In 1864 the Pope denounced present-day civilisation
^nd culture, and proclaimed against the facts of
science. It remains to be seen whether this last
<efiFort of Papal supremacy is not the bold yet despair-
ing challenge of an ecclesiasticism that discerns the
slow and sure undermining of its authority and
influence through the spread of scientific thought.
The struggle of the future will be between Rationalism
^and Rome, unless the Catholic Church adopts the
Protestant policy of progressive compromise. In that



94



THE KEW MOB.U,ITY



case the dogma of Papal infallibility will break down,
and absolutiBtn will become an obsolete theory.
