THE PERIL OF THE ROMAN CHURCH.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "RPECTATOR."3 StR,—I beg you to grant me space for a few words in reply to Mr. W. Ward's not very courteous reference to me in his letter on "The Peril of the Roman Church " in the Spectator of October 28th. Much as French Clericals have disgraced themselves with respect to the Dreyfus case, I never said they were bad men, doing evil intentionally. Bat the private virtues or vices of French priests and Bishops are matters utterly beside the present question. Some persona, and apparently Mr. Ward amongst them, have absurdly supposed me to affirm that the Pope ought to have interposed in the the judgment of Captain Dreyfus,—as to his guilt or inno- cence. I said nothing of the kind. I declared, and still declare, that his silence has been "appalling," in that he did not rebuke the infamous utterances of the religions Press, or seek to recall to men's minds those elementary principles of justice the gross violation of which has shocked fair- minded men throughout the world. My complaint has been bat too sadly justified through the praise recently lavished by the Civilta Cattolica on Canon Delassns's atrocious book. Thereby the Roman Jesuits have involved Canon Delassus, the Archbishop of Cambray, their own Society, and the Roman Curia in like condemnation. Mr. W. Ward ventures to refer to the Galileo case, and seeks to deride my occasional references thereto during the last fifteen years. No doubt Mr. Ward, and the other Ultramontane upholders of the Curia, would much like that matter to be forgotten. But most assuredly it will never be so till authority at Rome has acknowledged its guilt and done public penance for it. The case of Galileo is one which deserves to be repeatedly brought forward because it absolutely demonstrates that the Roman Congregations of the Inquisition and the Index have blundered even in matters deemed to be within their special competence, and are therefore unworthy of that submission which is claimed for them by the highest ecclesiastical authority. They have shown their impotence with respect to Scripture interpretation and their contempt for scientific truth, on which depend the life, health, and happiness of civilised mankind.—! am, Sir, ac., [We are glad to see Mr. Mivart put the true point in regard to the Roman Church and the Dreyfus case. No reasonable person ever expected or desired that Rome should make itself the judge of the innocence or guilt of Captain Dreyfus ; but it could and ought to have condemned the methods and inspiration of the Anti-Dreyfas and Anti-Semite campaign. If it could condemn boycotting and the "Plan of Campaign," surely the Vatican could have enjoined moderation and a spirit consonant with Christianity on those who clamoured for a new St. Bartholomew, and spoke of the Jews as they were spoken of in the Clerical Press.—ED. Spectator.]
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