The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-03-14


wright, as we'll as with his theology Ia not this
being rather querulous! Every well read student
Of divinity has learned that from the earliest ages
the advocates Of those particular dogmas which
DIR. Potts has undertaken to refute, have used a
logic peculiar to themselves and the subect-a logic
sanctioned by the Fathe 8, and sustained by the
the authority of the theologans of Rome-of Ok
ford-and of the Church in the United States. AS
in the practice Of medicine in particular cases, and
under peculiar circumstances, the use OF nos runs
is not only allowed by the scientific practitioner
but unconscientiously prescribed. So in theology II
has always been admissible to in the support OF
certain peculiar dognns, peculiar logI. ~ , us
in his general reading and deep researches IN tneo
logy must have notlceaj .na' ~ 80 tha Of Ho,
hsrt and Mason and of Undertook and Barnes,
the use of this peculiar logic has been claimed as a
right BY the champions OF Inc One Iis'ote church.,
and that by ancient and continued courtesy they
have been privileged, in all controversy on those
particular dOgmas to rest their cases on 'very aten
mated and nicely managed inferential arguments y
1t therefore may be considered entirely captous in
DR.. Potts TO complain of Dr. Wainwright because
he has avaied himself Of the privilege which has
been 20 universally claimed by, and accorded to
his predecessors in all such discussions. d.. Vain
wright might defend the use OF the peculiar logic
to which he has had recourse by reference to the
records Of the disSuisitons such sube by the
Fathers themselves, and all their accredited success
sors The following specimen OF that peculiar spe-
cies Of argument is often referred to as classic
and orthodox standard-it having been elected
by the Pope himself from candidate for an eps-
copate.
The Rev. Thomas Mcguire, an Irish gentleman
and an accomplished scholar--one pre- eminent IN
that enthusiasm of purpose-ln that Perspicuity OF
language-and in that stsdritur TN modo Ct forf'-
ter IN re-" for all which his countrymen are SO con-
spicuous-went to Rome 10 br consecrated, where,
as is usual, he was strictly examined by the rope,
that satisfactory evidence might be shown o. ms
orthodoxy in theology, and OF his aculeness III 10
gic The following is the official report OF the eXa-
mination taken from the records of the Vatican at
Rome;- -.
II is not necessary to state how Father Macguire
got to Rome, or the ceremonies he had to perform
Before he could gain admission to the Pope it Is
sufficient to ~ that these difficulties, embarrassing
no doubt TO who had never left his native isle,
were at last overcome, and the Reverned Father
found himself before His Holiness, submitting
with reverence and awe to rigid examination.
Before relfxing the manner this was conducted, 1t
is proper premise, that although the report Is on
the records Of the Vatican, (as said before) yet 1t
is in the words of the good father himself that this
dialogue is made public at this time. They are
more precise, and render the account with such
familiar exactness, as makes 1t conformable to
truth, and brings us, as may say, INTO the lmme-
date presence Of the two distinguished personages.
"Mr. Macguire," says His Holiness, 'whaI an
swer do you make to the heretics when they quote
them passidges agin Observation-Disclosures out OF the
"Why,o says his Riv'rence, cas- there is no
such passidgei, make myself mighty asy about
them but if you want to know how dispove ov
them,' says he, "jus repate one Ov them, and I'll
show you how to cataponphericate it in two
shakes"
"Why," says the Pope, ':mysef disremim-
bers the particular passidges they allidge out
them ould elleys." says he, "theugh surelenough
they're more numerous nor edifying--so we'll jist
suppose that hereto was to find SIGH saying as
this in Austin, Every sensible man knows that
thransubstantiation is a lie'-or this out of Teru-
Ian or Plutarch, the Bishop ov r sme is
mon imposther.' "Now, tell me, could you
swer him " .Aseasy as kiss, says His Reverence.
In the first place, we're to understand that the
exprission, Every sinsibe man, signifies simply,
every man that judges by his nath'ral sinses, and
we ali know that nobody foeying them seven de-
ludhers could fad out the mysthery that's in it,
an eight sinse, which is the only sinse, to be de-
pended on, being the OF the Church. So that
regarding the first quotation, which your Holiness
has supposed, it makes cane for u.s. and tee-totally
agin the heretics.'"
Sc That's the explanation sure enough" says his
holiness :" and now what div you say 10 my being
common impOsther I"
"Flaix, / think" says his Riv'rence, "wid all
submission to the better Judgment ov the learned
farther that your Holiness has quoted, he id have
been thrlhe nearer the truth, IT he had said the
Bishop ov Rome is the grand iInposther and top
lawyer in that line over us ALL"
"What do you name! says the Pope, getting
quite red in the lace.
g What would mane," says his Rivrence, as
composed Doctor ov physic, :" but that your
Holiness is at the head ov all OF thenl-troth, had
Almost forgot I wasn't bishop myself, says he,
" the deludher was going to say, as the head of all
us that has the gift ov laying on hands For sure,"
says he, " impOsther and imposithir is all one,
You are only to understand manan,n and the job
is done. Aawich ~ says he, " if any hereto ud go
for to cast mp SIGH passidge as that agln me, I'd
soon give HIM a lesson in the P'lite ait ov cutting
stick to welt his own back wild. !"
Pon my apostolical word," says the Pope,
you've cleared up them two piats in a most salts
whacthery manner
cannot refrain from pausing at this part of the
dialogue to remark, that if Doctor Wainwright had
used the means taken by father Macguire and come
to the point al once, he would have given his ad-
versary much trouble Instead OF doing this, he
evaded the question as was not to be supported,
or if he thought could be sustained, did not use
the right method of uphoding it. He thereby gave
an evident advantage to his opponent who was not
slow at sezing upon It, as appears by his frequent
taunts at evasion and false logic
Now, as to this last point, we think the allcga-
ton is Ill-founded, for when at last, goaded by
Doc or Potts until he could no longer remain silent,
ner Of the good father Macguire and quite as con-
elusive. Like a true of the church he uses the
:" eighth sinse Of the church," which he no doubt
had ready at hand; yet, unfortunately he brings II
forth so late as to incur the imputation OF being
without skill theological dsputant. Whereas,
he should have sustained his thesis without hesita
ton, disputed every inch of ground, and if he found
this fail, as most likely it would, then come out
with his eighth sinse," backed by liberal quota
tons from the redoubtable champions, the fathers
These would have brought him out whole, for as
the worthy Macguire correctly remarks, in the fur
Their progress Of the dialogue; "the writings Ov
them fathers is to be hreaed wild great veneration,
yet it ud be the hight Of presumption in any one to
slt down to interpret them without providing him.
self wild genteei assortment ov the best figures ov
rhetoric, in ordher that he may niver be at loss
for Suitable sintiments when he comes to their
high flown passidges. For unless we thrate them
fathers to Handsome allowance ov hropes and fl
cures, they set up heresy onc't, so they would"
ITS thru for YOU" says the Pope, the figures
Ov spache is the pillars ov the church."
Begad," says his Rv'rence, 81 dunna what
we'd do widout them at all"
Notwithstanding little hating in the progress Of
DR.. Wainwrlght's reasoning, am far from deny
ing ms claim as casuist tor Ind by one OF his
guire would call a +" tiff facer"
lie reasserts the doctrine OF unbrokcn series of