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PREFATORY NOTE - John Emerich Edward Dalberg, Lord Acton, Selections from the Correspondence of the First Lord Acton, Vol. I (Cardinal Newman, Lady Blennerhassett, W.E. Gladstone) [1917]

Edition used:

Selections from the Correspondence of the First Lord Acton, edited with and Introduction by John Neville Figgis and Renald Vere Laurence. Vol. I Correspondence with Cardinal Newman, Lady Blennerhassett, W.E. Gladstone and Others (London: Longmans, Gree and Co., 1917).

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A friend sends me La Flandre Libérale of Ghent for August 21st, with this article marked in heavy blue pencil. I publish it without any comment whatever.

“catholic tolerance _____

“The punishment of death for heretics.

“Fr. Lepicia, professor of theology at the College of Propaganda in Rome, is the author of a text-book in common use by the future priests who study at Rome. The book is entitled: Concerning the Stability and the Progress of Dogma. It was reissued with augmentations in 1910. A new edition has just appeared, bearing the approbation of high Church authorities. And here is what one reads on page 193:

“ ‘Q. Can heretics be tolerated, and if so, on what conditions?’

“ ‘A. As soon as one proclaims in public a heretical doctrine, and tries to corrupt others by words or example, he can not only be excommunicated (to speak abstractly) but he ought to be killed, in all justice, to the end that he may not corrupt a very great number by contamination. For a bad man is worse than a wild beast, and he does more harm, as Aristotle says (Ethics I, vii, in fine). So as it is not evil to kill a noxious beast of the forest, it is good to take away the life of a heretic who denies divine truth and hinders the salvation of others.’

“And on page 200 this sentence is to be found:

“ ‘To the Church returns, in truth, the right of pronouncing sentence of death against heretics.’ Who then can say that the Roman Catholic Church is becoming more tolerant? Nunc erudimini!”

PREFATORY NOTE

Thanks are due to the owners of many letters in this volume. In particular we desire to thank the representatives of Mr. Gladstone, Cardinals Newman and Manning, Dean Church, Mrs. Drew, Lady Renouf, Lady Blennerhassett.

This volume is only an instalment. Acton’s letters to Döllinger are the most important that he wrote. Of these we made a selection some years ago. This will be published as soon as the translator is ready.

We would add that the selection is our own choice, and that the views expressed in the Introduction must be taken as our own interpretation. We desire to take full responsibility for our choice.

J. N. F.

R. V. L.