While profound intelligence and a statesmanlike, worldly wisdom gleamed in every thing that the Vatican Council had done, the Evangelical Alliance met without a clear and precise view of its objects, without any definitely-marked intentions.
Its wish was to draw into closer union the various Protestant Churches, but it had no well-grounded hope of accomplishing that desirable result.
It illustrated the necessary working, of the principle on which those Churches originated.

They were founded on dissent and exist by separation.
Yet in the action of the Evangelical Alliance may be discerned certain very impressive facts.

It averted its eyes from its ancient antagonist--that antagonist which had so recently loaded the Reformation with contumely and denunciation--it fastened them, as the Vatican Council had done, on Science.

Under that dreaded name there stood before it what seemed to be a spectre of uncertain form, of hourly-dilating proportions, of threatening aspect.

Sometimes the Alliance addressed this stupendous apparition in words of courtesy, sometimes in tones of denunciation.
THE VATICAN CONSTITUTION CRITICISED.