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 Another Random Document on
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Title: Protestantism and Catholicity compared in their effects on

the civilization of Europe

Author: Jaime Luciano Balmes

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PROTESTANTISM

AND CATHOLICITY COMPARED IN THEIR EFFECTS ON THE
CIVILIZATION OF EUROPE ***
 PROTESTANTISM
AND

CATHOLICITY
COMPARED IN THEIR

EFFECTS ON THE CIVILIZATION OF EUROPE.

WRITTEN IN SPANISH

BY THE REV. J. BALMES.

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.

Second Edition.

BALTIMORE:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN MURPHY & CO.
No. 178 MARKET STREET.
PITTSBURG: GEORGE QUIGLEY.
Sold by Booksellers generally.
1851.

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and fifty,
by John Murphy & Co., in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland.
 AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
Among the many and important evils which have been the necessary
result of the profound revolutions of modern times, there appears a
good extremely valuable to science, and which will probably have a
beneficial influence on the human race,—I mean the love of studies
having for their object man and society. The shocks have been so
rude, that the earth has, as it were, opened under our feet; and the
human mind, which, full of pride and haughtiness, but lately
advanced on a triumphal car amid acclamations and cries of victory,
has been alarmed and stopped in its career. Absorbed by an
important thought, overcome by a profound reflection, it has asked
itself, "What am I? whence do I come? what is my destination?"
Religious questions have regained their high importance; and when
they might have been supposed to have been scattered by the
breath of indifference, or almost annihilated by the astonishing
development of material interests, by the progress of the natural and
exact sciences, by the continually increasing ardour of political
debates,—we have seen that, so far from having been stifled by the
immense weight which seemed to have overwhelmed them, they
have reappeared on a sudden in all their magnitude, in their gigantic
form, predominant over society, and reaching from the heavens to
the abyss.
This disposition of men's minds naturally drew their attention to the
religious revolution of the sixteenth century; it was natural that they
should ask what this revolution had done to promote the interests of
humanity. Unhappily, great mistakes have been made in this inquiry.
Either because they have looked at the facts through the distorted
medium of sectarian prejudice, or because they have only
considered them superficially, men have arrived at the conclusion,
that the reformers of the sixteenth century conferred a signal benefit
on the nations of Europe, by contributing to the development of
science, of the arts, of human liberty, and of every thing which is
comprised in the word civilization.
What do history and philosophy say on this subject? How has man,
either individually or collectively, considered in a religious, social,
political, or literary point of view, been benefited by the reform of
the sixteenth century? Did Europe, under the exclusive influence of
Catholicity, pursue a prosperous career? Did Catholicity impose a
single fetter on the movements of civilization? This is the
examination which I propose to make in this work. Every age has its
peculiar wants; and it is much to be wished that all Catholic writers
were convinced, that the complete examination of these questions is
one of the most urgent necessities of the times in which we live.
Bellarmine and Bossuet have done what was required for their
times; we ought to do the same for ours. I am fully aware of the
immense extent of the questions I have adverted to, and I do not
flatter myself that I shall be able to elucidate them as they deserve;
but, however this may be, I promise to enter on my task with the
courage which is inspired by a love of truth; and when my strength
shall be exhausted, I shall sit down with tranquillity of mind, in
expectation that another, more vigorous than myself, will carry into
effect so important an enterprise.
 PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION.
The work of Balmes on the comparative influence of Protestantism
and Catholicity on European civilization, which is now presented to
the American public, was written in Spanish, and won for the author
among his own countrymen a very high reputation. A French edition
was published simultaneously with the Spanish, and the work has
since been translated into the Italian and English languages, and
been widely circulated as one of the most learned productions of the
age, and most admirably suited to the exigencies of our times. When
Protestantism could no longer maintain its position in the field of
theology, compelling its votaries by its endless variations to espouse
open infidelity, or to fall back upon the ancient church, it adopted a
new mode of defence, in pointing to its pretended achievements as
the liberator of the human mind, the friend of civil and religious
freedom, the patron of science and the arts; in a word, the active
element in all social ameliorations. This is the cherished idea and
boasted argument of those who attempt to uphold Protestantism as
