The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-19


fallibility Of foundations, he proposed that
all persons, men, women, and children
should learn Greek and Hebrew as the only
chance of being saved. These terms have
been generally declined, even by those who
profess to hold to his premises, and who
ought logically to adopt his conclusion.
Father Jacobs then proceeded to the
second branch of his subject, viz: that
THE CATHOLIC ONLY
Can prove the Bible to be the Word of
God. He proves it by the testimony of the
Church. His argument is this: The Holy
Church is infallible ; the Holy Church tells
me that the Bible, as we have it, is the
Word of God; therefore, the Bible, as we
have it, is the Word of God. His belief in
the Bible presupposes the existence and in
fallibility of the Church; the mont Catholics
recognition of what he calls the Church,
presupposes Il belief in the Bible. But this
lecture has already shown that this belief
in the Bible cannot he sustained by natural
reason. New, it remains to inquire If the
Catholics rule of faitl1-the infallibility of
the Church-is any better off in this re-
spect : Can it be established by rational
proofe
Before discussing that point, it may be
well to remark that even if the Protestant
rule of faith could be established by reason,
it would still he far inferior to that of the
Catholic in point of convenience and efficacy.
The latter simplifies the religious problem
by reducing its thousand complications to
one question. Instead of countless difficult
ties to be met, examined, and solved by
each aud every human being for himself
separately, both as to the authenticity and
Interpretation of the Sculptures, there is
but one question: Is there an infallible
tribunal for these controversies ? If so, the
labor is lightened, the difficulty is avoided,
the responsibility is removed, and the rule
is much more simple, efiicacious, and des!E-
able than that of private Interpretation.
The great question then recurs; is this
claim of the Church to infallibility sustained
by evidence satisfactory to human reason
1t is based on pIeci.ely the same grounds
as the claims to credence of our Blessed
Saviour himself, and his ADostles-the di-
rect testimony of God himself. He and
they did not appeal to the New Testament
to sustain the orthodoxy of their teach
jngs. They claimed to be commissioned
from on high to teach, and that was the
only position which they thought it neces-
sary to make good by proof. To establish
it they appealed to the works which God
wrought by them, thereby manifesting. His
approval of their claim. In the same way the
Church has since said to all generations:
"Behold my works! they are from God.
Therefore God gives testimony for me; be-
lieve ye in me-" Ordinary, universal hu-
man reason, as we'll as revelation, gives the
simple test of merit, "by their fruit you
shall know them" The Church still wo, ks
miracles of charity, of zeal, and of sacrifice,
that show plainly the hand of God, and at
test her divine commission.
Jesus Christ said to his Holy Church:
/" Go and teach all nations, and behold I
am with you always, even to the cOpsrm-
nation of the world His Church was not
founded on wings. 1t was in full organ
ization and opeiation as chu- CHS a
; teaching authority-long before any gospel
was written. There is no record, indeed, OF
F., our Divine LoiG having ever written EXCEPT
upon the sand to be swept away with the
next wind. Neither did he commission $
disciples to write a code which should in
fact be "the Church" He commissioned
them to teach, and, consequently, whateve:
they taught, even by writing gospels or
cpistles, YVES inspired truth. But they
were TO teach even to the end, therefore
whatever is written now by autho, iGy OF
the teaching Church, and in that capacity,
is equally inspired ..'uti.
This inCallible tribunal, this Church,
against which the gates of hell shall never
prevail, tells Us. that the Bible is the i'll
s,aii.el Word Of Cod and tl1nrafa,.o