dioceses, let me cast a rapid retrospective glance at the history of the last seven months. Two years have passed away since the council was summoned according to the time honored form. The professed objects were good; the real object was to erect the personal infallibilty of the pope into a dogma. How has it been done? In what spirit? I shall answer these questions according to the observations which I have myself made and the information which I have received during the long interval which has elapsed since last November. I may have erred in the former, and been misinformed in the latter; but what I now write I believe to be true. On the arrival of the Fathers in Rome they found themselves in the position of boys in a public school. Their business was cut out for them-what they were to do, how they were to do it, and to what limits they might go, was accurately laid down, and it was so kind and considerate of the Holy Father,' it was observed, 'thus to smooth the path of their studies.' Some of the Fathers told me that the preparation of the schemes should have been left to them, by which plan great confusion and much time would have been saved. As soon, too, as the 'gentlemen, not young but elderly, met for business,' regulations for their conduct were given to them. The head master was resolved to keep them well in hand, and though they fretted and remonstrated, they were needs bound to submit. Every one who was in Rome at the time will remember the feeling almost of indignation with which these regulations were received. Now and then, too, the Fathers were publicly reproved for telling secrets which it was scarcely possible to abstain from betraying, and the imposition of which was inconsistent with the freedom which should characterize a public and deliberative meeting. Later on in the season new regulations were issued supplementary to and more binding than the others. The gentlemen of the school must no longer be permitted to discuss, but give in their thoughts in writing. These created almost a revolution among the Fathers. Remonstrances in the form of Postulata [= demands] were sent in, and some very energetic action was contemplated. 'Should they leave Rome?' 'Should they absent themselves from the Council?' These were questions agitated in the International Committees, but they tacitly submitted, and reserved the strength of their opposition to the last moment. As regards, too, these committees strong efforts were made to put them down-the Council Hall, it was said, was the only proper place for deliberation, and

several Roman houses were closed. It would have been difficult to have closed those of foreigners of high consideration, and so the International Committees have continued to meet to the present day, greatly to the interest of freedom. It is a proof of the impotency of some of the regulations that the oath of secrecy has been violated over and over again, and that discussion has been practically insisted upon. The Fathers exercised what they claimed as a right, and though the cardinal-presidents never abrogated the law, they were compelled to be the passive and unwilling auditors of 136 speeches on the fourth schema, regarding infallibility alone, From the oath of secrecy, for the violation of which several persons were expelled from Rome, most, perhaps all, have been released at the last moment. Cardinal Bonnechose told the pope at a recent audience that he should have great difficulty in observing it, and as he is instructed to demand a special audience of the emperor to give a report of the council, His Eminence also has been released. I come now to speak of the spirit which has animated the infallibilist portion of the council. In theory it was a deliberative assembly met to investigate and decide what was truth. It has on the contrary assumed to be true that which was to have been the subject of discussion, and the majority have treated those who differed from them with every species of insult. It is possible that the foreign press has at times exaggerated these excesses of the disciples of Christ, but, I depend not on them; I depend rather on the statements which I have gathered daily from moderate men devoted to the Church, and who lamented the injury inflicted on her. Gross and unmannerly interruptions, hisses and howls, and harsh epithets have greeted the orator who ventured to exercise his undoubted right, while the cardinal-presidents have rung the bell to call the speaker to what was called order and, failing to succeed, have gone even to the pulpit to call him down. It is with delicacy and hesitation that I now allude to the highest personage in these States. The ultra Roman Catholic press maintained before the council met that the pope could not and would not be any party to a movement which would exalt him above humanity. He was, as it were, to repose in complete unconsciousness-almost without a will-submissive to the ultimate decisions of the Holy Spirit. What is the truth? Pius IX. has been a warm partisan, has been judge in his own case, and has pre-theorized himself. In his briefs and allocutions he has significantly praised all those who favored the dogma, while he has severely reproved those who opposed it. Even on the occasion

