The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-05

ana as sovereign as the Church has ever eX-
crcised.
]-Ihe-same reasons that ever existed fol
vesting the Church with authority exist
still. They were founded in the nature OF
things. The same fallibility of human intelli-
& gence which then required the agency of an
lnfallible tribunal to approve or correct it's
conclusions still exists, the same liability of
the subject matter to be misinterpreted and
misunderstood even in the most important
respects is still Inherent in it, There is no
authority for holding that all q controver-
sizes concerning the cardinal doctrines of the
faith " should arise and be disposed of with
in the first two, or even six centuries of the
Christian era. Our author contends that
" that work is already done, and the testi-
mony sealed" Will he tell us the precise
date OF the sealinge Why the Court con,
Guided there would never be any more i'm
portant questions Who adjourned the
Court, and what became Of the seal Also,
who authorized the Archbishop of Can
terbury to recOnvene that Court at Lambeth
to decide the Colenso controversy" con-
corning very +" cardinal dOctrine7v
The authority of the Church, during the
first few ages, being admitted by the
Reverend author, his subsequent charges
against the Catholic Church, as above
quoted, come with Il peculiarly i'll grace.
''The Church of Rome" he says, " treats
the Gospel as imperfect The Church
holds that the Gospel is liable to be misin-
terpreted, and requires an inspired tribunal
for itscorrect exposition. But the print
tive Church held the same, and, as our
author admits, correctly. The Church also
holds that the Gospel, though perfect so far
as it goes, is Incomplete in this, that it does
not embrace all the sayings and doings of
our Saviour while on earth. For, if all this
had been written, we are told, the books
thereof would have covered the world. If (
the Rev. Bishop uses the word " imperfect
i'll either of these senses; it is IL mere play |
on the word: if in any other sense, it would
be unfonnded- calnmny. gross thatsve :
cannot imputc it to Il gentleman of we'll
Known integrity and amiability.
Again, the Church is accused of charging
:" the Apostles with ignorance or unf,ith-
fulness.' Ignorance of what OF the
errors which would arise in the interprcta-
ton Of their writings, or of unflithfuness
in not putting every such question be-
yond all doubt! The primitive Church,
which our author accepts, recognized the
same defects by its action, which he APP
proves. In truth, the Apostles never
meant to complete the whole work of inter-
,retation themselves, but considered that
hey left in their successors the same power
which they possessed, of meeting the wants
If the Church as they arose.
Strange to say, our learned author has
permitted himself, probably without much
'dvertency on his part, to repeat the old
md exploded charge against the Church of
new articles to her creed" The Church {
ormally disclaims with horror, as a sacri- !
eye, any power to make anew revelation S
n a new doctrine. She merely claims the Z,
light to say what-has always been her doc,
rine when it is specially attacked. ..There S
hall always be heresies," and sometimes ,
hese heresies are new. They attack doc {
rines never before questioned SO gravely t
s to demand the interposition of authority. Isl
The Church then exposes the heresy and f
rands it as norelty. The old doctrine is +
indicated, and the uningenuous call it a r
new article
New restraints on the liberty of her ri
hildren" is another ground of complaint, h
nd which fails when subjected to the same o.
est. The power of imposing restraints i'm r
lies the power of changing and modifying f,
hem from time to time. If the primitive b
hurch, after the Apostles, could establish n
nles of discipline, why cannot it now i,
hange them to suit the peculiarities of the G,
ge? Social wants and conditions change. n
lough truth does not.