ground that he is personally objectionable, the pope can simply commission any ecclesiastic of the diocese to exercise episcopal functions therein. The episcopal oath of allegiance to the sovereign, as it exists in most countries, loses all significance, since the measure of its worth is determined by the pleasure of the pope. The governments, therefore, were fully justified in declaring that Chapter III. of the Constitution of July 18, 1870, had altered the legal status of the party, with whom they had contracted, and that they were, therefore, no longer bound by the conventions which they had concluded with the Roman See-a consequence, it is true, which only Austria had drawn, in order to release herself XXIV. repudiates vation, 'ex CHAP. formally from the Concordat of 1855.1 It is clear, moreover, that the condition implied in the words Austria ex cathedrâ, upon which papal infallibility is made to Concordat. depend, are in reality a pure piece of jugglery, for the pope alone decides whether he speaks ex cathedrâ or The reser- not. To this day there has been, as Mr. Gladstone recathedra.' marks, no established or accepted definition of the phrase, and Catholics of eminence and learning differ widely as to its interpretation. The dogma of infallibility, moreover, having necessarily, as already shown, a retrospective effect; the Syllabus also, which certainly treats of matters of faith and morals,' and maintains that the Roman pontiffs have never transgressed the boundaries of their powers (compare the Bull Unam Sanctam of Boniface VIII.) is clothed with the character of infallibility; so that it is the duty of all Catholics to believe that the principles which it condemns, although sanctioned by. 1 Despatch of Count Beust, July 30, 1870: 'Les doctrines promulguées par le Concile placent les relations de l'Etat avec l'Eglise sur une base toute nouvelle, puisque celle-ci étend le cercle de sa compétence et concentre en même temps dans la personne du Pape tous les pouvoirs qu'elle prétend exercer. Un changement aussi radical bouleverse toutes les conditions qui ont présidé jusqu'ici au réglement des rapports entre l'Etat et l'Eglise. C'est cette dernière qui prend l'initiative d'un acte d'une aussi grande portée, et, en agissant ainsi, elle se place sur un terrain où il ne nous reste qu'à la suivre en déclarant, que les conventions conclues sous l'empire de circonstances toutes différentes ne peuvent plus être considérées comme valables. Le Concordat de 1855 est, par conséquent, frappé de caducité et le Gouvernement Impérial et Royal le regarde comme abrogé.' 2 The emptiness of this reservation is proved, moreover, by the Encyclical of December 8, 1864, which stigmatises those who maintain that they may refuse obedience in matters which do not concern 'faith and morals,' as well as by proposition xxiii. of the Syllabus. The clause in question is simply a convenient loophole of escape from awkward queries as to the past, since the Curia at any time can declare that a compromising decision of a former pope was not given ex cathedrâ. DUTY OF THE MODERN STATE. most of the fundamental laws of the State, are wicked and sinful heresies.1 The earlier observations on the origin of the Vatican Council suffice to relegate to the regions of romance the Ultramontane theory—as advanced particularly and in detail in the recent pamphlet of Archbishop Manning against Mr. Gladstone-namely, that the present complications are to be ascribed to a gigantic conspiracy of the governments, conducted by Dr. Döllinger, against the freedom of the Church. The Vatican decrees, on the contrary, are the final result and expression of a long-prepared policy of aggression on the part of the Court of Rome against modern civilisation and the modern State, who is not only entitled, but bound in duty to defend itself against the attacks of a power which talks of 'faith and morals,' but means dominion. 1 Nor did the Ultramontane organs conceal their views as to the ultimate state of things to be arrived at. In 1871 the 'Civiltà Cattolica' said: "What the Church asks for at present from the State is independence, liberty, and that measure of rights which rulers from this point of view must give. But when another generation has grown up, and if circumstances are favourable, the Church will not refrain from demanding her full rights. And it is impossible to blame her for so doing. If all men are heathen or communists, they may live according to heathen or communist principles. But if the world is Catholic, it must be governed according to Catholic principles.'-The pastor Huhn, of Munich, declared at Mayence in a Catholic assembly, 'There are circumstances under which it is impossible to unfurl the true flag. When we have the choice of two evils, then we choose the lesser one-liberty of education.' 371 CHAP. XXIV. 372 CHAP. XXV. General Synod of French CHAPTER XXV. THE STATE AND THE PROTESTANT CHURCH SINCE 1848. France General Synod of 1848-'Union of the Evangelical Churches '- THE February revolution found the greater part of the In France a number of deputies from the various consistories resolved, in May 1848, to convoke a General EVANGELICAL CHURCH UNION IN FRANCE. XXV. Protes tants, Sept. 373 Synod for reorganising the Reformed Church. This Synod CHAP. met on September 11,1 and endeavoured to re-establish the old constitution by removing the most vexatious restrictions of the law of the 18th Germinal X. (1802). 1848. Not only did they fail, however, to arrive at any real agreement on this point, but a new schism arose on the question of a common confession of faith. When it was found that opinions on this subject were extremely divided, the assembly resolved to leave doctrinal matters in statu quo-in a state, that is to say, of absolute liberty-declaring that they would not restrict the freedom of the children of God by setting up any other authority than that of God's own Word.' Thereupon, however, Count Gasparin and Fr. Monod 2 announced their secession from the Synod and from the Church, as recognised by the State, in order to found npon the basis of the old confession, the Union des Eglises Evangéliques de France, which, with- Union of out accepting any aid or support from the State, provides gelical for its wants by means of voluntary contributions, leaving, Churches. in other respects, each congregation to choose its own constitution and administration. In so doing the presbyterian principle was given up as obligatory; while the synodal principle was still retained, by deputies from the various congregations meeting together every two years, in order to deliberate on matters of common interest. A synodal committee, chosen by them, executes their resolutions, and represents in the interim the union of the various congregations. the Evan After the coup d'état, Louis Napoleon interfered also Protestant in the relations of the Protestants, by reorganising their re-or This was the first assembly of the kind that had been held for eighty-five years. The last had been held secretly in 1763. 2 Adolf Monod remained in the State Church, and recorded his reasons in a pamphlet, Pourquoi je demeure dans l'Eglise établie.' Paris, 1849. Churches |