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 VERING

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VERMONT

Pope Zachary. The latter, however, decided in fa- vour of Vergihus. Later on, St. Boniface accused Vergihus of teaching a doctrine in regard to the rotundity of the earth, which wa3 "contrary to the Scriptures". Pope Zachary's decision in this case was that "if it be proved that he held the said doc- trine, a council be held, and Vergilius expelled from the Church and deprived of his priestly dignity" (JafT6, "Biblioth. rerum germ.". Ill, 191). Unfor- tunately we no longer possess the treatise in which Vergihus expounded his doctrine. Two things, how- ever, are certain: first, that there was involved the problem of original sin and the universality of re- demption; secondly, that Vergihus succeeded in free- ing himself from the charge of teaching a doctrine contrary to Scripture. It is hkely that Boniface mis- understood him, taking it for granted, perhaps, that if there are antipodes, the "other race of men" are not descendants of Adam and were not redeemed by Christ. Vergihus, no doubt, had Uttle difficulty in showing that his doctrine did not involve conse- quences of that kind. (See Antipodes.)

After the martyrdom of St. Boniface, Vergilius was made Bishop of Salzburg (766 or 767) and laboured successfully for the upbuilding of his diocese as well as for the spread of the Faith in neighbouring heathen countries, especially in Carinthia. He died at Salz- burg, 27 November, 789. In 1233 he was canonized by Gregory IX. His doctrine that the earth is a sphere was derived from the teaching of ancient geographers, and his belief in the existence of the antipodes was probably influenced by the accounts which the ancient Irish voyagers gave of their jour- neys. This, at least, is the opinion of Rettberg ("Kirchengesch. Deutschlands", II, 236).

Diet, of CJiTistian Biog., a. v. Vergilius; Olden in Diet, of National Biography, s. v. Fergil; Kretschmer, Die physiche Brdkunde (Vienna, 1S89).

William Turner.

Vering, Friedrich Heinrich, a German canonist, b. at Liesbom in Westphaha, 9 March, 1833; d. at Prague, 30 March, 1896. After completing his course at the gymnasium of Paderborn in 1850, he studied law at the Universities of Bonn and Heidelberg, graduated at the latter university in 1856, was ad- mitted there as privatdocent of Roman and canon law in 1857, and became professor extraordinary in 1862. He held this position until 1875 when he accepted the chair of canon law at the newly-erected university of Czernowitz in Bukowina, Austria. In 1879 he became professor of canon law at the German Uni- versity of Prague, holding this position till his death. He was one of the leading German canonists of the nineteenth century. Though a layman, he was a staunch defender of the rights of the Church against the encroachments of the State. His best known work is his comprehensive text -book on canon law: "Lehrbuch des katholischen, orientalischen und pro- testantischen Kirchenrechts " (Freiburg, 1876; 3rd ed., ibid., 1893). His two other important works are: "Geschichte und Institutionen des romischen Priva- trechts" (Mainz, 1865, 5th ed., entitled: "Gesch. und Pandekten d. rom. und heutigen gemeinen Privatr.", Mainz, 1887); and "Romisches Erbrecht in historischer und dogmatischerEntwickelung" (Heidel- berg, 1861). He also wrote the eighth volume of Philipps's "Kirchenrecht" (Mainz, 1SS9| and numer- ous smaller juridical treatises. From 1S0 he was, with Moy de Sons, joint editor, and from 1862, sole editor, of "Archiv fur kathoUsches Kirchenrecht" (Mainz).

Alte und nene WeU, XXXI (Einsiedeln, 1896), 574, and Deutscher Ilaussehal: (Ratisbon, 1896).

Michael Ott.

Vermont, one of the New England States, extends from the line of Massachusetts, on the south, 42° 44' N. lat. to the Province of Quebec in Canada, on the

north, at 45° N. lat. Its eastern boundary, through- out its entire length, is the Connecticut River which separates it from New Hampshire; it is bounded on the west by the State of New York, from which it is separated by Lake Champlain for a distance of more than one hundred miles south from the Canadian border. Its area is 10,212 sq. miles. Its length between Massachusetts and Canada being 158 miles, and its width on the northerly border 88 miles, while it narrows to a width of 40 miles on its southerly border.

Physical Char- acteristics. — The Green Mountains, from which the State derives its name, extend through its entire length, about mid- way between the easterly and west- erly borders. Five of these moun- tains exceed 4000 ^^'''- °^ ^ ermont feet in elevation, the highest, Mount Mansfield, being 4389 feet above sea-level. Several parallel ranges of mountains lie upon either side of the main chain and the surface of the state generally is broken and diversified, the mountain slopes being densely covered with forest growths, principall}- of spruce and other evergreen trees. The scenery i.s everywhere attractive, and in many districts very beautiful. Five rivers flow westerly and northerlx' into Lake Champlain; three flow northerly to Lake Memphremagog, on the Canadian border; eleven are tributaries of the Connecticut, on the east; while two run in a southerly direction to the Hudson. Not only do the streams of Vermont water beautiful and fertile valleys, but along their courses they furnish valuable water power for manufacturing purposes. The chmate is healthful, although subject to sudden changes. The mean annual temperature for the different parts of the state varies from 40° ; the highest temperature runs from 90° to 100° F., and the lowest from 30° to 45° F. The average annual rainfall is from 30 to 45 inches.

Resources. — The soil of Vermont is very fertile, especially in the river valleys. The low rolhng hills are excellent for tillage purposes; the uplands furnish good pasturage and the mountain sides produce much valuable timber. Agriculture is the chief industry of the people, and the state leads all others in the produc- tion of butter and cheese, in proportion to population, while in the amount of these jiroducts it is surpassed by only nine states. On the eastern slope of the mountains, in the Counties of Windsor, Washing, and Caledonia, granite of excellent quality is produced and its manufacture forms an extensive and important industry. The westerly portion of Rutland County is one of the principal slate producing regions of the country. Marble is found in several localities on the western mountain slope, jnincipally in Rutland, Bennington, and Addison counties, which furnish about three-fourths of the finer grade marble pro- duced in the United States. A large lumiber of manu- facturing establishments are in operation, producing a great variety of products, many of which, hke the Fairbanks scales, made at St. Johnslniry, and the Howe scales made at Rutland, are shipped to distant countries. The value of the agricultural output of the state in 1910, comprising corn, wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, potatoes, and tobacco, aggregated S21,- 491,400. A simimary, issued by the United States Census Bureau for the year 1909, shows that the capital employed in manufacturing in the state was