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Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 16 November 1907, Page 3

HIS COXDJEMXATIOX OF THE NEW THEOLOGY. ARMY OF CENSORS. London, September 17. A momentous Encyclical oil "Modernism" was issued by Pope Pius X. "Modernism'' is the attempt made by ctrtain Roman Catholic theologians to that the dogmas of tW'ir Church are as capable of progressive interpretations as are tlie_<loguias of Protestantism, or, in other words, to approach theological truths in the modern ncientifi spirit. The more prominent of the "Modern-i-t„ v havi! been Professor Schcll, of Wurzburg. the Italian novelist, Antonio Kogazzarro. whose books are well known in this country, the Abbe Loisv, in France, Father Tvrell in England.' Against the teaching of the "Modernists" the Pope declares uncompromising He establishes a now and vigorous censorship, and warns the frithful with unmistakeable emphasis. I XO MODEKXfSM. j r Paris, September 1(5. • The new Papal Encyclical on modern- ! ifiu was issued in Rome to-dav, and a resume is published here to-night. It i-: divided in'o three parts, and the whole would fill about twenty-three columns. The modernists are as far as possible to W prevented from teaching or directing Roman Catholic seminaries and universities. The bishops, acting as delegates of the Holy See, are to do their best to keep the clergy and the faithful from the dangers of modernism in the press.

A college of censors is to be instituted in every diocese for the revision of Roman Catholic publications. The Pope forbids all ecclesiastics to edit nr direct any periodicals without the permission of the Bishop. All ecclesiastics who write for any paper will be supervised. All ecclesiastical congresses are forbidden except in those rare cases when these ecclesiastical congresses offer no danger of modernism, presbyterianism and laiciem. The Encyclical constitution in every diocese of a council of vigilance against modern errors, and orders the bishops to report to the Holy See upon this question. The words of his Holiness with reference to his command on the subject of literature are most impressive. Xo books or newspapers of a modernist description are to be left in the hands of any pupil of the universities or seminaries, for they poison Christian life at its verv source. He adds:—

Everything must Ee done to banish /torn your diocese every pernicious book. The bishops are to be above all human tear, to trample all Jleshlv imprudence under foot, heedless of"the outcry of the wicked, they are to remember our prescription and are to proscribe and tear out of the hands of the faithful all had books and bad writings. This is not only a right conferred upon them, but a doty we impose upon them." The first part is written with a view to showing the causp of the errors of modernism. It ascribes the root of them to agnostic philosophy which attempts to limit man's knowledge to natural phenomena, and refuses the right of Luman minds to raise themselves to God. 1". treats at some length of faith, which cmoraces God both as cause and effect, and analyses very closely the development of the .Vow Theology, in which the Church, the Bible, dogma and cult be(vme so many translations of the infinite feelings Dv which man reaches God. At the end of the Encyclical the Pope says that he foresees that the adversaries of the Church will no doubt repiesent it as the enemy of science and progress. "To this accusation," says his Holiness, "we will reply by our actions. We have decided to aid with all our power towards the foundation of a private institution which shall group together the most illustrious representatives of Catholic science. It will be its object to favor and to help, with Catholic truth for its light and for its guide, the progress of everything that can be called true science or erudition." The Croix, the leading Papal journal in France, in its leadQT on the Encyclical, compares the Church to a ship upon the o-ean, continuously tai-en by storm. The storms which assail the boat of. St, Peter are the human passions, savs the Croix. The whole object of the Encyclical is to prove that modernism and is doctrines are fatal to all religion, and to point out a way of combatting its effects.