The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-03-22
From the Hancock Courier. March lIl
SHORT ANSWER.
To Rev. 4. X. Eekman's s.Essay on Ca
thoifetsm,' - ~ published i'm the Jeffer'
sonian Of March 4, ls72.
ur. Eaitor OF me Eancock e courier, :

a. Mr.. Editor Of the Hancock CourieT:- .--
IS DEAR SIR:-Will you please
y insert the following In the column
he of your worthy paper, in order
W give an answer to Rev. /. X. Eckma
t. as short as possible. .---A ,--.
in III the contents of said Essay
y true, if Papacy and Catholicism
Il such as described in 1t, then surel
a there are no greater "Bessts" tha
;, Catholics. Certainly, Mr.. Eekma
g believes "there are Christians anon
e Catholics and 1 hope there wer
a and are some in Findisy, too. N
s thanks for such a compliment OF
IS man, whose first principle is religion
e freedom. BeforeHsll, Rev. Eckmal
e says,' 1--WE are actuated by no per
r sonal animosities, and have no hos
e tile intentions.'' But ] ask, wha
greater words' must be spoken thai
: "Beasts,' '.Bloodhounds, and "Bab
ylonian Harlot,' to show ''animosi
e ties,' and ''hostile intentions p
Also, no asserts, to s'deap' only
with the doctrines ana principles o.
Romanism, and not with members o.
the Catholic Church" Where are
) these Catholic doctrines, with which
: ne ''deals p Rev. Eckman accumu
,~'<" --aav historical facts. which all
! by spirit OF parry vU.~ Id aImos,
unrecognizabie. But since that time
Protestant historians rendered justice
to the truth, as you will see further
on The very few doctrines Rev.
Eckman touches, no Catholic would
adopt with the meaning he substi
tutes. -.. --- .--,--.-
In following the process of Rev.
Eckman's sermon / concede that the
fourth great beast of Daniels proph
ecy 'sclearly marks odt the Roman
power" But in place of Rev. Eek.
man | would say, that fourth beast,
deyouring all the others, is the true
Christendom. But then, every reas-
enable man will ask, how could Jesus
Christ permit the anti-Christ, which
is the Pope, to unfold so great a
power, that, through so many centu-
ries, true Christendom could not
flourish? Did not the gates OF hell
prevail 2 Is not Christ's word ami.
hilated? .. ..r-, -.-.t -lc.. -
OF those great words, however, of
which the great "Beast' speaks, one
is "infsllibility." The Pope can
commit sins, like every man. In I
-nara ,nattaro of f,ith anl xaoral,
already revealed by Jesus Christ,
interpreting them and acting as Su-
preme Judge, he cannot err. So
Catholics believe. Can there exist
any society, any state, without hav-
ing Supreme Tribunal, to which |
submission is required by every
member of it ? Thence that unity in
the Catholic Church, which Rev.
Eckman envies! And does not Rev.
Eckman himself act infallible by de-
liverng his sermon? - .a- -. 81. !
Possession of keys of Heaven, an,
other ''grest word'' of that "Beast,'
Great word, indeed! "Thou art
Peter" and upon this rock I will
build my church. And-I will give to
thee the keys OF the kingdom of |
Heaven, ''Feed my lambs, feed my |
sheep" Matt. xvi; John xxi.) IT,
1.-THE Priest) absolve theel Another
great "word" of that "Beast" A
great word, indeed :sWhose sins
you shall forgive, they are forgiven
hem and whose sins you shall re-
.sin, they are retained" est. John
Xxx. %. Great word of consolation
for those that hear it, even at the
death bed. / wish Rev. Eckman
was obliged to go to the dying per-
sons, even in small pox and cholera.
Ask our doctors about that eensols
ton the sick get; ask our soldiers Of
the last great war for the verify OF
my assertion. .-....
s'For more than twelve centuries
has the Papaey waged a relentless
warfare against the followers Of
Christ,' and therefore thou { (Papacy)
art that horn" Protestant histo
rians may answer for me. "The
Popes,' says the celebrated Protest
ant, Muller, FUSED to live in dark
lines, and instead OF bloody ruins
md boggy woods, they delivered to 1
IS powerful States,' ''Who is the '
Pope ?" "The Pope has restrained :
he wild youth of our States, by fear t
If God - "Without the Pope,' says {
he Protestant preacher Tobler, {
.there would have remained no COM {
non worthy religion, and we our $
selves, as churches, would have died, {
,r rather never would have come to b
ife." Sir Edward SandSs says: ]
Look at Europe, page 202), "The I
Pope was the common father, coun- 8
,elor, leader of the Christians; he (
'eeonciled eamity, and settled dis {
outes.' 'How fong,s says the Prot
,stant Goblet, History of Reforma-
ion), has Papal usurpation and J
tyranny sonnded in our ears ? These |
against the Pope sur {
mount all ideas.' Indeed, your ae- s
,usation, Rev. Mr.. Eckmsn, sur i
mounts all true ideas. You say, "In I
he oath commonly administered to t
Bishops, occur these words: "Schis-
natics and rebels to our Lord, the
Pope, and his successors l will, to
he utmost of nav power, persecute
md destroy" You compel me to .
Jay that you utter a ialsehood.
Again you say, Sand every Priest
wears to believe and teach Rome's
light to torture and burn heretics,
hat is, Protestants.' You compel
ne again to say, that 1t is false
Against which / call for witness the
whole world, and for which / brand /
you, Rev. MIR. Eckman. '- L
Out of Catholic papers, Rev. Eek
man wants to show that Catholics are
intolerant. That is, because they
confess one and the same faith.
Will they kill the Protestants ? TLey
are forbidden to do it by the ffta
comm andment; and il q Catholic kills
q person, he acts against the law OF
his church The Catholic Church Is
Yes sir. That ls, II
ANYBODY wants to be Catholic, he /,
has to profess the Catholic faith! ls
that unjust? Are you compelled to
turn Catholic? By no means! Ii
anybody wants to belong to your
denomination, he must confess your
Confessionl Is anybody
compelled to confess it? No, sir.
Needless fear, that religious free
dom is at an end in this country
The only resl cause to preach such
q sermon Rev. Eckman has, Ia, be-
cause the Lutheran Augsburg Con-
fession is not increasing SO much as
the Catholic Church. Therefore, he
calls tor "unanimity, in order of self
defense" Who of our Protestant
friends here in Eindlay, would not
laugh atsuch an unmanly fright ?
Itell yon one thing, Rev. Mr.. Eek |
man, show that you are right, show
the beauty, the holiness, the |
truth of your Augsburg Confession,
as the religion of Jesus Christ. After
being convinced, we will change
faith, take yours, and, after all, there
will be iona fold and one shepherd
tSt. John x. 16. -...-f
II. B. YOUNG, Cath. Pastor.
Findlsy, March 4th, 1872.
-.