RANKE'S HISTOEY OF THE POPES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 10, 5 July 1873, Page 1 (Supplement)

RANKE'S HISTOEY OF THE POPES.

TO THE EDITOR. SlB, — This book, written nearly 30 years ago, posseses a peculiar interest to reflecting men, and especially reflecting Prptestants, at the present crisiß of public affairs in' Christendom. M. Kanke is a Protestant Professor of History. "He enjoys a reputation for eminent literary acquirements. He has devoted to this subject the results of long research, and consulted the relations of eye witnesses, usually impartial, or whose partialities are against the Popes. He has published to the world his candid acknowledgment that the Popes in these latter times have been, in their private lives, unblameable and spotless — that many of them have been models of virtue and piety." bo says the ' Dublin Review.'

'j? Writing of the Popes of the earlier ages, M. Ranke uses the following words :—": — " Whatever may be said of the Popes of former times, it must be allowed that they had in view some elevated and noble object, either to raise an oppressed religion, to destroy Paganism, to spread Christianity among the nations of the north, or to found a powerful and independent hierarchy." * * * « I W as once of opinion," said an orator of the Council of Basle, " that it would be good to separate the spiritual wholly from the temporal power, but I have learned ne w that virtue would be subjected to derision without the aid of power ; and that the Pope, without the patrimony of the Church, would be nothing more but the slave of kings and princes." He might have added, or of demagogues. — Recent events in Italy form an instructive commentary on these words of the " orator of the Council of Basle." ' t w

Auckland.