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Show CAUSE OF THE REFORMATION. Editor Intermountain Catholic: Will you please explain the cause of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. I have heard the matter discussed, and the admission made that a reformation was needed. Where abuses exist it is only natural that there should be revolt. Social reforms are attained only through the protest of the people who suffer, and tyranny can be conquered only by resisting tryants. Salt Lake. Nov. 22, 1903. INQUIRER. Replying to our esteemed correspondent, we would state that various causes are assigned for the Reformation. Princes aud rulers were arraigned ar-raigned against the Church. Laxity in morals and in the enforcement of discipline prevailed. Intrigues, In-trigues, the result of jealousy between nominal Catholics aud unworthy churchmen, existed everywhere. every-where. Abuses of canonical law were freely indulged in-dulged in, all of which merely touch the human side of the Church and show the necessity of reformation at the time specified. But a refonna- j tion, to be effective, musf come from within, not from without; i. c., it must not affect the unity of ! i the duly authorized body that is commissioned to j teach and govern. "To err is human," but in re- j forming errors in Church or State, unity must he preserved.' Hence the efforts and sacrifices made by our country to preserve its national unity when the Southern states strove to secede from the Union. Why? Because they, who would break up our national unity, ould disrupt the nation itself. it-self. Anarchists, claiming their motives to be to redress supposed or imaginary evils, would subvert sub-vert the authority of the country, and war on law and order. All evils, be they real or imaginary, must be remedied by the ruling powers, who are responsible to the people, but never by striving to break loose from the nation. The life and integrity integ-rity of a nation, we aretold by statesmen, rest on national unity. The same rule applies to the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Without questioning the motives of Martin Luther and his followers in striving to correct evils which affected af-fected the human side of the Curch, and which needed to be reformed, their error lay in the means which they adopted, namely, in breaking away from Catholic unity and opposing the divine authority of the Catholic church. In all human matters which pertain to discipline and canon law, reforms are needed from time to time, and the Church in her general councils has made changes to suit the exigencies of the times. But in matters of faith, which are catholic and divine, both in space and time, there could be no change, or need of a reformation. refor-mation. To think otherwise would be to impugn the veracity of God, who is truth itself. In judging judg-ing the Church the world fails to distinguish be-tweeen be-tweeen the constitution of the Church, and her members. The two elements are as distinct as the constitution of the United States, and the people. The Church, as divinely constituted by Jesus Christ, could be no more responsible for the violation vio-lation of the divine law than the constitution of the United States would be responsible for the least infraction of its laws by its citizens, or malfeasance malfeas-ance of its officials who may be placed in offices of trust. The Catholic church-not only countenances. but encourages reformation, whenever or wherever any laxity is known to exist. These should, as in civil matters, be under her direction and guidauce. But to go outside of the Church, as the reformers reform-ers did, and attempt what they deemed a necessary neces-sary reformation, is what anarchy aims at, and what the secessionists attempted when they withdrew with-drew their allegiance to the government at Washington. Wash-ington. During this month we were informed by thc Associated Press that a certain reformer intruded in-truded herself at the White House to demand certain cer-tain reforms, and was so persistent in her demands de-mands that it required the strong arm of the law to eject her from the executive mansion." Her persistence per-sistence in demanding, though not wrong in itself, it-self, yet when pressed in defiance of the governing authorities, became illegal. The' human side of the Church, which rests on frail nature, does not claim infallibility in governing. The reformers in their zeal to correct abuses became impatient, and through pride and self-will strove to destroy the unity of the Church by assailing the faith which belongs to the divine element and in declaring which the Church is authoritative and infallible. The Church, as commissioned by Christ to teach, cannot err; in her governing capacity, like all civil governments, she may err. But even in her governing gov-erning capacity her laws, like those of civil gov: ernments, if not suitable to the times, should be observed and obeyed till repealed. Had the reformers reform-ers of the sixteenth century a little patience and waited till the convening of the Council of Trent, they would have secured all they desired through the reformatory action of the Church herself. As it was, they broke loose from Catholic unity, severed sev-ered their connection from the vine, and, like branches severed from the trunk, lost their vitality, vital-ity, having nothing positive to teach except what they still retain of the old faith. |