--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1845 to 1846. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 6 number: 11 published: 1845-06-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“The New Religious Movements in Germany,” *Times and Seasons* 6, no. 11 (June 15, 1845): 940–942." printed_title: THE NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS IN GERMANY. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-06-15_6_11 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v6n11.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-06-15_6_11 start_page: 940 end_page: 942 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1845 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-06-15_6_11 publication_year: 1845 --- # The New Religious Movements in Germany A new religious movement has started in Germany, which, taken in consideration with the philosophical and philanthropic movements of the age, and arising in the midst of these movements, may lead to important results. Last August in the cathedral of Treves, the tunic of Christ was shown, and its sight and touch, it was declared, would heal the sick and perform various miracles. Tens of thousands flocked to see, and once more in the middle of the nineteenth century, amidst populations enlightened by the positive sciences, a childish scene of the middle ages was enacted over again, but enacted unfortunately not by children, but by beings full of the perversity of perverted, fanatical and superstitious manhood. This scene excited the indignation of many honest and devoted hearts, and at length a Catholic priest by the name of Ronge protested openly and powerfully against this act of the Church of Rome, and called upon his countrymen, who rejected these acts and scenes of a by-gone age, to unite with him in the condemnation, and to form a German Catholic Church. This proposition met a deep and wide response, and this movement, undertaken by an obscure individual in the Catholic hierarchy, has in a few months awakened among the Germans a new series of religious discussions, and a new spirit. Political questions have been put aside by the press, and the most important political events give way to the interest excited by this new religious movement. A strange fact is to be remarked in this new movement. While the enlightened Catholics of Germany sustain and encourage this religious reform, it is attacked with violence by the Pietists, who are the strictly orthodox Protestants, and who correspond to the Presbyterians and Methodists, &c. of this country. The reason of this is that while Ronge has protested against what he conceived abuses in the Roman Catholic Church, he has also protested against the whole policy of these religionists, who would make of religion a means of government, of personal interest, of the maintenance of what now exists, with all that is false and anti-christian in it, for the benefit of those who are now in place and power. Protestantism is far more closely connected with government in Germany than in this country, and hence the selfishly conservative spirit reigns in it as it does in its opponent, the Church of Rome. The truth is, that the new religious movement of Ronge is political and social in its nature, as well as religious, borrowing a part of its ideas from Fourier and Owen. The idea of a better practical state of things on this earth, to be produced by Christian charity and philanthropy, by those grand doctrines of fraternity, justice, equality, and brotherhood, given to the world by Christ, could not have failed to enter into a movement of this kind, because that idea is now living every where in society, and has obtained a positive existence in the world. Ronge, with his idea of a Universal Church, which shall unite all classes of society, connecting the rich and the poor in the name of Christian charity, and establishing a brotherhood in the place of the war of castes and clans, of the privileged and the oppressed, is a political and social, as well as a religious reformer; and this has aroused against him those who would maintain privilege, usurpation and injustice in the world, whether Protestant or Catholic. In his last manifesto, addressed to the secondary clergy, Ronge says:- "The mission of the Universal Catholic Church was to realize the brotherhood of the whole human race, to harmonize the most heterogeneous elements, to fill up and bridge over all glaring social inequalities. She has failed in this sublime object, by her hypocrisy, her Jesuitism, and her selfishness. She has even corrupted the divine source from which she emanated. She it is who has caused the civil wars of the past and present times; and in testimony, look at the present state of Switzerland. She it is who disunites society, and divides it into classes, of the rich and poor, the wise and ignorant, the privileged and the subjugated. Her hour has come. It is time to enter into the divine domain of light, of truth, of love, which is the only and true 'kingdom of Christ.'" This view of Ronge, attributing to Catholicism, the disunion of society and an up-building of privilege, is one-sided, and to a considerable extent erroneous; like other elements of the social compact-the political, &c-it has done its part in establishing, in past ages of anarchy, ignorance and brutality, a false and oppressive order-perhaps the only one possible, but its error is still to uphold this order, in ages when humanity, by its progressive development, refinement and intelligence, is capable of something better. But Ronge is declaring war against social injustice, inequality, oppression and privilege, no matter whether he mistakes the source from which they emanate, has struck a chord that will vibrate deeply in the conscience of humanity, and bring up the grand question of the elevation of the race-a question as much political and social as it is religious-and to which will be given that enthusiasm and impetus which comes from a deep religious sentiment, the love of God and the love of neighbor. This subject suggests new views upon the means and measures which religious bodies, in these modern ages, are taking to spread Christianity, and the political and social results which it carries with it, and the spirit which animates Christian propagation in general.