Page:The True Story of the Vatican Council.djvu/83

Rh controlling the Council and obstructing its freedom, was as might be expected. It insured the proposing and passing of the definition. It was seen at once that not only the truth of a doctrine, but the independence of the Church, was at stake. If the Council should hesitate or give way before an opposition of newspapers and of governments, its office as Witness and Teacher of Revelation would be shaken throughout the world. The means taken to prevent the definition made the definition inevitable by proving its necessity. It was no longer a desire or conviction of individuals, but a sense of duty in the great majority of the bishops. But to this we shall have to return hereafter.

II. Having thus brought down the external events from the Centenary to the eve of the Council, we must take up again the narrative of the preparations that were making in Rome. We have seen that, by reason of the disturbed state of Europe and of Italy, the preparations were suspended in 1866. They were resumed on the 28th of July 1867, and were continued without interruption until they were completed just before the assembling of the Council.

1. The Commission of Direction consisted of five cardinal presidents, with eight bishops, and a secretary, the Archbishop of Sardis. Twenty-four Consultors were appointed for the Commission of