Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/112

earth was supposed to be ratified in heaven. Hence Pope Leo X in the Bull "Exsurge Domine" (May 16, 1520) condemned Luther's twenty-third proposition, according to which "Excommunications are merely external punishments, nor do they deprive a man of the common spiritual prayers of the church."

Excommunication, in modern occidental society, has practically ceased to be effective. I have not heard of a single case in America where Protestants have formally excommunicated any persons, though expulsion from the church has been occasionally resorted to. But expulsion from the church of a person does not necessarily impose upon the other members of the church the duty of cutting off all relations with the expelled person, though many members may avoid him. In modern conditions, specially in America, a person excommunicated by the Roman Church is not likely to suffer or to feel any great social exclusion, because the excommunicated community, according to the Church of Rome, is very large. Persons who are Protestants are theoretically excommunicated. Freemasons are also considered as excommunicates. Again, in no country does excommunication impose any civil disability now.

Though excommunication has ceased to be effective, other measures which society has at its command are ostracism and boycott. By these society expresses its disapproval of certain actions and conditions, which the state does not care to recognize.

Ostracism at present means banishment from good society. It is, in fact, an unorganized excommunication.