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of a recent festival, his benediction displayed his animus, and unless all Rome is in error, private laudations or private reproofs have been dealt out to those who were supposed to deserve his smiles or to merit his anger. In short, the man who ventured to differ from the Roman Curia [ court] was regarded almost as a criminal both by a portion of the council and by the pope, whom it was permitted to insult. The council was summoned, not to discuss, but to obey, and because a portion of it refused to do so, it has been looked upon with an evil eye. Of the ultra Roman Catholic press I shall not say much, for by its rude violence it has put itself beyond the pale of notice. All the worst features which have marked the infallibilist bishops have been displayed by it in a highly magnified form. The decrees it desired, it has regarded as foregone conclusions, and all who opposed them as 'pestilent fellows.' Hence, instead of encouraging discussion it has dealt in hard words, and has forgotten that when a man handles the pen he should not cease to be a gentleman. Heretics, Jews, Gallicans, Falsifiers, Protestants, and a host of other epithets have been lavished on those who differed from it, while those who favored its views have been exalted to the skies. Let us pass it by, for such a spirit has been condemned by the sentiment of all enlightened Roman Catholics. I have spoken of the mode in which the council has been conducted; let me now very briefly report what it has done. The first public session was held on the 8th of December, 1869, when the sole ceremony was that of the inauguration of the council. The second session was held on the 6th of January, 1870, when, in the absence of any decrees to be proclaimed, the bishops were called on to make profession of the Faith of Pius IV. On the occasion of the third session, which was held on the 24th of April, 1870, some decrees were published regarding the existence of God, rationalism, pantheism, and several other isms. At the fourth council, which was held on Monday last, the primacy and infallibility of the Roman pontiff were decided, and now, according to the saying of the Romans, the bishops who came as "Pastori" [= shepherds] leave Rome as " Pecore" [=sheep], and may go and gambol, for having shorn themselves, they are as light as lambs. In the intervals between these sessions there have been many meetings, called General Congregations, at which the canons distributed have been discussed. They have been De Fide [=on the Faith]; de Officio Episcoporum [=on the office of Bishops]; de Vita et Honestate Clericorum [: = on the life and reputation of the clergy]; de Parvo Catechismo [=on the little catechism]; De Ecclesia

[=on the church]; De Primatu Romani Pontificis [=on the primacy of the Roman pontiff]. Some only of these subjects have been partially discussed. The Canon de Ecclesia was before the council when a note of remonstrance from the French government arrived. The answer was an immediate order to bring forward the primacy of the Roman pontiff, which, from being the fourteenth article of the Canon de Ecclesia, was promoted to the dignity of the First. I have only to add that the bishops have received permission to leave Rome, with orders to reassemble on the 11th of November."

After the capture of Rome by the Italian troops in September, 1870, the order for the reassembling of the Vatican council was indefinitely suspended.

CHAPTER VII.

THE CLERGY.

OUR English word "priest" is etymologically the same with "presbyter," both words being traced back to the Greek presbuteros, which signifies "elder," and is thus translated in the New Testament (Mat. 15: 2. Luke 15: 25. Acts 11: 30. 1 Tim. 5: 1, &c.). "Priest," therefore, is often nearly synonymous with "presbyter," "elder," "minister," "preacher," pastor," and other terms which denote in general, with various shades of difference, a christian teacher or spiritual guide. But "priest" is also used as the English equivalent of the Latin sacerdos and the Greek hiereus, which denote a sacred person, particularly one who performs sacred rites, or offers sacrifice to God. The latter is the predominant signification of 66 priest" among Roman Catholics, as it would have been among the ancient Jews or among the idolatrous Romans and Greeks. The "priest" among Roman Catholics is a sacred person, who offers sacrifice to God; the "priests" or clergy of the Roman Catholic church belong to a sacred order or caste, who are regarded as altogether distinct from, and officially superior to, the "laity," or common Christian people, and who offer sacrifice, especially the mass (see Chapter XIV.). But Protestants believe that the one sacrifice which the Lord Jesus Christ offered to God for us when he died on the cross, is full and complete (Heb. 9: 28. 10: 10-14)-that no other sacrifice to God is needed, and that no other sacrifice acceptable to Him can be made (Heb. 10: 18, 29)-that all true Christians now constitute, as the apostle Peter declares, "a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus