The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-12-08

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sonsl kind feeling TO q hereto. may lead him
to praise the faith of heretics ~ orthodox
ono who may be guilty of any sin: or maze
accepted and veaerated by mankind ~ tho in,
faliibls authority and guide in all qnessiosn: Of
public or private morals or Of religions tsitn.
Or, in other words, it 10 the doctrine OF the
Romish Church that tkis possible oomposnd Of
Simea MagHs and Judas Isoarsot, represents the
voice Of the Holy Spirit and tho cause OF
Christ, that he is the only reliable guide ior
tion of sin, and that he 10 the only and fully
Authorized exponent and representative on
earth, of the will aud character of that Co..
3. Some will imagine that this doctrine is 30
monstrous that it can not be held deliberately
by tho advocates Of infallibiiity. But in point
'infallibility can he established. For. if one
pope is infallible, all popes must Save been,
and NO other principle would be wide enough
to include them all. If the popes are infalil-
ble then it must be maintained that man
may be an infallible authority in faith and
morals who is at the same time guilty OF any
or every crime.
Cardinal Baronius, ono of tho highest autho-
rities as . historian in the Romish Church,
tells rs, in reference to :he POpes A. ID. sS7,
for ono hundred and ffty years the Popes were
| rather lpostates, than apostolic, they were
| thrust into the papal chair by the Tuscan
princes and by the power of harlots they
| were monsters, men of most shameful life,
| most dissolute manners. in every respect most
| detastable John XII. WAS thief and . robOer
A. d. 9d5 Boniface VII was . misereant and
murderer that after 1900 there were several
popas- at ono time, carsing and denounc'ns
I each other as anti-chrsts. According to Bruy .,
/ Alexander and Dachery. Bonifxce VIII. was e
| blasphemous infdel. Aud the crimes related
| b; Romsh writer's of such popes as John AAl!l'
Bonifaee VII, Sextus ~, Julius H., Leo \
and Alexander VI, would pofiute the columns
| Of q Police Gazette. and almost exceed belief
They were justly compared with Nero, Cali
! gnla and Heliogalabus. We doubt whether
which they were not charged by such writers
as Du Pin, Baronius, Liable, Hardnin and
many others
terefs, tyrants, blasphemers, in6dels, and mur.
derers, in addition to other and nameless
crimes. were popes, and according to the theory
of infalhbilisy, infallible authorities and guds'
them alone was mankind entitled to look fol
relig ious help and consolation. 1t Is certainly
new doctrine for this country that thost
! thieves were the worlds best teachers of hon
esty that those perjured liars, were the world.
best teachers of truth, that those licensou
debauchees were the worlds best teachers o
} chastity; that those cruel aud nnpnneiples
tyrants were tho worlds best teachers of lib
erty; that those disappearing in6dels YER
the worid's best teachers OF religious faith
that those murderers aud assassins were tn
worlds best teachers of charity!
But this is the logical and Inevitable result
of tho doctrine of papal infallibility, and tai
conclusion shows how the dogma is opposed Il
the first principles of morality. No one eonlt
believe this doctrine without lowering his re
spect for morality. And it is = weli-knou,
fact, that the Jesuts, who are the chief advo
Gates of it, have divised excuses or justihca
tions for almost every crime that man cal
commit.
5. The great danger TO which ~e are ex
posed is, that it is tue men who maintain tn,
dogma, whs are seeking to control our legisia
ton, to mould our public morals, and to &c
possession of tho education of our children
Men who can give NO guarantee to society 70
the influence of their example and the charac
ter of their teaching.
But the result of their ascendency over
nation is no untried experiment. The theor.
SO ostentatiously displayed on this side tn
Rio Grande, fuds its practical illustration Of
W ich Romanism has M AIDE of unhappy Mexico
6. The public sentiment of this country de
aaands that the conduct of a minister of tn
Gospel should accord with the character of hi
teaching. When it fails to do SO, he is require,
to vaeate his Office, not merely as discrace
man, but n false teacher, undoing the elfec
of his words by his conduct: And in retur
for the many prophecies with which Roman
lists have furnished us in regard to tho futur
Of this country, we will give them this. w
predict that this sentiment, will at length
come to pervade tho Romish Church in thi
country, that the pope or priest who attempt
other immoraities by the garb of his ofic
will be expelled an impostor. He will no
. be shielded in ine by the pretence that he i
an officer of the House of God. But it will b
held by Romanists as it 10 by Protestants, th q
no man is q true teacher or representative O
the faith and morals of Christianity, who's
conduct is contrary to its principles and tina
the object OF the Christian ministry, is to serr
! the Church CT God, not to make merchandise