EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. of the sovereign alone the exclusive direc- | matters. This is certainly a most arbitrary tion of the external and internal affairs of and despotic order. Nothing proves better the country, and so on. He stigmatises to what a degree of servility France is rethe fanatics (or Ultramontanes) who believe duced. The controversy on religious questhemselves to be our masters, and the hypo- tions and ecclesiastical discipline absolutely crites who believe us to be their dupes. He withdrawn from the domain of the daily expresses a profound disgust for the Popish press! It is as though, in some sort, they papers which have applauded the massacres would forbid us to breathe! Does the head of the English by the Sepoys of India. of the State believe that he has the right or In one word, M. de Montalembert places the power of suppressing the exercise of the Protestant nation far above the the human intellect? Does he hope to Romanist nation. prevent men from discussing the most important interests of the present life and of eternity? What! since the sixteenth century, religious polemics have never ceased to occupy a prominent place in the periodical press of the different nations of Europe; and shall silence be now imposed on these weighty subjects as in the dark times of the Inquisition? Is it possible? What is the conclusion to be drawn from this? The tree is known by ils fruits. Evidently, if the Protestants are much superior to Roman Catholics in morality, liberty, dignity, and in all that constitutes the grandeur of human societies, one of the chief causes of this fact is, that the principles of the Evangelical Reformation are worth more than the doctrines and maxims of Popery. Count Montalembert does not confess this explicitly; but it is the last word all through his article. The illustrious writer must comprehend and feel in the depth of his heart that Romanism, such as it is taught by the pontifical chair, and by the Jesuit school, directly wounds the general conscience of the nineteenth century, and cannot long remain in existence. He does not venture to declare this in so many words; but M de Montalembert has ceased to be devoted to the traditions of Popery; he has become half Protestant, and the same thing is realised in all reflective minds, in all sincere souls, who carefully study the evil influences of the Romish spirit. The Univers has been obliged to avow that the defection of Montalembert has given a terrible blow to the clerical party. "We are deeply grieved," it says, by the pen of its chief editor, M. Louis Veuillot, "the separation is effected between us, and the Catholic cause has lost one of its supports." Yes; and this is but the beginning. Rome of the middle ages is incompatible with the ideas and the wants of our time, and experience will prove this more and It is probable that the high dignitaries of the pontifical Church in France-aud, perhaps, also in Rome-have solicited Louis Napoleon to give this order. They saw that the controversy was becoming unfavourable to them, and that the longer it continued the more the consciences of honest people would protest against them. The crime committed at Bologna by the abominable abduction of the young Mortara has filled with indignation all those who feel any respect for the sacred principles of right, justice, and paternal authority. The canonical laws of the Church of Rome, publicly exposed and debated, excited a mixture of pity and horror. The clerical party then endeavoured, as is its constant custom, to silence the voice of its adversaries; it sought, according to its old habit, to alarm the secular power by saying that the antagonists of the Papacy are demagogues, revolutionists, and that the security of princes is dependent on the authority of the priests The French Government has yielded to these perfidious suggestions, and the daily press may say nothing more on religious topics! So be it; the anti-Popish journals are momentarily subjected to this unjustifiable injunction. What can they do? PROHIBITION TO THE FRENCH PRESS TO DISCUSS if they endeavour to disobey it they more. RELIGIOUS MATTERS. The French Government has clearly perceived that on the ground of moral and political principles, the Papacy was incapable of sustaining the combat; for after having permited the French journals to discuss the affair of Mortara and others of the same kind, it has suddenly forbidden them to treat in their columns of religious can act towards will be immediately warned, suspended, EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. gion, on one side or the other, and how are the periodical papers to be prevented treating of them? Thus the quarrel of France with Portugal, for instance, or the state of Italy, or the intestine agitations of the Ottoman Empire, are undeniably of a religious character. Shall not the press have the right of speaking on these subjects? Religious matters will, therefore, inevitably appear, either in a direct or indirect form, in the columns of our journals. VIOLENT ATTACKS OF THE ULTRAMONTANE PARTY AGAINST THE JEWS. By a singular privilege, however, the organ of the Jesuits has persisted in concerning itself in religious controversies, and has attacked those who reject the authority of the Papal Church. The Jews, in particular, have recently been pursued with bitter calumnies by the editors of the Univers. It is not my mission to plead the cause of the people of Israel. The descendants of Abraham ought to have recognised in Jesus Christ the true Messiah announced by the prophets, and to have accepted the mercy offered in the Gospel. But, nevertheless, the same justice and charity should be shown towards the Jews as towards the rest