Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

246 DANGER IN THE DARK.
others, to the great dishonor of the Christian name.
This schism agitated and divided the Western Church
for half a century, and was terminated only by the
deposition of all the popes and the election of a new
one, by the council of Constance, which was effected
after the See of Rome had been vacant, and the church
had been without a head two years! And there was
also, the Arian heresy, which had its rise in the fourth
century, and created no little division and disturbance
in the Church.
"And a question arose more recently, which had
the effect to separate the Church into two parties, viz:
'Is the Pope above a general council ~- Yes, says
one large party. No, says the other; he is inferior to
a general council, and may be deposed by such a
council.'
"History records no facts better authenticated, than
the frequent and terrible schisms, that in different
ages rent the Catholic Church.
" But aside from this, we have ample refutation of
the pretended infallibility of the church, in the single
fact that she has erred in science. The Roman pontiffs
and councils unanimously pronounced against the
motion of the earth; and but for very shame, would
in all probability do so yet. Galileo, for the crime
of discovering that the earth revolved round the sun,
was imprisoned in the Inquisition. To escape the fate
of Galileo, an eminent mathematician, who feared
being suspected of holding the same heresy, took tho
precaution to state in his book: 'I declare my sub-