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THE HOLY COAT OF TREVES
THE HOLY COAT OF TREVES
"How has the Devil dressed up dead bones, garments, and vessels, into the holy bones, garments, and vessels! How confidently have people believed all impudent liars! how have they crowded on the pilgrimages! All this the Pope, the Bishops, the Priests, and the Monks, have confirmed—or, at all events, they have been silent,—and quietly receive the money and the offerings, whilst the people go astray 'What results have been brought about by this parading at Treves of the Coat of Christ." Luther's
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THE HOLY COAT.
THE HOLY COAT.
We believe that the best way to introduce our subject is to quote some few passages from the authorized document published at Treves, with special reference to the ceremonial which took place in that Cathedral, giving an account of the history of the Holy Goat, and explaining and defending the step which the Church was about to take in the matter. The following are a few extracts:— "Thirty-four years have now elapsed since our city found within its walls 200,000 strangers, all actuated by a piou
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
In the following pages are submitted to the unbiassed judgment and consideration of my fellow-citizens and the Christian public, the various documents connected with my deposition and excommunication. It is not therein my aim to vindicate my conduct in the eyes of the so-called national teachers, or priests, or of the so-called Catholic Christians who are notoriously hypocrites, and who only follow religion for a livelihood, or as a means of attaining power and eminence: to attempt my vindicatio
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CHILDHOOD, SCHOOL DAYS, AND COLLEGE LIFE.
CHILDHOOD, SCHOOL DAYS, AND COLLEGE LIFE.
I was born on the 16th October 1813, in Bischofswald, a village in the circle of Neisse, and near the Giant Mountains. I was the third child of my parents, who had ten others, of whom two died young. We were set to work at an early age, and while my elder brother was employed in the cultivation of the farm, my father's little flock of sheep was placed under my care and keeping, as the second surviving member of the family. Such was my chief occupation between the ages of six and twelve, during s
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THE SEMINARY.
THE SEMINARY.
In the month of December 1839, I was received into the Seminary, and entered on a period of mournful and painful conflict. The confidence I had hitherto reposed in our spiritual teachers was soon expelled from my breast by a nearer survey of their mode of life, and replaced by the deepest horror and loathing, which seized me when I became aware how shamefully they abused religion, for the purpose of degrading and subjecting the people to their will; when I saw by what a fearful veil of hypocrisy
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THE EARLIER PERIOD OF MY STAY IN THE SEMINARY.
THE EARLIER PERIOD OF MY STAY IN THE SEMINARY.
During the first few days after entering the seminary, I saw depicted in the countenances of my companions in misfortune, consternation, or timidity, the deepest grief, or a sort of desperate resignation, according to their several dispositions; the first evening, for example, of six acquaintances and friends, who were consigned to the same cell, none uttered a single word—all the six were so amazed, that they strove to forget their speechless misery in sleep. Forty young men, in the bloom and s
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THE WARNING.
THE WARNING.
I entreat you, German parents, permit not one of your sons to enter this grave of moral freedom and independence; you draw upon yourselves a heavier weight of blame than if you took their lives—for the moral death is worse and more painful than that of the body! German mothers preferred in former times to put their children to death, rather than that they should be Roman slaves; while now-a-days it is esteemed the highest honour which can be conferred upon a German youth, that he should become t
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MY DEPARTURE FROM THE SEMINARY.
MY DEPARTURE FROM THE SEMINARY.
The gates of the Institution, which we were only permitted twice in the week to pass, to visit our fellow-men, at length were opened—the gates of that martyr-seminary for soul and body, that grave of independence—the proscribed threshold was crossed, and I beheld once more before me the free and lovely world; I inhaled long draughts of the fresh air, as I gazed on the free blue sky in all the brightness of the glorious sun. But the sun and the heavens were changed to me—the world itself seemed n
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MY OFFICE.
MY OFFICE.
Firmly resolved to be a teacher of the people, in the true sense of the expression, not in that assigned to it by the Church—resolved to speak the truth, without respect of persons, and to become no hypocrite, I entered on my office at Grottkau. Being unacquainted in my sphere of labour, some time elapsed before I came to know my field of action, or was enabled efficiently to discharge the practical duties of my station. I found my school to be the field best adapted to the measure of my capacit
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MOTIVES FOR STANDING FORTH
MOTIVES FOR STANDING FORTH
AGAINST THE CONSTRAINT EXERCISED BY THE POPE IN MATTERS OF RELIGION. The inducements which gradually brought my determination to maturity, and imposed the carrying out of it upon me as a duty, I here submit to the consideration of all men: I stand forth against the Romish hierarchy, because it is the means of crushing my dignity as a man, and reducing me to a state of disgraceful servitude. The dignity of man is acknowledged to consist in his reason and his will, and in the unrestrained use of b
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OBJECTIONS.
OBJECTIONS.
On the other hand, I have heard the objection made, that though I only wrote the truth, it was still unbecoming in me to write it as I did (?) Those good folks who so degrade the truth, and whose knees tremble before every tribunal, are informed, that it was not only my privilege, but my sacred duty so to write. The paper in question was written with the feeling of a German , who was ashamed and irritated, by seeing the despotic sway of Rome ever extending, wider and more boldly, and constantly
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FARTHER EXPEDIENTS OF DR. RITTER.
