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

So important was the topic, and so ably
handled, that we make the attempt to give
partial synopsis of it, though not hoping
to do Justice to the Rev. lecturer. After an
amusing anecdote, illustrating the facility
with which many persons take for granted
assertions which they are not interested to
question, Father Jacobs selected, as an
instance of this assumption of false premises,
the old prejudice that the Catholic Church
discou1ages the reading of the Bible, and
denies it to be the Word of God. In treat
ing of this prejudice, the Rev. lecturer took
two grounds; first, that a non-Catholic
cannot prove Che Bible to be the Word of
God, and, second, that the Catholic, who is
accused of denying it, is the very one, and
the only one, who can and does prove it to
be the Word of God.
THE NON-CATHOLIC
Cannot say and prove that there is a Bible
at all. He buys a work which the book
seller says is Bible-that is, Il collection
of sacred and inspired writings. How does
the bookseller know it F? The parson says
So And the parson, is he infallible ? If
not, how does he know it9 The whole
your opinion, is not infallible, and therefore
may be mistaken on this point. But it has
been held from time immemorial; our
fathers always held so before us. Yes; but
many errors are received on just such au-
tho1ity. Idolatry among the Pagans had =
long lineage; Mahometanism assures is
votaries of to-day, upon the authority of
their ancestors for generations back, that
the Koran is Bible-an inspired Scripture.
In the same way the Hindoos, upon the au-
thority of tradition, have, for many centu-
ries, accepted the "Vedas" as n sacred
revelation.
AS regards the New Testament, it does
not even assert itself to be inspired, as a
whole 1t does not embody it's own claim
and proof of authenticity, as is usual with
codes of law, and even solemn acts of public
functionaries, such as notaries. 1t does not
conclude with list of its books and con-
tents. certifying them to be genuine and in
spiled. 1t contains much that id beautiful
in style, much that is most noble in morals
and philosophy, much that is stamped with
divinity above philosophy. But there ale
other works that may be superior in point
of style, other systems of philosophy teach
ing most noble truths, and those portions
of it which may be thought to1bear innate
marks of inspiration do notimpart the same
character to all other portions.
But again, supposiug that the Bible il
proved conclusively to have once existed
the next question is
HAVE WE NOW THE OIL IINAL BIBLE?
| Can the nou- Catholic say that the book
contained in the Bible arc either colrectl.
transmitted to us, OF that they are all entl
tied to place there, or that some books o
portions of inspired writing have not bee1
omitted or LOST AS to the Old Testament
he must remember that the original manu-
scripts OF Moses and the ancient prophet
were destroyed with the temple and city @
Jerusalem. by the Assyrians under Ne
buchadnezzai, that the copies which replace
= them, mt the termination of the Babylonis
captivity, We're also destroyed during til
, persecution of Antiochus, and that the au
thenticity of the present version depend
c upon the authority of the new dispensatiol
n As to the New Testament, it must also b
remembered that its compilation and AT
s Identification in the present form was al
tended with the utmost difficulty and en-
If barlassment. 1t question whic
- agita ed and rcrpl2Xcd the Who'll" Of Chi
: tendon. Gospels and epistles which p,o, e
is to he spurious, circulated during sever;
y centuries among the faithful, attributed
the same authors as those now received, {
" to others equally venerable. Many of IL
- greatest saints and doctors, accepted SON
ID of these books and rejected their rival
3. which were afterward recognized as canon
of zeal. There were as many as ten differel
he and conflicting editions of the Bible durir
the first few centuries of the Church, anon