of mankind. The Univers has failed both in charity and justice in regard to this people. It has accused the Jews en masse of being bad citizens, usurers, deceivers, acquiring money per fas et nefas, delighted at making dupes among Christians, full of impudence and barefaced wickedness, dangerous to those States which allow them to remain in their bosom, &c. It seems, in reading the Univers, as though one of the ancient Inquisitors had risen from his tomb, ready again to condemn the children of Israel to the torture and flames of the executioner. What is the reason of this odious diatribe against the Jews? The aim of the Jesuit journal is to justify the conduct of the Romish Court in the affair of Mortara. In fact, if the Israelites were all, or nearly all, demoralised beings, malefactors, and the scourge of modern society, it would seem more excusable to take away their children from them, in order to bring up the new generation in the doctrines of Christianity. But the Univers has overstepped the mark, and excited public indignation. There are upright and respectable Jews, faithful to the duties of domestic life and social order. The Jews are certainly preferable to the Jesuits. So the insults of the Ultramontane journal have provoked manifestations which will not turn to its advantage. On one side, the Jewish Consistory has brought an action against M. Louis Veuillots the writer of these attacks, and demands that he shall be condemned as guilty of defamation towards a religious community recognised by law. I do not know whether the judges will be able to escape giving satisfaction to these citizens, so justly offended. From another quarter, Prince Jérome Napoleon, Minister of the Colonies, has nominated three Jews members of the General Council in Algiers, adding in his report to the Emperor these significant words: "This measure is in conformity with our principles of religious tolerance; and in presence of the diversity of worships celebrated in Algiers, it is useful and advisable to manifest by a governmental act, that equality of beliefs is absolute and complete in the eye of our law." Such a declaration is noble and encouraging. Univers has been greatly displeased with it; and, while employing respectful terms towards Prince Jérome Napoleon, it has pretended that beliefs ought not to be equal before the temporal power. According to its maxims, it is the duty of Government to show the people, by their preferences, what is religious truth. But national opinion has applauded the language of the Minister of the Colonies. The was M. DE SEGUR'S BOOK AGAINST PROTESTANTISM. If the Univers has outraged the Jews, Monseigneur de Ségur, whose name mentioned in my preceding letter (vol. xii., p. 442), turns his arms against the Protestants. This Papal chamberlain is not contented with having founded the A880ciation of St. Francis de Sales, he also writes pamphlets against the Reformation. His last work is entitled, "Familiar Conversations on Protestantism." M. de Ségur draws a parallel between the dogmas and practices of the Roman Catholics and Protestants. Naturally the Church of Rome is the perfect model of piety, fidelity, and sanctity; it is the Church of God and of the Holy Spirit! Protestantism, on the contrary, is the receptacle for all errors and all vices! Our Reformers were miserable apostates! The heretics are fallen into the last degree of corruption! We are accustomed to this logic and this style. M. de Ségur maintains, among other enormities of the same kind, that Romanists use more moderation in their polemics than Protestants. "First," says he," that which Protestants call violence in the Catholic (Roman) writers is simply an ardent zeal for the truth, that zeal which devoured the EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. Lord Jesus Christ himself when He turned the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and pronounced against the Pharisees His thundering anathemas." So, the pam phleteers of Popery, with their gross invectives, are compared to Jesus Christ. That is, perhaps, not very modest. "Secondly," says M. de Ségur, "Protestantism being an essentially unjust insurrection against the truth, and against the Catholic (Roman) Church, the Catholics (Roman) are always on the defensive, and fight to maintain the truth. Thirdly, moderation in Protestants does not exist, and we can boldly throw back upon them the accusation of violence with which they charge us." Then M. de Ségur quotes, as proofs of the violence of Protestant controversialistswhat? a few lines of M. Edgar Quinet, who is not a Protestant! He is a philosopher, a liberal thinker, who is a refugee in Belgium. He then transcribes several pages of Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde, a man who wrote in Holland three hundred years ago! The manner in which the thesis is demonstrated is worthy of a pontifical chamberlain-false arguments called to the support of false assertions. The Romish polemic can scarcely fall lower. INTOLERANT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PRO TESTANT SCHOOLS. It is again my painful task to report an act of intolerance in the department of the Haute Vienne. M. and Madame Touzaa had opened Protestant schools at Limoges. These establishments were closed, as well as other schools of the same department, for a certain time. The reason alleged for this prohibitive measure was, the interest of publie morals—as though Protestant institutions gave children an immoral education ! M. Touzaa, whose personal character is irreproachable, was supported in his demands by influential persons in Paris, and he addressed himself to the Minister of Public Instruction. He learnt, by a letter from this high functionary, that his school