The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-09-05
PApAl IyrAIl1nr4. Bishop Whelal


concluded his remarks on Infallibility at
the Cathedral yesterday afternoon. AsOn
the previous Sunday, there was large
audience in attendance, mostly his own
people. He began by adverting to apOint
touched upon in his former remarks, the
crediblity and weight attached 70 such .
gathering as theresent Council at Rome,
or indeed any Ecumenical Council Of the
CtArch. He contrasted such collec'
ton of witnesses as to the true interpreta'
ton fthe Gospel with the credibility that
attaches to q missionary sent abroad to
heather lands 10 expOundth the Word Of
Life to those who sit in darkness. Pro
.testants think 1t is all right to send such
messenger Of glad tidings and they ex'
pect fruits from his labors That is they
expect him to convert sinners on the
strength Of the faith he Is able to inspire
in his exposidons Of the Gospel And yet
some Protestants, forgettul Of this fact, are
inclined to overlook the greater credibility
that should attach to the united testimony
of vast number offearnel and good men
whose predecessors have had the keeping
Of the sacred oracles and traditions ofthe
Church from tho days Of the Christian era,
Why should not the Catholic world as
nationally trust to the expositions OF a
great Christian ministry thus assembled,
asIthe poor heather to the unsupported
preaching ola missionary sent to them by
those they have never seen and from
countries unknown TO them?
The Gospel teaches authority and en-
joins respect and difference to those In au.
thority. Hence when Christ said to Peter
"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock l
will build my church," &C., he meant to
institute an authoritative relation on the
part of that church towards the world.
The rock was typical Of the indesructi-
bility o. the church which it symboltzed.
And Peters prestige, not only in that con-
nection, but in others, was associated with
the church. The Savior said to him,
"When thou, art converted, confirm thy
brethren" Here was precedence among
the apostles. He was to be their oracle
and the representative to them of their
Divine Master. And the duty Of con-
frming his brethren implied q reciprocal
duty on their part, which was the duty OF
hearing and being confirmed The
stronger confirms the weaker. Again, the
Savior told Peter to feed his sheep. This
was the duty OF the shepherd and the
shepherds representative And docs not
this injunction pre-suppose reliability on
the part of the shepherd in choosing the
food of the sheep and in administering it
as occasion required? And here again
there was reciprocity of relation, the duty
of the shepherd and the duty Of the flock,
the one to give and the other to. receive,
tho one to lead and the other 10 follow.
The Bishop again alluded to the fac,
that the dogma Of Infallibility was moi
new as matter of faith in the Catholic
Church. AT one time the Jansenists had
appealed from decision of the Holy
Father to general Council, but the
CounciE'did not sanction the appeal. Il
was new only in the sense of being now q
pronounced article Of faith among CathO'
lies. Faith is the duty of the Christian
made so By the penalty denouncedagainst
the unbelieving. And Christ said he
would be always with his church to the
end. And also that the gates Of he'll
should not prevail against it. 1t is the
duty ofeach and all TO exercise intelligent
II that faith which is everywhere com
mended to US in the Scriptures. The
Catholic has sure foundation WHEREOF
to repose his faith. Hcisnot blown about
by every kind of doctrine, but believe:
TINT the promises made in the beginning
will remain sure and stcadhst to the end