-We will reserve them for another article. At the end of his manifesto, Ronge invites the secondary clergy, who compose the lower order of the clergy, who are poor and much oppressed, in all nations, to make common cause with him, and to aid in the pacification, and in securing the moral and material happiness of all mankind. The last article of faith, adopted by the new German Catholic Church, is thus expressed: it is remarkable. "These articles of faith can in no manner bind the generations which are to come. The fundamental principles of your religion are, the love and the progress of humanity. Every Christian sentiment must have its source in love, personified by our Savior Jesus Christ." This declaration of love and the progress of humanity, which will make Christianity operate directly upon the practical affairs of the world, is a step taken in advance of that Protestantism which has become petrified in theological controversies, and the discussion and propagation of mere speculative dogmas, which are separated from the divine warmth and efficiency of love. For this reason many Protestants are uniting with Ronge. We watch with great interest this new social and religious movement in Germany. A. B. C. The foregoing shows how easily the people can be deceived without revelation, and that Babylon, when not "literally understood," means confusion. While in the way of quoting from foreign journals, we will give the following:- ASPECT OF PROPERTY IN ENGLAND.-In England, Romanism wears its most courtly dress, and speaks in most gentle accents. All that can ensnare a fastidious taste, or charm a generous disposition, is brought forward; tales of ancient faith and holy martyrdom are told in winning words, and every thing that is graceful in antiquity claimed as an integral element in the constitution of the Romish Church. Charity is the phrase that is ever on her lips, and she would fain persuade men that it is with a breaking heart she seeks them, that the erring children may be restored to a suffering mother; but to him who, in the first impulse of a confiding nature, has listened to her voice and believed her testimony, how sad and startling is the conviction which a closer acquaintance with the reality must ever bring? Ancient faith and holy martyrdom were in the days when Romanism was unknown; persecution and cruelty have marked her sway since she came into existence, and the martyrs who have fallen have suffered at her hands; she has been no sharer of her Lord's sorrow, but a despiser of his grief, and a smiter of his children. She has seized upon the intellectual faculties and genius of every age through which she has passed, as appliances of her regal state and the tribute to her worldly dignity: she has enriched herself with the merchandise of souls, which she has sold into darkness, that she might revel in wealth and earthly grandeur. Let any man who would put faith in her professions of charity and maternal love, cast his eye over the record of the Inquisition: let him remember the years of persecution to which she has shed: let him reckon up the anathemas of the Council of Trent: let him steadily consider every indication which the present century has afforded of the unchangeable nature of her spirit, and let him judge, how far she who speaks of charity can feel it-how far she, with the word of love in her mouth, and the blow of cruelty in her hand, can ever have humanity at heart. Men may talk as they will of schism and heresy. Where can more be found than those which Rome has harbored? Men may mourn with maudlin sentiment over the evils of the Reformation, and cast their small censures upon the mighty spirits who, under God, brought it to pass. What would Christendom have been without the Reformation, but a corrupting mass of spiritual wickedness and abomination? And it ill bocomes [becomes] those who breathe the atmosphere of Christian liberty, and intellectual freedom, to despise the men who purchased the privilege which they enjoy with their own life's blood and labor. If men will know what Romanism is, let them not learn it from the holiday phrases and scholastic sophisms of Oscott theses, or of Oxford tracts; but let them look at it in the face of Rome: let them mark it in the full exercise of its degrading influence in Belgium: let them gather it from the trash which the Jesuits sell, and the debasing doctrines which too many of the ecclesiastical dignitaries of France sanction.-Church of England Quarterly Review. We feel confident, that when our readers have followed us thus far, upon the subject, they will begin to see the words of the apostles made plain, relative to the "son of perdition." "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way: And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders." Taking the divisions of the churches of the United States into the general account, with what we have above shown, the "mystery" of iniquity doth already work, aud [and] they that have eyes to see, can visibly discover the woman, which John saw figuratively, to be the "great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." We might carry this great subject to any extent: for, on looking back through ages that have filled up almost six thousand years, we can discover, that the majority of men, through the cunning of Satan, have been deceived; and that the scheme by which he has cozened them into a belief of the eternal hereafter, has been, is yet, and to them unless redeemed, will forever be a mystery. Truly said the Savior to his disciples "To you it is given to know the mysteries," not to those without. Well may we rejoice: well did our forefathers rejoice, and gloriously will all of us again rejoice, when we find, that by faith, diligence, and perseverence [perseverance] in the commandments of God, we have come up through much tribulation, when the mystery is revealed, having escaped under the continual strokes of the great hammer of the whole earth.