a system. They claim for it the merit of having freed the intellect of
man from a degrading bondage, given a nobler impulse to enterprise
and industry, and sown in every direction the seed of national and
individual prosperity. Looking at facts superficially, or through the
distorted medium of prejudice, they tell us that the reformers of the
16th century contributed much to the development of science and
the arts, of human liberty, and of every thing which is comprised in
the word civilization. To combat this delusion, so well calculated to
ensnare the minds of men in this materialistic and utilitarian age, the
author undertook the work, a translation of which is here presented
to the public. "What do history and philosophy say on this subject?
How has man, either individually or collectively, considered in a
religious, social, political, or literary point of view, been benefited by
the reform of the 16th century? Did Europe, under the exclusive
influence of Catholicity, pursue a prosperous career? Did Catholicity
impose a single fetter on the movements of civilization?" Such is the
important investigation which the author proposed to himself, and it
must be admitted that he has accomplished his task with the most
brilliant success? Possessed of a penetrating mind, cultivated by
profound study and adorned with the most varied erudition, and
guided by a fearless love of truth, he traverses the whole Christian
era, comparing the gigantic achievements of Catholicity, in curing
the evils of mankind, elevating human nature, and diffusing light and
happiness, with the results of which Protestantism may boast; and
he proves, with the torch of history and philosophy in his hand, that
the latter, far from having exerted any beneficial influence upon
society, has retarded the great work of civilization which Catholicity
commenced, and which was advancing so prosperously under her
auspicious guidance. He does not say that nothing has been done
for civilization by Protestants; but he asserts and proves that
Protestantism has been greatly unfavorable, and even injurious to it.
By thus exposing the short-comings, or rather evils of Protestantism,
in a social and political point of view, as Bossuet and others had
exhibited them under the theological aspect, Balmes has rendered a
most important service to Catholic literature. He has supplied the
age with a work, which is peculiarly adapted to its wants, and which
must command a general attention in the United States. The
Catholic, in perusing its pages, will learn to admire still more the
glorious character of the faith which he professes: the Protestant, if
sincere, will open his eyes to the incompatibility of his principles with
the happiness of mankind: while the scholar in general will find in it
a vast amount of information, on the most vital and interesting
topics, and presented in a style of eloquence seldom equalled.
"The reader is requested to bear in mind that the author was a
native of Spain, and therefore he must not be surprised to find much
that relates more particularly to that country. In fact, the fear that
Protestantism might be introduced there seems to have been the
motive which induced him to undertake the work. He was evidently
a man of strong national as well as religious feeling, and he dreaded
its introduction both politically and religiously, as he considered that
it would be injurious to his country in both points of view. He
thought that it would destroy the national unity, as it certainly did in
other countries.
"A very interesting part of the work is that where he states the
relations of religion and political freedom; shows that Catholicity is
by no means adverse to the latter, but, on the contrary, highly
favorable to it; and proves by extracts from St. Thomas Aquinas and
other great Catholic divines, that they entertained the most
enlightened political views. On the other hand, he shows that
Protestantism was unfavorable to civil liberty, as is evidenced by the
fact, that arbitrary power made great progress in various countries
of Europe soon after its appearance. The reason of this was, that the
moral control of religion being taken away, physical restraint became
the more necessary." The author, on this subject, naturally expresses
a preference for monarchy, it being a cherished inheritance from his
forefathers; but, it will be noticed that the principles which he lays
down as essential to a right administration of civil affairs, regard the
substance and not the form of government; are as necessary under
a republican as under the monarchical system; and, if duly observed,
they cannot fail to ensure the happiness of the people. This portion
of the volume will be read with peculiar interest in this country, and
ought to command an attentive consideration.
In preparing this edition of the work from the English translation by
Messrs. Hanford and Kershaw, care has been taken to revise the
whole of it, to compare it with the original French, and to correct the
various errors, particularly the mistakes in translation. A biographical
notice of the illustrious writer has also been prefixed to the volume,
to give the reader an insight into his eminent character, and the
valuable services he has rendered to his country and to society at
large.
Baltimore, November 1, 1850.
 NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR.
James Balmes was born at Vich, a small city in Catalonia, in Spain,
on the 28th of August, 1810. His parents were poor, but noted for
their industry and religion, and they took care to train him from his
childhood to habits of rigid piety. Every morning, after the holy
sacrifice of mass, his mother prostrate before an altar dedicated to
St. Thomas of Aquin, implored this illustrious doctor to obtain for her
son the gifts of sanctity and knowledge. Her prayers were not
disappointed.
From seven to ten years of age, Balmes applied himself with great
ardor to the study of Latin. The two following years were devoted to
a course of rhetoric, and three years more were allotted to
philosophy; a ninth year was occupied with the prolegomena of
theology. Such was the order of studies in the seminary of Vich.
While thus laboring to store his mind with knowledge, Balmes
preserved an irreproachable line of conduct. Called to the
ecclesiastical state, he submitted readily to the strict discipline which
this vocation required, and he was seen nowhere but under the
parental roof, at the church, in some religious community, or in the
episcopal library. At the age of fourteen he was admitted to a
benefice, the revenue of which, though small, enabled him to
complete his education. In 1826, he went to the University of
Cervera, which at that time was the centre of public instruction in
that part of Spain. It numbered four colleges, in all of which an
enlightened piety prevailed, affording the young Balmes a most
favorable opportunity of developing his rare qualities. Here, the
frame and habit of his mind were observable to all, in his deep and
animated look, in his grave and modest demeanor, and in his
method of study. He would read a few pages over a table, his head
resting upon his hands; then, wrapt in his mantle, he would spend a
long time in reflection. "The true method of study," he used to say,
"is to read little, to select good authors, and to think much. If we
confined ourselves to a knowledge of what is contained in books, the
sciences would never advance a step. We must learn what others
have not known. During my meditations in the dark, my thoughts
ferment, and my brain burns like a boiling cauldron."
Devoted to the acquisition of knowledge, he cultivated retirement as
a means of facilitating the attainment of his object. His thirst for
learning was so intense, that it held him under absolute sway, and
he found it necessary at a later period to offer a systematic
resistance to its exclusive demands. Pursuing his favorite method of
study, Balmes remained four years at the University of Cervera,
reading no other works than the Sum of St. Thomas, and the
commentaries upon it by Bellarmine, Suarez and Cajetan. If he made
any exception from this rule, it was in favor of Chateaubriand's Génie
du Christanisme. "Every thing," said he, "is to be found in St.
Thomas; philosophy, religion, politics: his writings are an
inexhaustible mine." Having thus strengthened his mind by a due
application to philosophical and theological studies, he proceeded to
enlarge his sphere of knowledge by reading a greater variety of
authors. In taking up a work, he first looked at the table of contents,
and when it suggested an idea or fact which seemed to open before
him a new path, he read that part of the volume which developed
this idea or fact; the rest was overlooked. In this way, he
accumulated a rich store of varied erudition. At the age of twenty-
two he knew by memory the tabular contents of an extraordinary
number of volumes; he had learned the French language; he spoke
and wrote Latin better than his native tongue, and had been
admitted successively to the degrees of bachelor and licentiate in
theology. The virtues of his youth, far from having been weakened
by these studies, had acquired greater strength and maturity. As he
approached the solemn period of his ordination, he became still
more remarkable for the gravity and modesty of his deportment. He
prepared himself for his elevation to the priesthood by a retreat of
one hundred days. After his promotion to the sacerdotal dignity,
which took place in his native city, he returned to the University of
Cervera, where he continued his studies, and performed the duties
of assistant professor. Here also he began to manifest his political
views; but, always with that discretion and moderation for which the
Spanish clergy have been with few exceptions distinguished during
the last twenty years. At that period Spain was agitated by two
conflicting parties, that of Maria Christina and the other of Don
Carlos. Balmes avoided all questions which were rather calculated to
encourage the spirit of faction than promote the general interest of
the country. In 1835 he evinced this circumspection in a remarkable
degree, when the doctorate which had been conferred upon him,
required him to deliver an address in honor of the reigning monarch.
Maria Christina was then the queen regent, and civil war was about
to commence in the mountains of Catalonia; but Balmes performed
his task without allusion to politics, and without offending the
adherents of either party.
After two years of study at Cervera, where he applied himself to
theology and law, our author returned to Vich, where he determined
to spend four years more in retirement, for the purpose of maturing
his character and knowledge. In this solitude, he devoted himself to
history, poetry and politics, but principally to mathematics, of which
he obtained a professorship in 1837. During all these literary labors,
Balmes was actuated by a lively faith, and a sincere, unassuming
piety. Religious meditation, intermingled with scientific reflections,
was the constant occupation of his mind; he did not neglect,
however, the exterior practices of devotion. Besides the celebration
of the holy sacrifice, he frequently visited the blessed sacrament,
and paid his homage to the B. Virgin in some solitary chapel. The
Following of Christ, the Sum of the angelic doctor, and the Holy
Scriptures, were always in his hands, and he took pleasure in
reading the ascetic writers of his own country. In this way did he
prepare himself, until the age of thirty, to become one of the most
solid and gifted minds of our time, and to act the important part to
which he was called by Divine Providence.
The first literary effort of Balmes before the public, was a prize essay
which he wrote on clerical celibacy. This was soon followed by
another production of his pen, entitled "Observations on the
Property of the Clergy, in a social, political, and commercial point of
view," which was elicited by the clamoring of the revolutionary army
under Espartero for the spoliation of the clergy. The learning,
philosophy and eloquence of the writer in this work, excited the
wonder and admiration of the most distinguished statesmen in the
country. Some months after, he published his "Political
Considerations on the Condition of Spain," in which he had the
courage to defend the rights of both parties in the country, and to
suggest means of a conciliatory nature for restoring public order and
tranquillity.
Amidst these political efforts, Balmes did not lay aside his peculiar
functions as a minister of God. The edification of the faithful, the
religious instruction of youth, and the defence of the faith against
the assaults of heresy and rationalism, were constant objects of his
attention. During the same year, 1840, he translated and published
the "Maxims of St. Francis of Sales for every day in the year;" he
also composed a species of catechism for the instruction of young
persons, which was very extensively circulated. At the same time he
undertook the preparation of the present work, in order to
counteract the pernicious influence exerted among his countrymen
by Guizot's lectures on European civilization, and to neutralize the
facilities offered under the regime of Espartero for the success of a
Protestant Propagandism in Spain. The occasion and object of this
work rendered it expedient that it should be published
simultaneously in Spanish and in French, and with this view our
author visited France, and afterwards, to extend his observations,
passed into England.
On his return to Barcelona, towards the close of 1842, Balmes
became a collaborator in the editing of the Civilizacion, a monthly
periodical of great merit, devoted to literary reviews, and to solid
instruction on the current topics of the day. His connection with this
work lasted only eighteen months. He then commenced a review of
his own, entitled the Sociedad, a philosophical, political, and
religious journal, which acquired a great reputation during the one
year of its existence. Driven soon after into retirement by the
disturbances of the times, Balmes composed another philosophical
work, El Criterio, which is a course of logic adapted to every
capacity.
From the national uprising that overthrew the government of
Espartero, there arose a general feeling of patriotic independence,
which called for the cessation of civil strife, and the harmonizing of
the two parties that divided the nation. Many of the adherents of
Maria Christina, who were the nobility and the bourgeoisie,
recognized the excesses of the revolutionary faction which they had
called to their aid, while the Carlists were not all in favor of absolute
monarchy, and numbered an imposing majority among the lower
classes. All these men of wise and moderate views longed to see a
remedy applied to the wounds of their afflicted country; and with
one accord they turned their eyes upon Balmes, as the only
individual capable of conducting this important affair. He had
already, in his Political Considerations, indicated the principal idea of
his policy for putting an end to the national evils; it was a
matrimonial alliance between the Queen and the son of Don Carlos.
Under these circumstances he commenced in February, 1844, a new
journal, entitled Pensamiento de la Nacion, the object of which was
to denounce the revolutionary spirit as the enemy of all just and
peaceful government, and to inspire the Spanish people with a
proper reverence for the religious, social and political inheritance
received from their ancestors, and with a due respect for the
reasonable ameliorations of the age. In this spirit the different
questions of the day were discussed with energy and calmness, and
especially the project of an alliance between the Queen and the son
of Don Carlos, which Balmes considered of the utmost importance.
This measure, such as he proposed it, was, to use the language of
his biographer, "the reconciliation of the past and the future, of
authority and liberty, of monarchy and representative government."
Such was the patriotism, dignity and force, with which our author
conducted his hebdomadal, that it won the esteem of a large portion