FARTHER EXPEDIENTS OF DR. RITTER.
As his Jesuitical plan of terrifying had not the effect which he probably desired, he tried other means to entrap me; and behold! a denunciation appeared to him likely to achieve his purpose. About a year before, it had been observed by a burgess nearly related to the priesthood, that I wore a shorter coat, and longer whiskers, than accorded with his orthodoxy, and he denounced me in consequence. Dr. Ritter had not delayed, from his giddy height of holiness, to set me right, in the genuine style
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LETTERS OF PERSUASION.
LETTERS OF PERSUASION.
DESIRES OF MY OFFICIAL COLLEAGUES. In addition to this charge to Kaspar Hoffmann, Dr. Ritter had commissioned a zealous divine of the younger school,* to persuade me to retract. On the 1st and 15th of January 1843, I received letters from him, and from a narrow-minded priest in the College at Neisse, in which, under cover of the most high-flown expressions of Christian brotherly-love, I am required to become a contemptible liar. As these letters are written in ecclesiastical style, and reveal th
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LETTERS OF SCHNEEWEISS AND GLÕCKNER.
LETTERS OF SCHNEEWEISS AND GLÕCKNER.
"My Dearly Beloved Brother,—You will be surprised to receive a letter from me, but do not let your surprise induce you to forget that it is sincere affection which prompts me to address you. "I have just learned in Neisse that a heavy storm is gathering over you. You are said to be the author of an article in the Saxon Vaterlands-blatter, in which language is employed very unlike what one would expect from any Catholic, not to speak of a Catholic priest. It is also said, as I am assured by an ot
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THE SEVENTY CURATES
THE SEVENTY CURATES
About the same time seventy Silesian curates inserted a most pathetic article in "The Sion," and, in an address to Dr. Ritter, implored him to call me to account, and, if I made any difficulty, to depose me. As I afterwards learned, this address was not peculiarly well received at the Chapter, but Dr. Ritter issued a letter of thanks.* I have not replied to these seventy brethren, because I heard that the greater number had signed it from fear of Ritter; but I consider that I have atoned for the
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THE DEPOSITION.
THE DEPOSITION.
After Dr. Ritter had also asked my friends in vain, whether I had hinted to them anything about their article, the Decree of Suspension was sent to me. Dr. Ritter had, at the same time, issued an order to a portion of the Silesian curates, to refuse me the administration of all religious ordinances. They, on their part, had issued the like order to their bell-ringers and sacristans, so that, owing to the zeal of many of those individuals, I could visit no church, without running the risk of caus
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DECREE OF SUSPENSION.
DECREE OF SUSPENSION.
The right reverend Board of Administration made known to us, on the 11th of this month, that, as public opinion had pointed you out as the author of the well-known article, "Rome and the Chapter of Breslau," you had been asked, on the 20th December last, whether you really were so. You replied to this question, on the 24th of the same month, that you could not reconcile it to your conscience to answer the question put to you by the right reverend Board. Time was allowed to you after this, and a
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DECLARATION ON THE PART OF THE TOWN OF GROTTKAU.
DECLARATION ON THE PART OF THE TOWN OF GROTTKAU.
On the very day on which my deposition was made known, (without any prompting on my part,) I received a Declaration, to be forwarded to the right reverend Council, from the undersigned individuals (all Catholics.)** This Declaration, and my own Defence, I forwarded without delay to the Reverend Council, with the observation, that I should also send a testimonial from the magistracy of Grottkau, so soon as I should receive it. After the Declaration had been despatched, several other citizens desi
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REASONS FOR NOT SUBMITTING TO THE ORDERS OF THE RIGHT REVEREND BOARD.
REASONS FOR NOT SUBMITTING TO THE ORDERS OF THE RIGHT REVEREND BOARD.
To this finding of the Vicarial Council, dictated by ecclesiastical caprice, without regard to the law of the land, or even to the statutes of the Church, it was impossible for me to submit—and I did not submit to it; because I should have thereby degraded, first , my moral dignity; secondly , the honour of the nation; and, thirdly , the rights of the whole body of inferior clergy, by a cowardly submission to the unjust and disgraceful punishment. In the first place, my moral dignity was slighte
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MY DEFENCE.
MY DEFENCE.
On receipt of the Decree of Suspension, I took the legitimate course (if such a term applies,) and sent in a Defence to the right reverend Board, along with the Declaration of the town of Grottkau, and testimonials from the authorities. But I was so excited by the calumnies which I found in the Decree of Suspension, that I was but ill fitted to write a calm defence. I felt myself therefore laid under great obligations, which I embrace this opportunity of again and publicly acknowledging, to a Ca
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DEPARTURE FROM GROTTKAU.
DEPARTURE FROM GROTTKAU.
