392 ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH the command of La Romana, and sent in 1807 to Poraerania t ; but the general, hearing of the conduct of Napoleon toward both Charles IV. and Ferdinand, determined to leave at once the service of the conqueror. He communi- cated with the commander of the English fleet cruising at the entrance of the Baltic, and, availing himself of the troops being then in the island of Funen, succeeded in embarking them on board some English men-of-war, Aug. 17-20, 1808, and landed them safely at Corun- na. He was subsequently prominent in organ- izing the bands of guerillas which proved so terrible to the French. He left a diary, which was published with some of his letters in the supplementary collection of the French Me- moiret relatifa d la revolution franfawe (8vo, Paris, 1825). ROMAN CATHOLIC (III RfH. the name popu- larly given to the body of Christians through- out the world in communion with the bishop of Rome. It is not assumed by the church herself. The holy Roman church is under- stood of the local church of Rome; but the term Roman is used, especially in French documents, as one of the characteristics of the church, which is styled Catholic, Apos- tolic, and Roman, because the see of Rome is its centre. In the congress of Vienna Cardinal Consalvi objected to the joint use of the terms " Roman Catholic," but was willing that they should be separately applied to the church, which is Roman by reason of its necessary de- pendence on the see of Rome, and Catholic on account of its universal diffusion. It is not confined to those of the Latin rite, but in- cludes all of every rite who acknowledge the bishop of Rome as their head under Christ. Nearly 200,000,000 are estimated to belong to it. About 183 archbishops, 693 bishops, and 122 vicars apostolic compose the hierarchy. The chief doctrines of the church regard the unity of the divine nature in three distinct divine persons, and the incarnation of the second di- vine person through the mysterious operation of the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary, and his death on the cross for the expiation of the sins of mankind. The belief of the incarnation is the ground and motive of the high veneration which is entertained for the Virgin, who is styled Mother of God, because Christ her son is God incarnate. To her is ascribed all sanc- tity and perfection which can be bestowed on a mere creature, and she is held to have been free from all stain of sin by a special privilege granted her that she might be worthy of the dignity for which she was divinely chosen. The mystery of the redemption is prominent in the teaching and worship of the church. Christ suffered and died, as man, to atone for the sin of our first parents, and the sins of all mankind. As all humanity fell in the first Adam, so in him, the second Adam, all hu- manity is restored. His death fully expiated the guilt of sin, and presented an atonement in every respect perfect. Yet all men are not justified and saved, but those only to whom the redemption is applied by means divinely prescribed. Baptism is believed to be chiefly a remedy for original sin, applicable even to in- fants. Adults having the use of reason must believe in Christ and repent of sin, in order to receive the benefit of the atonement. From those who have forfeited baptismal grace, fruits of penance are required as evidences of their sincere conversion to God, and as conditions to entitle them to the application of the merits of Christ. Nothing that man can do, unas- sisted by God's saving grace, can take away the guilt of sin, or prove an adequate satis- faction for it ; but God requires the humilia- tion of the sinner, and accepts his penitential works, which derive value from the ransom offered by Christ. They add nothing to it, but they become acceptable through it. Christ is the essential Mediator, through whose blood we must sue for pardon and salvation. The worship of the church is given to God only, the one eternal Being in the three divine per- sons, and the incarnate Word, God consub- stantial to the Father. Inferior religious hon- or, which may be called worship in a qualified sense, is given to the Virgin Mary, on account of the gifts and graces with which God has en- dowed her, and her exalted dignity as Mother of God incarnate. The angels, that is, incor- poreal spirits reigning with God, are honored as his creatures, in whom his perfections are re- flected, and as his messengers, through whom he has manifested his will. Saints, those who have proved faithful in the divine service to the end, and are already crowned with glory in the kingdom of God, are venerated like- wise for their triumphant virtue; the martyrs especially, who died amid torments rather than deny Christ, and the virgins, who throughout life preserved the purity of their affections, are deemed worthy of high honor. But there is an essential difference between the honor given to the creatures of God and that which belongs to God alone. Ho receives the sub- mission of the understanding and the will, the homage of the affections. He is acknowledged to be the essential Being, the supreme Lord, the beginning and the end of all things. Sac- rifice is given to him only, in token of his be- ing the sole source of being and life. Prayer, in its strict acceptation, can be addressed to him only, the Giver of every good gift. Grace and salvation depend on his bounty and mercy. Litanies and prayers to the saints are only ap- peals to them to intercede with God for us through Jesus Christ. They are not supposed to be omniscient or omnipresent, but to know in God the pious desires as well as the peni- tential sighs of the faithful. Respect is paid to the crucifix, which recalls to our mind the sufferings of Christ for our redemption, but it does not terminate in the symbol or material object. The kissing of the image, the bend- ing of the knee, the prostration of the body in the ceremonial of Good Friday, are all directed