of the most distinguished men among the Carlists, while it also
acquired favor among an immense number in the opposite party. To
support its views, a daily journal, the Conciliador, was started by a
body of young but fervid and brilliant writers, and nothing it would
seem was wanting to insure a triumph for the friends of Spain.
Prudence, energy, moderation, reason and eloquence, with a
majority of the people on their side, deserved and should have
commanded success; but they could not prevail against diplomatic
influence and court intrigue. Balmes learned with equal surprise and
affliction, in the retirement of his native mountains, that the
government had resolved to offer the Queen in marriage to the
infant Don Francisco, and the infanta to the Duke of Montpensier.
This was a severe stroke to the sincere and ardent patriotism of
Balmes. He might have resisted this policy with the power and
eloquence of his pen, but he preferred a silent resignation to the
heat of political strife, and the Pensamiento de la Nacion, although a
lucrative publication, was discontinued on the 31st of December,
1846.
During that same year, our author collected into one volume his
various essays on politics, as well for his own vindication as for the
diffusion of sound instruction on the condition of Spain. The
following year he completed his "Elementary course of Philosophy."
But his physical strength was not equal to these arduous labors. To
re-establish in some degree his declining health, he travelled in
Spain and France, and remained several weeks in Paris. The
intellectual and moral corruption which was gnawing at the very
vitals of the French nation, and threatened all Europe with its
infection, filled him with increased anxiety. He predicted the
dissolution of society, and a return to barbarism, unless things would
take some unexpected turn through the special interposition of
Providence. This last hope was the only resource left, in his opinion,
for the salvation of society and civilization, and he exulted when he
beheld Pius IX opening a new career for Italy, and consecrating the
aspirations and movements of all who advocated legitimate reform
and rational liberty. The political ameliorations, however, of the
sovereign Pontiff appeared to the opponents of liberalism in Spain,
at variance with the great opposition which Balmes had always
exhibited to the revolutionary spirit. Hence, it became necessary for
him to pay the just tribute of his admiration to the illustrious
individual who sat in the chair of Peter, and to proclaim the eminent
virtues of the prince and the pontiff. This he did with surpassing
eloquence, in a brochure entitled Pius IX, the brilliant style of which
is only equalled by its wisdom of thought. In this work, he sketches
with graphic pen, the acts of the papal policy, showing that the holy
see is the best guide of men in the path of liberty and progress, that
Pius IX shows a profound knowledge of the evils that afflict society,
and possesses all the energy and firmness necessary to apply their
proper remedy. Balmes was full of hope for the future, in
contemplating the course of the great head of the church, and he
cherished this hope to the last moment of his life. His essay on the
policy of Pius IX was the last production of his pen. His career in
literature was brief, but brilliant and effective. Eight years only had
elapsed since his appearance as a writer, and he had labored with
eminent success in every department of knowledge. The learned
divine, the profound philosopher, the enlightened publicist, he has
stamped upon his age the impress of his genius, and bequeathed to
posterity a rich legacy in his immortal works. In the moral as well as
in the intellectual point of view, his merit may be summed up in
those words of Wisdom: "Being made perfect in a short space, he
fulfilled a long time." chap. iv.
This distinguished ecclesiastic, the boast of the Spanish clergy and
the Catalan people, died at Vich, his native city, on the 9th of July,
1848, in the same spirit of lively faith and fervent piety which had
always marked his life. His funeral took place on the 11th, with all
the pomp that could be furnished by the civil and ecclesiastical
authorities. The municipality decreed that one of the public places
should be named after him.
Balmes was little below the middle height, and of weak and slender
frame. But the appearance of feeble health which he exhibited, was
combatted by the animation of his looks. His forehead and lips bore
the impress of energy, which was to be seen also in his eyes, black,
deep-set, and of unusual brightness. The expression of his
countenance was a mixture of vivacity, openness, melancholy and
strength of mind. A careful observer of all his sacerdotal duties, he
found in the practices of piety, the vigor which he displayed in his
intellectual labors. The distribution of his time was extremely
methodical, and his pleasures consisted only in the society of his
friends. To the prospect of temporal honors and the favor of the
great, he was insensible; neither did he seek after ecclesiastical
dignities or literary distinctions. His aim was the diffusion of truth,
not the acquisition of a great reputation. These qualities, however,
with his eminent talents, varied erudition, and invaluable writings,
have won for him a universal fame.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. Page