Soon after receipt of the Decree of Suspension, I discontinued my official duties, but remained a few days longer in Grottkau, to take the necessary steps for clearing my character from the calumnies of Kaspar Hoffmann, and Ebel the apothecary and president of the body of delegates,* who had brought their silly accusations against me under cover of the Church. By the other inhabitants of the town I was most kindly treated, and the partially evasive testimonies which were afterwards given in by a
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MY SISTERS.
MY SISTERS.
My joy was damped, however, and turned to sadness, when I thought upon the annoyances which my family, especially my four sisters, (our parents were dead) endured, owing to the numerous and often ill-natured reports that were spread regarding me. Homely country people, reared in the Catholic religion, young and inexperienced, they did not think the motives were sufficient, which led me to throw up my office. Although they placed unbounded confidence in me, it was doubtless somewhat shaken, when
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THE ANSWER OF THE COUNCIL.
THE ANSWER OF THE COUNCIL.
About three weeks after the despatch of my Defence, and the testimonials from the magistrates, I received a negative reply from the right reverend Board.* In this reply no farther weight is given to the testimony of the magistrates of Grottkau, and the declaration of the inhabitants, than that they silenced the false accusations of Kaspar Hoffmann; and the representatives of Christian love and justice in the diocese of Breslau do not condescend to offer satisfaction for the annoyances to which I
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AUDIENCE OF THE BISHOP.
AUDIENCE OF THE BISHOP.
The confirmation of Bishop Knauer's appointment did at last take place; he was to enter Breslau in April 1843. I had gone to that town, partly to attend to my affairs, and partly to seek the means of future subsistence. After the the arrival of Bishop Knauer, I went to a Canon, whose name is appended to my Decree of Deposition, to ascertain at what time I might speak with the Bishop. This right reverend gentleman told me quite naively that I should have answered—"No, I am not the author of the a
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LAURAHÜTTE
LAURAHÜTTE
Lies near Beuthen in Upper Silesia, about half a mile from the Russian frontier. It is the most extensive foundry in Upper Silesia, and was only erected in 1839. It may easily be imagined that my spirits were not a little affected by the difficult circumstances in which I had been placed; for, besides seeing all my past labours brought to a fruitless termination, I had been compelled to submit in silence to all the attacks which had been made upon my character. Several of my Catholic friends had
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THE LETTER TO THE BISHOP OP TREVES, AND THE CHAPTER OF BRESLAU.
THE LETTER TO THE BISHOP OP TREVES, AND THE CHAPTER OF BRESLAU.
The hope of ultimate emancipation from the yoke of Rome, to which I now look forward with confident assurance, was excited by the slaves and blinded servants of the Roman Hierarchy and of the Jesuits, on seeing the extremes to which they carried their mockery of religion and trial of the patience of the German people. A Tunic, of which they cannot even prove that it really was the tunic of Jesus Christ, is exhibited by these Baal-priests of avarice and greed, for public adoration; and the credul
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THE CONCLUSION.
THE CONCLUSION.
The history of my life is now before my countrymen, and they may judge between me and my opponents and traducers. I have given documentary proof, that, on account of the Article entitled "Rome and the Chapter of Breslau," I have been deposed, and sentenced to disgraceful punishment, by the Board of Canons, without citation, hearing, or defence, which are accorded to the most ordinary criminal. I have further proved, that, on account of the well-known letter to the Bishop of Treves, I have been e
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OPINIONS, ADDRESSES, &c. &c.
OPINIONS, ADDRESSES, &c. &c.
We must now return to the first letter, and notice the excitement created by it over the whole of Germany, Protestant and Catholic. The following appeared in the Mannheim Journal:—"The greatest attention has been lately directed to the admirable and pithy statement of a Catholic priest concerning the Holy Coat. It is peculiarly the citizen-class who have been electrified thereby. Not to have read it, (and it is impossible to escape the question)—is declared to be as bad as never having read anyt
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THE NEW CHURCH.
THE NEW CHURCH.
It is now our duty to turn shortly to the positive results of this movement, in the formation of a New Church, independent of all Papal connexion, and as such, calling itself not the Roman but German Catholic Church . We have seen how Ronge had been excommunicated, and in what terms his former ecclesiastical superiors now spoke of him. Having been discarded by the Church, and no longer admitted to its ordinances, he set himself, without reserve, to the formation of a new Christian community. The
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TO THE INFERIOR CLERGY.
TO THE INFERIOR CLERGY.
"Friends and former Colleagues.—Before writing these words to you, I asked myself—shall I be listened to by those to whom I am about to speak? or will my invitations strike in vain upon their ears? No, they will not strike in vain upon your ears—I feel it and I know it, friends and former colleagues! You, the so-called inferior clergy, have been hitherto but little, if at all addressed, because, although you constitute the real ground-work and the strength of the ecclesiastical body, you have be
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CONFESSION OF FAITH.
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
Art. 1. The foundation of the Christian faith should be solely and exclusively the Holy Scriptures and Reason, pervaded and actuated by true Christian principles in their interpretation—Art. 2. The community accepts the Apostolic Creed as its own. It is the problem of the Church, as of the individual, to reduce its contents to a living recognition, corresponding with the principles of the age.—Art. 3. In the difference of statement and interpretation with regard to the given contents of this Con
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