Dudleian Lecture.

The third of the Dudleian Lectures on the subject, "The Romish Church" was delivered last night by Professor Emerton before an audience composed largely of students but containing also quite a sprinkling of people from outside the college. The lecture was interesting throughout and was an admirable exposition of the theories which underlie both the Catholic and Protestant Churches.

The language in which Justice Dudley defined the purpose of this lecture, showed how bitter he felt against the Catholic Church. He saw danger in it, for toward the end of his life, was a period of Catholic domination, when the whole spirit of affairs seemed subjected to Catholic influence. Professor Emerton defined first the term "Catholic" and gave a historical sketch of the growth of the Church. The Catholic idea was originally an educational one; a scheme for the regeneration of men. At the time when it originated, there were many systems of philosophy, but the hope of a future for religion had to be based on something besides these, something of more vital interest to men. Rome, the great centre at one time, of all the learning, all the art, of the world, became later, by virtue of a remnant of this former genius, the centre of religion. She spread her power in every way till finally, in the seventeenth century, she had drawn into her religious supremacy, an almost unlimited power over politics and government throughout Europe In the ninth century, the aspect of Catholicism changed; Rome began to get despotic. At this time the so-called Decretal System was in vogue at Rome. By this system the Pope, by a decree could do anything he wished, practically. He referred to ancient rules for his authority, and if they did not exist he could easily make them, to suit his purpose. The leaders of the Church began to protest against such a tyrannical system. They formed the Concilia System to oppose the Decretal.

The lecturer then discussed the Protestant outgrowth from the Catholic Church. The Protestant idea was to get rid of any artificial mediator between man and God. Luther and others opposed the authority of the Pope as against this Protestant idea and started the revolutionary spirit by condemning the sale of "indulgences." The case became a perfectly clear one. The Catholics held that a third party must interfere for the salvation of the individual soul, while the Protestants would not submit to have their opinions meddled with; they wanted free expression of their own belief. The Bible was the authority of the Protestants.

Today the old struggle is repeating itself. The only thing Harvard University has to fear is the narrow idea of Catholicism, not the great liberal basis of the original institution.