THE NAME AND NATURE OF PROTESTANTISM, 25

CHAPTER II.
THE CAUSES OF PROTESTANTISM.
What ought to be attributed to the genius of its founders—
Different causes assigned for it—Errors on this subject—
Opinions of Guizot—Of Bossuet—True cause of
Protestantism to be found in the social condition of
European nations, 28
CHAPTER III.
EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENON IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Divinity of the Catholic Church proved by its relations with the
human mind—Remarkable acknowledgment of M. Guizot—
Consequences of that acknowledgment, 38
CHAPTER IV.
PROTESTANTISM AND THE HUMAN MIND.
Protestantism contains a principle of dissolution—It tends
naturally to destroy all faith—Dangerous direction given to
the human mind—Description of the human mind, 42
CHAPTER V.
INSTINCT OF FAITH IN THE SCIENCES.
Instinct of faith—This instinct extends to all the sciences—
Newton, Descartes—Observations on the history of
philosophy—Proselytism—Present condition of the human
mind, 46
CHAPTER VI.
DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS WANTS OF NATIONS—MATHEMATICS—MORAL SCIENCES.
Important error committed by Protestantism, with regard to
the religious government of the human mind, 50
CHAPTER VII.
INDIFFERENCE AND FANATICISM.
Two opposite evils, fruits of Protestantism—Origin of
fanaticism—The Church has prepared the history of the
human mind—Private interpretation of the Bible—Passage
from O'Callaghan—Description of the Bible, 53
CHAPTER VIII.
FANATICISM—ITS DEFINITION—FANATICISM IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Connexion between fanaticism and religious feeling—
Impossibility of destroying it—Means of diminishing it—The
Church has used these means, and with what result?—
Observations on the pretended Catholic fanatics—
Description of the religious excitement of the founders of
orders in the Church, 57
CHAPTER IX.
INCREDULITY AND RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE IN EUROPE THE FRUITS OF
PROTESTANTISM.
Lamentable symptoms of these from the beginning of
Protestantism—Remarkable religious crisis in the latter part
of the seventeenth century—Bossuet and Leibnitz—The
Jansenists—Their influence—Dictionary of Bayle—The
epoch when that work appeared—State of opinions among
the Protestants, 60
CHAPTER X.
CAUSES OF THE CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF PROTESTANTISM.
Important question with regard to the continuance of
Protestantism—Religious indifference with respect to man
collectively and individually—European societies with
relation to Mahometanism and idolatry—How Catholicity
and Protestantism are capable of defending the truth—
Intimate connexion between Christianity and European
civilization, 64
 CHAPTER XI.
THE POSITIVE DOCTRINES OF PROTESTANTISM ARE REPUGNANT TO THE INSTINCT OF
CIVILIZATION.
Doctrines of Protestantism divided into positive and negative—
Singular phenomenon: one of the principal dogmas of the
founders of Protestantism repugnant to European
civilization—Eminent service which Catholicity has done to
