Haynald, Louis Archbishop of Colocza - Bács, Szécsény, Hungary, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1870 December 28

Haynald thanks Purcell for the book which he has sent to him, from which he has learned much concerning the church in America about which the exponents of liberalism make reference in discussing the internal constitution of the church. He will fight against these men with the arms he has and hopes to save the essentials. The great evil in their country is that in the name of the King as protector of the church so many laymen have become mixed up in the administration of the church. Now when the State refuses to act the laymen attempt to introduce democratic forms into the church. They desire a union of ecclesiastical functions with secular matters. Also the laymen desire the election of the curators by the laity, and demand such an influence in the church that the proper Church rule would be very difficult, if not impossible. Haynald is working to see how detriment to the church can be avoided. How it is to be done he does not know, but he sees in Purcell a helper in his difficulties. P.S. He sends his greetings to FatherEdwardHecht . The bishops of Hungary have done nothing regarding the decrees of the Council. :: II-5-d A.L.S. Latin 3pp. 8vo.