Daily National Intelligencer

THE POPE'S BRIEF

To the editor of the London Morning Chronicle.

SIR—Having observed in a morning paper of this day (April 10th,) a loose translation of an important papal document, which will probably be quoted for generations to come, I send you a more literal version, together with the Latin itself, that you may compare them, and print the English for the information of your readers, I am, &c. &c. SCRUTATOR.

P. S. I shall immediately publish both the Latin and English, at Mr. Hatchard's, with notes and illustrations.

TRANSLATION OF THE BULL AGAINST BIBLE SOCIETIES,

Issued June 29th, 1816, by Pope Pius VII. to the arch-bishop of Gnesn, primate of Poland.

Venerable Brother—Health and apostolic benediction. In our last letter to you we promised, very soon, to return an answer to yours; in which you have appealed to this Holy See, in the name of the other bishops of Poland, respecting what are called Bible Societies, and have earnestly inquired of us what you ought to do in this affair. We long since indeed wished to comply with your request; but an incredible variety of weighty concerns have so pressed upon us on every side, that, till this day, we could not yield to your solicitation.

We have been truly shocked at this most crafty device, by which the very foundations of religion are undermined; and having, because of the great importance of the subject, conferred in council with your venerable brethren, the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, we have, with the utmost care and attention, deliberated upon the measures proper to be adopted by our Pontifical authority, in order to remedy and abolish this pestilence as far as possible. In the mean time we heartily congratulate you, venerable brother, and we commend you again and again in the Lord, as it is fit we should, upon the singular zeal you have displayed under circumstances so dangerous to christianity, in having denounced to the Apostolic See, this defilement of the faith so imminently dangerous to souls. And although we perceive that it is not at all necessary to excite him to activity who is making haste, since of your own accord you have already shown an ardent desire to detect and overthrow the impious machinations of these innovators: yet, in conformity with our office, we again and again exhort you, that whatever you can achieve by power, provide for by counsel, or effect by authority, you will daily execute with the utmost earnestness, placing yourself as a wall for the House of Israel.

With this view we issue the present Brief, viz. that we may convey to you a signal testimony of our approbation of your excellent conduct, and also may endeavor therein still more and more to excite your pastoral solicitude and diligence. For the general good imperiously requires you to combine all your means and energies to frustrate the plans, which are prepared by its enemies, for the destruction of our most holy religion; whence it becomes an Episcopal duty, that you first of all expose the wickedness of this nefarious scheme, as you have already done so admirably, to the view of the faithful; and openly publish the same, according to the rules prescribed by the Church, with all the erudition and wisdom which you possess; namely, "that the bible printed by heretics is to be numbered among other prohibited books, conformably to the rules of the index (No. 2 and 3.) for it is evident from experience, that the holy scriptures, when circulated in the vulgar tongue have, through the temerity of men, produced more harm than benefit" (Rule IV.) And this is the more to be dreaded in times so depraved, when our holy religion is assailed from every quarter with great cunning and effort, and the most grievous wounds are inflicted on the Church. It is, therefore necessary to adhere to the salutary decree of the congregation of the index (June 13th, 1757,) that no versions of the Bible in the vulgar tongue be permitted, except such as are approved by the Apostolic See, or published with annotations extracted from the writings of holy fathers of the Church.

We confidently hope that, in these turbulent circumstances, the Poles will give the clearest proofs of their attachment to the religion of their ancestors; and by your care, as well as that of the other prelates of this kingdom, whom, on account of the faith, we congratulate in the Lord, trusting that they all may very abundantly justify the opinion we have entertained of them.

It is moreover necessary that you should transmit to us, as soon as possible, the Bible which Jacob Wujek published in the Polish language, with a commentary, as well as a copy of the edition of it, lately put forth, without those annotations, taken from the writings of the holy fathers of our Church, or other learned Catholics, with your opinion upon it; that thus, from collating them together, it may be ascertained, after mature investigation, that certain errors lie insidiously concealed therein, and that we may pronounce our judgment on this affair, for the preservation of the true faith.

Continue, therefore, venerable brother, to pursue this truly pious course upon which you have entered, viz: diligently to fight the battles of the Lord for the sound doctrine, and warn the people intrusted to your care, that they fall not into the snares which are prepared for their everlasting ruin. The Church demands this from you, as well as from the other Bishops, whom our rescript equally concerns; and we most anxiously expect it, that the deep sorrow we feel on account of this new species of tares which an adversary has so abundantly sown, may, by this cheering hope, be somewhat alleviated: and we always very heartily invoke the choicest blessings upon yourself and your fellow Bishops, for the good of the Lord's flock, which we impart to you and them by our apostolic benediction.

Given at Rome, at St. Mary the Greater, June 29, 1816, the 17th year of our Pontificate.

PIUS P. P. VII.