The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

CHAPTER XI
Significance of the Council of Trent
In spite of all the disturbances, both from within and from
without, in spite of all the delays and obstructions, as well as
the many human weaknesses which had come to light during
the course of its proceedings, the Council had accomplished
a mighty work, and one of decisive importance.^
It was true that in spite of every effort, no restoration had
been effected at Trent of that unity of faith, on account of
which from the first the Council had been so ardently longed
for, although there had been no lack on its part of invitations
to the followers of the new beliefs. " We have," said the
preacher at the Session of December 4th, " chosen this city,
at the entrance into Germany, on the very threshold, so to
speak, of their house, in order to remove all suspicion from
their minds, we have refused to be guarded by troops, we have
issued letters of safe-conduct which they themselves have
framed, we have waited long for them, we have begged and
implored them to come and gain knowledge from the light
of the truth." But in the end the hand that had been stretched
out had been rejected in the most scornful manner ;
the last
^ Cf. H. SwoBODA, Das Konzil von Trient, sein Schauplatz,
Verlauf und Ertrag, Vienna, 1912. Here E. Tomek (p. 53 seqq.)
has treated of the Council as the landmark in the history of dogma ;
J. Lehner (p. 67 seqq.) works out in the discussions the things
relating to the Holy Eucharist, and F. M. Schindler (p, 79 seqq.)
the Christian ideal of life ; the editor (p. 87 seqq.) gives an appreciation
of the pastoral spirit of the Council, and F. Zehntbauer
(p. 103 seqq.) of the decrees on canon law. There is nothing
further in the work of P. Deslandres, Le concile de Trente et la
reforme du clerge catholique, Paris, 1909. For the medal struck
by PiuslV. to commemorate the Council, see Bonanni, I., 275.
366