did not offer sufficient guarantees, because it had been established by Dissenters. "Let the heads of the school," said the minister, "allow their schools to be inspected by one of the pastors of the neighbouring Consistory, and you will be acting legally.' This was all very well. M. Touzaa had recourse to the patronage of a national Consistory. The pastors, belonging to a faith recognised by law, promised regularly to visit his school, and it seemed as though all was regular. M. Touzaa, therefore, presented a request to the Academic Council of Limoges, hoping that he should meet with no more difficulties. His hopes were deceived. The Academic Council replied that it would confirm and maintain, in the interests of public morals, the opposition made to the opening of Protestant schools at Limoges, Is it not a mockery? And is there not visible throughout this a systematic oppression of the Protestants? The Council of Limoges alleges no reasonable and legal motive-it can only say that it chooses to act so. Clerical influence is certainly at the bottom of this affair. CONVERSIONS TO THE EVANGELICAL FAITH IN FRANCE AND ALGIERS. I shall conclude this letter by the mention of some delightful facts. The Central Protestant Evangelisation Society has just published some details on the success which its agents have obtained since the last general assembly. In the northern parts of France, at Templeux, Fresnoy, and Crèvecœur, the number of hearers and Protestants has sensibly increased. "I am happy to be able to say," writes one of the evangelists, "that our new brethren, like those of old, are heartily attached to the Gospel of salvation. It is easy to see that God has commenced a work in their souls; they love to converse on the truths of Christianity; the most perfect harmony reigns among them; their conduct is irreproachable; and they are on good terms with the Roman Catholics." The news from Moulins, Loasle-Saulnier, Libourne, and from other Evangelical stations, is not less satisfactory. At Oran, in Algeria, thirty-five Spanish colonists, the majority being heads of families, have openly embraced the Reformed religion, and the Consistory of Algiers has taken measures by which they may have a regular service in their own language. Some of these converts have been menaced by their parents in Spain with being disinherited; but they have remained firm, and ready to sacrifice everything rather than their faith. X. X. X. VOL. XIII.JANUARY. EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. PRUSSIA. Nobility and clergy made common cause, and the congregations meanwhile not being conscious of their Christian calling or rights, and single voices not strong enough to prevail against large majorities, all the endeavours of ecclesiastical authority were unsuccessful. THE NEW CHURCH POLITY. Berlin, Dec. 17. Since the blessed Reformation of the sixteenth century would certainly never have succeeded but for its sublime doctrine of a holy and royal priesthood based on the sacred Scriptures, and opposed to the Romish doctrine and practice, we may fairly ask whether the vital power involved in this doctrine has yet been realised throughout Protestant Christendom? The more the regret which every true Christian feels that this inquiry must receive a negative reply, the more cheering to him will be the proceedings now going on in Prussia with a view to revive the spiritual priesthood in the different congregations. Down to the year 1850 all the Protestant congregations of the Established Church of Prussia-especially those in the eastern provinces were lulled into a state of inactivity, everything being devolved upon the pastor, except as here and there a few awakened Christians either opposed or helped him. To remedy this evil, the King resolved to offer to the congregations in the six eastern provinces a draft of Congregational Order, and allowed them either to accept or to refuse it. The superior court of ecclesiastical affairs-the Evangelische Oberkirchenrath-did its best to promote the King's view. But the success was very partial, for some districts showed a thorough dislike to the innovation. This was the case in the province of Brandenburg, where not a single pastor or congregation considered the new Order worth introducing. If you should ask the reason, nobody would be able to give you a satisfactory answer. We can only state that Dr. Hengstenberg's journal strongly opposed the measure, and that many pastors were found to share in the abhorrence with which it denounced all congregational independence. They were unmindful of the calamities brought upon the congregations in those dark and miserable times of unbelief; although even then there were simple Christian people who conserved the bread of life and fed upon it. But you will not be sufficiently informed in relation to this state of things in Brandenburg, unless it is added that the nobility and landed proprietors took the lead, and that many of the pastors played only a second part. Not much better was the state of things in the province of Pomerania. The few congregations which embraced the draft of Congregational Order, were like oases in the desert: the same reasons prevailing here as those which took so much effect in Brandenburg, besides a strong tendency to Lutheranism. For two years past ali attempts have ceased to institute the proposed new measure in this province. In the province of Posen (Posnania) there are only 131 Protestant congregations; but many of them comparatively, viz., 39, complied with the Royal proposition. The same happened in the province of Silesia, with 253 congregations. In the province of Saxony things were much better: there, 739 congregations acquiesced, notwithstanding the repugnancy of the late