THE EUROPEAN COMPROMISE.
By Editor
The present generation has seen many great changes in Europe, but none greater than the divorce of the nations from the Church of Rome. France, formerly considered the special favorite and defender of the church, has withdrawn her support altogether. Germany has treated the pope with cool civility. Austria and Spain, two of the most "priest-ridden" of all the nations, have neglected the church, while Italy, the home and province of the pope, has despoiled him of the last vestige of civil authority. Forsaken of all his powerful supporters,—of those who once bent their knees to him in homage,—he shuts himself in his palace, playing the role of "a prisoner" to work upon the sympathies of the faithful. And in his "encyclicals," which might with equal propriety be termed his "lamentations," nothing is more deeply deplored than the fact that religion is taught, and to some extent accepted, contrary to the teaching of "the church," even in Rome itself. But there is no great cause of congratulation in the fact that this system of error has been cast off by the nations. True, the pope has not the power which he formerly possessed to authorize inquisitions; in this there is a change for the better. But not a single nation—not even a province or community—has rejected the authority of the papacy in the interest of religious principle. Germany is perhaps as free as any of the former papal States, but her people have cast off the papacy and accepted no religion, or rather irreligion, in its stead. The recklessness of communism has taken deep hold of the people at large. Regard for religion seems almost entirely lacking with the great majority. France is nearly in the same condition. In both these nations there is considerable freedom of religious thought and action; but a vast amount of irreligion both in thought and action. In Spain and Austria there is very little more of religious toleration than there was when the pope held them under absolute control. It is very difficult, and very unsafe, to promulgate any sentiments contrary to the teachings of the priests. Italy did not break away from papal sway on a question of religion, for her people, as a rule, are intensely Catholic—bigoted and intolerant. A "united Italy" was the object of the movement which wrested civil power from the hands of the pope. It was found to be impossible that two rulers should occupy the same territory, and while the spiritual power was granted to the pope, the civil power was claimed by the emperor. But in none of these States was any effort made to substitute a purer religion in the place of that of Rome. Almost all that has been done in that direction—and it is but little—has been done by missionaries from other lands. This is true with very few individual exceptions. In this connection we are reminded of the remark of Macaulay in his Review of Ranke's "History of the Popes." He says: "We think it a most remarkable fact, that no Christian nation, which did not adopt the principles of Reformation before the end of the sixteenth century, should ever have adopted them. Catholic communities have, since that time, become infidel and become Catholic again; but none has become Protestant." In regard to the political perplexities of the Old World not a word need be said. Every Government is exhausting its resources to arm for the conflict which they all know to be impending. And, while they view with jealous and apprehensive feelings every motion of their neighbors, they have a foe at home more to be feared than all their foes abroad—a foe against which they cannot arm. Science has largely been substituted for the Bible, and general education has been considered a sufficient compensation for the loss of religion. Even in the schools of morals and theology, science (often falsely so called,) has been accepted as the last resort in all important questions. Science has been regarded as the regenerator of society; the hope of the world. But science mocks their hopes, and furnishes from her laboratory the means of destroying commerce and overthrowing States. Science works in darkness, and in a single midnight hour lays in ruin the work of centuries. Science places a package in the hold of an ocean steamer, and the noble vessel, which "walks the water as a thing of life," with its freight of precious lives, is heard of no more. Well may men's hearts fail them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, Luke 21:25-27. The "sure word of prophecy" informs us that "there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time." And that time of trouble is fast approaching. For that time the nations are arming, but arming only to be overthrown. We have noticed that a better religious sentiment is not rising in Europe. There is no just ground for hope in that direction. To the contrary the train is being laid for a return to the darkest phase of religious bigotry and intolerance. Already the pope and his chief ministers are appealing to the people, assuring them that the troubles that now exist, and the greater troubles which are near to come, are all due to the error of the nations in turning away from the church. They teach that God is angry with the nations because they have cast off their allegiance to the vicegerent of Christ, and that the only hope of relief from this state of strife and conflict of Governments is to acknowledge one central power, one controlling authority upon earth, which can hold the disturbing elements in check by the strength of religious unity and spiritual affinity. And the question is one of interest, whether there is a prospect that these appeals of the papacy will have weight, and be favorably considered by the people and the Governments. This we will next consider.