The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-30
z ELIGIOUs S.


HK AVAILABILITY or the ROMAN cATHsLE CHURCH
Lecture Of Rev. Thomas =. Preston mt ss.
Ann's Church.
st. Ann's church-Roman iCatholic--on Astor
place was well filed last evening every available
seat in all parts OF the building being occupied, to
listen 20 the lecture OF Rev. Thomas s. Preston on
.sThe Ipfallibity OF tae Church" After the usual
services aopoipted Tor vespers the first Sunday Ia
Advent the reverend gentleman began by announc-
ing for his text the 18TH 10th and 10th OF the
esth chapter OF the Gospel according TO StMatthew:
.And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All
power Is given 70 me IN heaven and IN earth. Go
ye therefore, ana teach all nations baptizing them
In the name OF Tie Father, ami Of the Son, and OF
the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe Gil
things whatsoever have commanded you And,
to the consummation 81 the worid.'' she
reverend lecturer said that 1t had becN ms
privilege In former seasons Of Advent OF addressing
to his course Of lectures the great card
mai truths Of religion as the faith Dy Almighty God
hons on the necessity OF the unity Of faith ana OF
the grounds Of It. They are charged with having
8uppianfed CHRIST by human fundamentally, pus
he wolld show that This was erroneous, that tne
Catholic Church ciings TO the word ncarnate 70 tho
funess of GOdhead. The state OF the Christian
world such that Il 10 the DUTY OF every one 10
make known tile truth. There was never sucn
earnest spirit OF inquiry as now. Owing e. lhe divi.
bons existing Tor 800 the cardinal principes "
truth nave been lost sight OF. Many minds ana
hearts long Tor food Which God alone can give,
they do find It in tneir accustomed sect they Varn
oway the wDru aud dsbelieve all, while II G0n-
yinced o. the truth they would be led to enter the
Church OF God. he would. therefore, discuss on the
four SUNDAYS Ia A went Jour cardinal points, and
for the evening be would speak OF the Ia aLibny or
the Church. Tins OF the utmost i'm
portance as 1t CONTAINS everything. II rs stren-
uousy resisted 10y some called an enigma,
bngbear, something unusual, q preience; yet ir was
most simple ana also necessary. lie would nrst de-
fne what it second, thai II ought to he; third,
that christ promised and impaired It 10 the Church;
trfN fnle tGfl tlt oh. tho
Catholic Churcn.
ii does not mean, he said, that the Church or tile
Popes Clergy are kept from SIN; 1t Is snpecca
blHty, bur iniabllty In matters Oh faith only not IN
facts of history. IN politics In worldly matters. IL
untouched and nnimpalred. Multltudes mas latter
individuals ana Fopes may lose their souls. These
tasugs are MOI iucnded IN niallibilty, IN things OF
revealed faith. He ten proceeded 10 prove shat it
ought TO be. Eea,on brings us tn this in two ways
negatively and positively. There can be no good
grounds lssg teu why II shoud not be, II any there
are they coiac nom the OF lnlallimty
iLselI But We posse-s it in various way We are iu-
GalilDe VIA our senses. What We see and kn0w FOR
ceTeaD. OF whaL have convincing esideucG by
competent proof, IN that we are illailbe. We Cali
no. deny VIVA our senses provo to us. Where " no
tyranny over reason 10 near Gods voice ~ know the
trltn; Hence reason argues NEGATIVELY IN its favor.
Positively IL arenes tae same way. nalhb.lity
III 40 hing bus certainly OF the truth. Nnoover
knows the iruth nnos IL with certainty, ana none
have certainty without being inialllpe. II
knows not AT ait lhc moment one Is IN possession
Oh truth with certainty he Is IN pOssessos Of infaii-
bihty. the reverend gentleman pursued thus argu-
Tor some nsne then said that there must be
teachers OF r.ie rrutf We do not hear the word
o. Uhtist nom ns Own month; he il0veo on earth
nlneteeu CcnnIlies ago, Gnd we cannot 20 back and
lsJon To tine sound ~ uis We cannot
hSaory, for historians never agree, and none
save ms SOU by the STUDY of history There must
Oe teachers ., the truth Of God wtn the gut OF In
falbll!y anu not one, Tor II was revealed Tor all
mankind, and ine glorious truth must or heard
win tle same nni.i tyrlng sound everyone The
Cnurcn is thai teacher Il was founded by the Lord
on earth: no one denies IL whoever does denies holy
VIII and proiaue history. the Church was
founded WITH parpose. for Goo does nothing
without purpose. Hut II Goa would allow HIS
Church 70 ia!i INTO error Its iastruneniaty would
De destroyed and u would become the greatest
enemy vi mankind by teaching one false doctrine
II would cease Ia De the Church of Christi anH that
HIS Church could teach error and 1alsehood IS con-
traGcti0n IN terms. Therefore n the Church of
CHRIST 4 not inae IL Is not tho Church oi Christ
oil all, rs mission failure. lie then proceeded
10 speak OF the pastoral letter oil the Protestant
Episcopal Inufch delivered 10 the convention,
WHICH The study " the Bible wss recommended
Pioiestants, he said, acknowledge generally the
truth OF lt9y scripture but leave ~ o individual in
depreciation. 1ne Bible is but . book; II contains
she word OF Coz ~ sacred and revcrel, and the
Church rphods h. But ~ book IL ~ deal; ask 1t,
and " cannot answer. Individual Interpretation
begets scllsInone interprcs m tins, ln0sler III
that way. ne iustanced ina doglnas OF tratsnb-
s.xntiaiion an6 OF folpi,in9 ol sins. psAilly
annonncei ey Cuist and yet dlyerengy
tioG" there Sas material division Since Then
with individual Interpretation, nuinberless secs
Nave diyided aud guhdiyldoi. There 200 100000
o. Catholics VITA no divisions la their articles or
faith; there have been poliiica and social revou-
Cons, many dirercnce OF OPINION on worldly matters
among them, pat no differences ~ matters OF lata
"a PROOF o. the 1act that CHRIST on Garth impaired
the gift % inisIilbty 10 Che lhuicl he 1ounicsi,
tae reverend lecturer cited many passages ron the
gospels "a the point aud sad that Il christ be Goa,
We mnsl believe llIs word: and the text cted abo,e
was h ais opinion One OF tho strouge proofs. 40
TINS GIT % inialDhty there but one claimant
tue one nuiy Roman catholic Church. which alone
preserved ana prnpagsEed The faith Of Christ g,
1000 ySafs il Nsls Ia uluIs }ated possession 81 The
Led, and ia in4l iaIth the church has erred aai
was hot iutal,nt. rcyel3t.on ias ru:ne a. naugni.
Coos retsas1 tstfr r. certainty. and N teacnIng .
Gao NiaraA eamn0L and ". therelnrA llaIlibe.