The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-11-06
PERE HTACINTHE.

The following brief statement of Faith.
or lllacinthe's position is given as authori.
tative, having been written out in a person.
al interview on Friday last by clergyman
of the Episcopal church 10 New York,
formerly Catholio priest in Europe, aud
an Old acquaintance and friend of Father
tlyaclnthe'S many years ago in Rome. The
statement was approved by the Father Il
believe that it is possible to enjoy freedom
OF thought and exercise it and yet belong
to the communion of the Catholic Church.
| still consider myself Carmelite monk.
aud an as devoted as ever was to the Ho-
ly Mother Church but maintain that |
inalntaln that | exercise my pliestly func.
tons by authority of God alone, and that
the Church has no right change The faith
as handed down by the fathers, 'to add to
or take from it in any way whatever. l
believe Protestants to belong to the great
brotherhood of faith, but do not intend TO
ally myself to their peculiar views"
The above paragraph, which We find in
the pape's, is not only interesting as an
interesting as an item Of news, but amusing
as au illustration of the reverend fathers
simplicity. It is not surprising indeed,
considering his education, that Catholic
priest should be so ignorant of Protestant>
ism as to think Of Keeping himself aloof
from the peculiar views" Of Protcstauts
while avowing their distinctive principles.
But it does seem little singular that he
should be SO ignorant of his own church as
to imagine that hc can remain in her com.
munion, while holding principles which she
does not tolerate. The church of Rome
does not alIop freedom of thought and
sense of responsibility to God alone, for this
is the very essence of Professionalism. She
claims the right to sag what people shall
believe, the Bible and common sense to the
contrary Notwithstanding. Even the Bible
is to be believed, not because it contains
in itself evidence that it is the word of God,
but because she lends it the sanction OF her
authority And lest any one should dis
cover the wide difference between her
teachings and those of the inspired Word,
she not only restricts the reading OF the
Bible, but requires that it shall be under
stood lust as she says, thus making the
word Of God Of ncne effect" like the
Scribes and Thalisees of old.
OF course when Father Hyacinthe claims
to exercise his ministry by authority of
God alone," aud does not allow the church
to come betwecs, when he puts the word of
God abo G the teachings OF the church,
and claims the right to reject anything
which is contrary to that word his posi-.
zion is directly antagonistic to the claims
of Rome, as he will very soon be given to
understand.
lie must either retreat from his position
Or be cast out OF the synagogue just
as the recovered blind man in the gospel
(John 81 was cast ont when he chose to
just as Martin Luther was cast out when he
preferred the Word of God to the word of
the Pope.
Father Hyacinthe will be disappointed if
he expects to fud the papal church any
less intolerant in this country than in
Frapce lie will labor in vain to correct
" abuses in the church, when that church
is itself built on lie the assumption of
divine authority over the minds ard con.
sciences of men Until that false and bias
phomons assumption is given up there can
be no " freedom of thought" in the Romlsh
Lntu then, the voice OF Scrip.
turc to Father nyacutho and all honest
people in that communion, is found in Rev.
elations Is, / Come cut of he, my peo-
pie, that ye be not partakers of her sins,
and that We receive not Of her plaques.