Page:William John Sparrow-Simpson - Roman Catholic Opposition to Papal Infallibility (1909).djvu/250

 230 (6th January) no Decrees were ready; it was accordingly devoted to recitals of the Creed of the Council of Trent. The Pope was never present except at the four Public Sessions. He exerted his influence without compromising his dignity.

The secrecy of the proceedings was thoroughly in accordance with the Italian disposition. Every official and member of the Council was sworn to observe it. But the regulation proved ineffective, partly because the Pope himself released certain members of the majority from the necessity of its observance, and partly because the incessant discussions in unofficial assemblies of the Bishops could not easily escape publicity. Much information leaked out in various directions and appeared in print.

The influence of Pius IX. upon the Council was exercised partly through official documents. Three important papers were issued by him to the Council during its early period: The Constitution on Procedure (18th December 1869); on Election to the Papacy in case of a Vacancy (1st January 1870); on Absolving from Ecclesiastical Censures (15th January 1870). The significance of the last may be measured by the following description. Its effect was "to cancel episcopal encroachments on the Papal authority." The second was intended to prevent any assertion of power by the Council in case the Pope might die.

But far the most important of these three Constitutions was that which regulated the Council's procedure (multiplices inter). This remarkable document asserted that the right of proposing subjects for discussion belonged to the Papal See, but that the Pope nevertheless desired and exhorted the Bishops to give in their proposals to a Congregation appointed for that