civilization by defending free will—Nature of error—Nature
of truth, 68
CHAPTER XII.
EFFECTS WHICH THE INTRODUCTION OF PROTESTANTISM INTO SPAIN WOULD HAVE
PRODUCED.
Present state of religious ideas in Europe—Victories of religion
—State of science and literature—Condition of modern
society—Conjectures on the future influence of Catholicity
—Is it probable that Protestantism will be introduced into
Spain?—England—Her connexion with Spain—Pitt—Nature
of religious ideas in Spain—Situation of Spain—How she
may be regenerated, 70
CHAPTER XIII.
PROTESTANTISM AND CATHOLICITY IN THEIR RELATION TO SOCIAL PROGRESS—
PRELIMINARY COUP D'ŒIL.
Commencement of the parallel—Liberty—Vague meaning of
the word—European civilization chiefly due to Catholicity—
East and West—Conjectures on the destinies of Catholicity
amid the catastrophies that may threaten in Europe—
Observations on philosophical studies—Fatalism of a certain
modern historical school, 79
CHAPTER XIV.
DID THERE EXIST, AT THE TIME WHEN CHRISTIANITY APPEARED, ANOTHER PRINCIPLE
OF REGENERATION?
Condition, religious, social, and scientific, of the world at the 84
appearance of Christianity—Roman law—The influence of
Christian ideas thereon—Evils of the political organization
of the empire—System adopted by Christianity; her first
 care was to change ideas—Christianity and Paganism with
regard to the teaching of moral doctrines—Protestant
preaching,
CHAPTER XV.
DIFFICULTIES WHICH CHRISTIANITY HAD TO OVERCOME IN THE WORK OF SOCIAL
REGENERATION—SLAVERY—COULD IT HAVE BEEN DESTROYED MORE SPEEDILY THAN
IT WAS BY CHRISTIANITY?
The Church was not only a great and productive school, but
she was also a regenerating association—What she had to
do—Difficulties which she had to overcome—Slavery—By
whom was it abolished?—Opinion of M. Guizot—Immense
number of the slaves—Caution necessary in the abolition of
slavery—Was immediate abolition possible?—Refutation of
the opinion of M. Guizot, 90
CHAPTER XVI.
IDEAS AND MANNERS OF ANTIQUITY RESPECTING SLAVERY—THE CHURCH BEGINS BY
IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF SLAVES.
The Catholic Church not only employs her doctrines, her
maxims, and her spirit of charity, but also makes use of
practical means in the abolition of slavery—Point of view in
which this historical fact ought to be considered—False
ideas of the ancients on the subject—Homer, Plato,
Aristotle—Christianity began forthwith to combat these
errors—Christian doctrines on the connexion between
master and slave—The Church employs herself in
improving the condition of slaves, 94
CHAPTER XVII.
MEANS USED BY THE CHURCH TO ENFRANCHISE SLAVES.
1st. She zealously defends the liberty of the enfranchised— 102
Manumission in the churches—Effects of this practice—2d.
Redemption of captives—Zeal of the Church in practising
and extending the redemption of captives—Prejudices of
the Romans on this point—The zeal of the Church for this
object contributes, in an extraordinary degree, to the
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