The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-05-01

, which Il was givsS-Athe moral sOfs man
can be- deduced, by process ofsreason,
from it - defined: .Thegrester part Of the
definitions emanating Hom the Holy See
(nothing definite has evet come froanEany
other quarter) are confined 70 integral ele-
ments or principles; but A. under the
quickeniDg influences Of this vital ceptre
progress never lags, howbeit ft h paralysed
where these influences are not felt, this
does not prevent canonical definitions from
embracing even remote consequences, when
the importance Of the subject, current
error, or, as now, the dangerous levity or
ignorance of turbulent innovators, renders
the most scrupulous precision opportune.
The writer's faith, which, however is not q
blind faith, cannot be changed by any act
of the present EcumeDical Council; but if
his opinion be of any weight, his opinion,
nay, his profound conviction is that at this
juncture not only is precision opportune,
but decision is absolutely necessary. 81
The integral elements of the Idea ex-
pressed by the ecclesiastical tribunal con
tain all that is nationally cognizable in this
life. There must, therefore, be some proof
by which these organic germs can be de-
veloped, and the truths, involved in them
potentially, actualized. This process c&n
be found only in ideal science-viewed,a &c
cording as it treats of reason or revelation,
as philosophy or theology; whice msy be
accurately defined: The ssccessive esplSca-
tion Of tho integral elssests Of tho idea.
These elements are Of two sorts some are
natural and rational; others, supernatural
and revealed. The first appertain to the
Idea such as it can be known naturally, the
second, as far 40 it can be known only
through revelation. The former embrace
the Ineligible, and the vague, generaland
confused "Reminiscences Of our primeval
state, and longing for itsr recovery, Of which
reason has some glimmering notions, which
may be termed the uper-intelligible, the
latter comprise specific Observation-Disclosures,
which determine and concretize this in.
definite and generic incomprehensibility.
While affirming that the rational elements
can be known naturally, it is by no ,a1eans
intended to exclude, even as regards them,
the necessity of revelation. Yet between
them and the elements above and beyond
hrst cannot be known in the order Of re-
lection without revelation, for,thought, to
effect, needs language-the primitive
yet man receives those truths.
'ut not on the testimony of the word af-
irmlng them; he receives them on their
'wn evidence, that is, on the intrinsic
learness of Ideal Truth, flashing immedi-
'tely on the mind of which language is
tut the determining occasion, not the cause
r demonstration. Hence, SO far from
anguage proving the rational Idea, it is the
dea that proves the authority oflanguage.
md this occurs because the Idea is seen in
tseif, and Immediately; and language does
OF veil it, or intercept our view Of it,
nough language is necessary to enable us
apprehend it. Supernatural truths, on
ne contrary, depend altogether on the re-
ealing WORD: they do not prove it, but
re eroved by it; they are objects of faith,
OF OF intuition; the conceptions we have
them are simply analogical, nor is this
nalogy based on intuition or treason; it is
erived from the irrefragable authority of
apernatural revelation.
With this article we conclude our essav
infallibility, which, however, we have
ot mentioned once, except in our headings.
'fallibi,ity is necessarily inherent in the
hurch, and without vanity or presumption
our part, we claim to have given NO Inn
'rfect idea of the society of which the
hurch is the embodiment. ofour learned
aders we have but one favor to ask: that
ey weigh our argument in the balance of
ernity, and decide by the result, in which
ey are as deelyinterested as the nsmeless
ritter, whether OF no, the marvellous
lfice not described but skethed, could
we been the creation of human ingenuity
been built by human hands.
THE REV. DIR. ANpERDoN-Last Sun
y evening we. attended the lecture de-
'ered by this gentleman in St. Patrick's
'urch. The subject, as we presume most
our readers will remember, was "The
smporal Power of tho Pope and the Conn