"My Dearly Beloved Brother,--You will be surprised to receive a letter
from me, but do not let your surprise induce you to forget that it is
sincere affection which prompts me to address you.
"I have just learned in Neisse that a heavy storm is gathering over
you. You are said to be the author of an article in the Saxon
Vaterlands-blatter, in which language is employed very unlike what one
would expect from any Catholic, not to speak of a Catholic priest. It is
also said, as I am assured by an otherwise trustworthy and respectable
man, that you have been questioned in regard to it by the right reverend
Administrator of the Bishopric, and that you have returned a very
evasive, answer. If it be really so, Oh, let me entreat that you will
not neglect to say at once Pater, _peccavi!_ (Father, I have sinned!)
Write immediately to the right reverend Vicar, and assure him, with a
self-denial which would be highly honourable (?) to you, that you wrote
in well-meant (?) precipitation. If you do not follow my brotherly
counsel, you may expect, from the determined character of the right
reverend Vicar, soon to be suspended (deposed), as I have also learned
from respectable authority. And to what would this suspension lead! Oh,
believe me, my dear brother, it would then be no longer in the power of
your former friends to help you. So long as we are Catholics, Rome must
always be to us the centre point of the visible Church; and so long as
we wish to be Catholic Christians, and particularly priests--servants
of the Catholic Church, we dare not speak and write of Rome in such a
slighting manner,--I might say, with the hatred and contempt exhibited
in the article, which I have also read. I assure you, that not even
Protestants would take you under their protection, if you are really the
author of that article. I will not speak of Catholics. In so far as I
am concerned, I marvelled at the author's deficiency in historical and
theological knowledge, who had subscribed himself 'A Chaplain.'
"Be not offended at my openness. A well-meaning brother must not
hesitate to speak the truth even at the risk of the momentary loss of
a brothers affection. I entreat you once again to do immediately what
I advise. I know you to be an otherwise well-disposed person (_what
honour!_); it would grieve me to see you brought into a position which
cannot, now-a-days, be honourable (_do I not understand?_). It is
great-minded to make amends for faults and for offence which one
may have given! and little-minded to have the courage only to impugn
time-honoured truths, without acknowledging the fact as soon as
questioned by those who, in virtue of their station, have a right to
demand the acknowledgment;* and so, dear friend, behave wisely and well,
and turn away all evil from yourself. Make my respects to your Vicar.
* Great is the absurdity of this sentence; small the man
and priest who can desire to see truth degraded to the
condition of a venal slave.
"Now, dear friend, seek counsel of your God, and I know you will take
decided steps in consequence. May peace be with us throughout the new
year. With this invocation I conclude these hasty lines, which sincere
brotherly love has dictated. Your true Brother,
"Schneeweiss."
The letter of the narrow-minded priest referred to above is as
follows:--
"Neisse, January 12th 1843.
"Honoured Brother,--You will not surely take it ill that I speak my mind
to you in regard to a matter which must be causing you embarrassment
at present--I mean the article in the Vaterlands-blatter. The paper had
lain here unnoticed for several weeks, when it accidentally fell into
my hands at the house of Baumgarten the merchant; and on account of its
bitter, passionate tone, not only in regard to the Pope himself, but the
extent of his authority--on account of certain hints in regard to the
narrowing of the power of the bishops and the want of the proper conduct
of the cure of souls, which the people have a right to expect, as the
grace of the Church, from the apostolic vicars and curates--in short,
on account of all these circumstances, I hastened to submit it to
Schneeweiss for inspection. But besides the Number which contained this
article, there was another, and indeed the preceding one, which at the
end gave a list of the contents of the letter box, and also mentioned a
contribution from Grottkau. This it was which led to the suspicion that
you were the author. Full scope was now given for violent discussion at
the parsonage, and they wished at once to inform you of the suspicion
under which you lay. An opportunity was found in candidate N., who,
at the suggestion of Schneeweiss, was enjoined to call upon you on
his homeward journey to Breslau, and disclose all to you,--but nothing
farther. No application to Ritter was made from hence, and, according to
the declaration of Schneeweiss, N., who is at present in the Seminary,
must have blabbed there. Since your embarrassment is now known, that is
to say, Ritter's threat in case you should not confess--Schneeweiss has
written to you at once, Ritter having expressed a wish that your friends
and brethren in this quarter should come to an understanding with you,
and try to move you to a retractation of the article. Schneeweiss, much
puzzled at not hearing from you, has again applied to Ritter, through
Peschke in Breslau, to endeavour to stave off the execution of the
threat, and successfully, as we yesterday learned. Peschke advises him
strongly to persuade you to confess, in which case nothing more would
be demanded of you than that you should insert a modified article in the
same paper, without signature, and adds, 'If you had not entreated for
him, Ronge would already have been proceeded against--he would have been
suspended.' I have already told a long tale, but not yet come plainly to
the point which so much annoys me. It is this,--through _me_ it was
that the article first became known to the clergy, and I should bitterly
reproach myself were you to be brought into trouble on account of it.
You may judge from this what comfort it would afford me were you to
relieve me from my unpleasant situation by a settlement of the affair.
Do it for my sake, (?) regard my peace of mind, should it cost ever
so great a sacrifice! It involves no sacrifice of conscience--such a
sacrifice no one has a right, _ex abrupto_, to demand. The Catholic
Creed is not involved--otherwise, I apprehend, from your straightforward
character, you would no longer be holding office in the Church. I
beseech you, therefore, to relieve me from my painful situation, where
I am tortured now, and may be incurably tortured at a future day, should
you be overpowered. S. would gladly talk over with you this unpleasant
affair, if it were agreeable to you to come here; and, if that be
inconvenient, he will employ his acquaintance with Ritter to facilitate
an adjustment. Ask N. also, who knows me,--and I think you will
entertain no suspicion of my sincerity. Perhaps he may even accompany
you, which would delight me. He also is among the shipwrecked ones. With
all brotherly love, your friend,
"GLOCKNER."
On the 15th of January I received a second letter from Schneeweiss,
which differs essentially from the former one. If the tone of the first
is lordly and dictatorial, that of the second is gentle, more prudent,
is addressed to me as an individual, and calls in my nationality to his
assistance:--
"My Dear Brother,--Once more I write you a short letter, although I
feel nearly persuaded that you will not thank me for it. My former hasty
lines have remained quite unnoticed. Were I actuated by any other motive
than affection, I might feel myself somewhat slighted, but love bears
all, hopes all, and does all, that can promote the welfare of a brother
(?!). Once more I beg of you to bring this unhappy affair in Breslau to
a conclusion. I assure you that your character, supposing you to be
the author of the article in question, shall not be compromised (_how
forbearing is our mother Church!_), as I know from an authentic source.
Believe me, you have injured yourself by your evasive answer,--it will
not bring you out of your scrape.
"Act resolutely! If you be the author of the article, answer, like a
man, 'Yes I am,' and submit to reproof (_indeed!_). If you be not the
author, answer also in that case like a German man (_even this chord
the Church does not disdain to strike!_)--'No, I am not.' If your time
permits, pray visit me for a few hours. Things are more easily explained
when face to face. You have no time to lose, as I learn from a sincere
and honest friend in Breslau.
"Only believe that I love you sincerely while giving you this advice.
Should you consider me mistaken or shortsighted, I cannot help it. You
may, in time, be convinced that these lines are dictated by the purest
and most anxious affection. God be with you, and with your sincere
friend.
"SCHNEEWEISS.
"Neisse, January 12th, 1843."