THE POPE ON INFALLIBILITY.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 475, 5 June 1875, Page 2

THE POPE ON INFALLIBILITY.

Recently the Pope delivered an address to the " Academy ot the catholic Religion," the text of which has heen republished by the "Journal of Florence. In the course ,of it the Holy father made the following remarks on infallibility. — "Among the different subjects with which yon will have to treat there is one which seems to me of special iin>ortaiSce, and Iteat is to bring to nothing the effoVs^that are being made to falsify the idea of Pontifical-Infallibility. Of^all these efforts that which seems the fullest of malice consists in attributing to the infallibility of the Pope the right of deposing Sovereigns and of absolving | subjects from their allegiance. Without doubt, I thin rig-ht has sometimes been exercised by the Popes in the supreme struggles, but it never has ! anything in common with their infallibility, but in ! the Pontifical authority. Moreover, the exercise of the right in the ages ot faith — when men recognised in the Pope, what he really is, the Supreme .ludge of Christendom, and acknowledged the advantages of his tribunal for the solutions of great questions arising between peoples and their sovereigns — fche exercise of that right spread itself, seconded as it ought to have been by public law and the general agreement of the nationalities, to the gravest interests of the States and their Chiefs. The conditions of the present day are greatly chtngred, and only mulice can confound two things so different : infallibility in regard to revealed principle, and the rights which the Popes exercised in virtue of their authority when the welfare of society demanded it. Our enemies know this as well as we, and it is easy to see why they call up this confusion of ideas and put forward hypotheses in which nobo'ly believes. Tney invent these pretexts in onier to afflict us and excite princes against the Church. There are some who wish 1 should explain and render still more dear the definition of the Council. I will not d > it. It is clear euough in itself, and has no need of further explanations or commentaries." i

! The following story is related .—Daring the Taeping rebellion a married Chinaman resideut in Nankin joined a regiment which was ordered for service against; the rebels, and, nothing being heard of him for several years a^rwarda his wife married again. After a year or two the first husband presented himself, and demanded the restoration of his wife. The second spouse objected, and it was referred to the local magistrate. This functionary told them to leave the wifein his hands for ten days, and then both to come back again for his decision. About the fifth or sixth day the magistrate, in great haste, sent for the two men, and, with a mournful countenance, informed them that the wife was dead. The question was who would bear the expense of the funeral. The first husband declined, the second consented. Then the magistrate "drew a curtain, and disclosed the living wife, who was oarried'off by her second spouse." San Francisco has a woman who lifts several hundred pounds with her teeth. She's i comfortable sort of woman for somebody not to marry. Think of the jawing she could do without fatigue.

JUAOUtiUZ'tU.