Superintendent-General, Dr. Möller, to the draft of the Oberkirchenrath. This province presents a singular aspect in relation to the measure. In the neighbourhood of Magdeburg, where Dr. Möller resided, none of the parishes have embraced it, whereas in the towns and villages which lie more remote, it has been gladly welcomed. Owing to the productiveness of the soil round Magdeburg, the livings there are much more valuable than in other parts. But the greatest success has been experienced in the province of Prussia, where four-fifths of the congregations have submitted to common Christian activity, common works of charity, and common discipline. For these are the objects contemplated by the new Order. Their officers are congregational councillors, elected by those members of the congregations whose conduct bears a Christian character. A similar qualification is required in the elected. Such was the state of things when several circumstances determined the King to call an Ecclesiastical Conference, which held its meetings in the months of November and December, 1856, in the Royal Moubijou. Palace in Berlin.* Its first and most im *For an account of this Conference sce vol. xi., p. 16. EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. portant topic was the Congregational Order. The Conference had, indeed, only a deliberative character, yet it carried great influence, since all its members were professed Christians, and were summoned by the King; and most of them declared in favour of the authoritative introduction of the measure. The transactions of the Conference have been officially published by order of the Evangelische Oberkirchenrath, under the editorship of its celebrated member Dr. Richter, Professor of Law in the University. They possess considerable interest, partly arising from the objects aimed at in them, and partly from the record they contain of the opposition made to them, the members of the Opposition party having had the opportunity to express their sentiments and views. Some declared the proposed Congregational Order to be a fruit of 1848, while others lamented it as tending to a deprivation of rights-as that, for example, of patronage. The reactionary party was at that time in its fullest flower. it reasonable to begin in that province which had shown most sympathy-the province of Prussia. The Prince Regent was gratified with the ordinance, and it was therefore despatched to the Consistory of Königsberg some weeks ago. Let me remark on the whole, in the first place, that the entire arrangement is not a matter of the present time, as you are well aware, but has been contemplated for these two years. In the second place, let me say that the principles of the measure being religious, and not political, cannot be objected against, either by discontented clergy or noblemen. Thirdly, I dare not forget to mention that our Church Union cannot be touched by the new Order at all; only a statute is to be drawn up, stating that the Church organisation has taken place. The Consistory, moreover, has been instructed to use the greatest possible forbearance towards those congregations whose misconceptions have to be removed. If they are not inclined to elect their Congregational Councillors the first time, they are to get them another way; for instance, by proposition from the pastors, the appointment to be confirmed by the rural deans. prove a great blessing and become an adequate frame for the Christian life of the congregation. The time, however, when further introduction of it will take place, must depend on circumstances. Any one acquainted with the religious condition of Prussia must admit that beams of life are spreading in our Established Church, and they will reach other Churches in Germany. Meanwhile the Evangelische Oberkirchenrath did not lose a moment in pursuing its object calmly but vigorously. It made haste to lay the results of the Conference before the provincial Church authorities, for There is no doubt that all our provinces, the purpose of learning from them whether except the Rhenish and Westphalian, which or not the Congregational Order could be have their ecclesiastical order, will eventuintroduced by way of authoritative arrange-ally adopt the new institution; which may ment. Although they were not of one opinion in relation to some special points, the Supreme Court was nevertheless encouraged to go forward. As early as during last spring a substantive report was presented to the Prince of Prussia, and his approbation asked for the taking of further steps. Under date of June 12, he wrote to the Oberkirchenrath, not only saying that he completely agreed with its views, but that he confidently left the matter in its hands. Accordingly this Court forwarded to the Prince an exposition of the principles on which the execution of the Congregational Order was to be based. This also was approved by the Cabinet's order of August 2nd, and nothing now remained but to go to work. The Oberkirchenrath thought Another sign of this is, the result of a collection made in our churches for the Protestants dispersed through Roman Catholic countries (the Diaspora). The largest amount of similar collections was 51,000 thalers; that just made has reached to no less than 82,000, though all the reports have not yet come in. 0. SILESIA. MISSIONARY TOUR AMONG THE MOUNTAINS. On Thursday, July 29, last year, I left | 30. At Furste lives a brother, who, with Berlin a second time for Silesia. Preached his single-hearted wife, has been a witness in the evening at Frankfort to a crowded for the truth here for years, and who now congregation, and afterwards attended a reaps the fruit of his faithfulness, as there Church meeting. is much inquiry as to the way of salva |