The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-04-21

U. pose that in this teeming commercial Gil
where men, in fret and fever from suuri
70 sunset, buy and sell, barter and bareai
tne rules Of calculation. and the laws
a numbers were to become extinct; VIII
bankruptcy, and what ruin! Or suppoe
. shat In this great mercantile empire. who's
> neets cover the seas, the science of astrou
: omy and the art of navigation were Z
perish the shores Of all the world wont
be strewn with our wrecks. So r. ia w ~,
spiritual world. The Rule of Faith on ",
LOST; souls wander and perish. The effec
oI TINS Is that men have come to state a,
scientihcaiIy certain, that there ia no def
nlte doctrine in revelation. As if. indeed
ruin had no definite outline. And wa +; i
aas sea rs aod even good men an enmlty
ruth at,'a They call it dogmatism. The
AtIanaslan Creed they cannot away w;.J,
~ ZOO precise and too presum ntnons
tney reel as men who turn suddenly mon
me Tue image OF our crucified Lord. They
as the a. si 10 IRON on Its very denreness; and
uuces shock, SO will the definite state.
nent OF truth. 1t forces home the reaiitv
OF truth. People nova days assume .hsy.
iieieious truth can have no detinita ont.
sue, ana that each must discover and de-.
me 1t Tor himself: And however definite
equally upon US all. No one must he cars
Jam. Each must concede to his neiehbnr
a as much certainty as he claims for himssif
me me objective certainty of truth ia gone
ne mig hest rule of certainty to each ia the
conviction of his own understanding. And
knowledge which is life eternal.
In answer, then, say, that all ln..1
edge must be definite; that without definite. |
ness tnere Is no true knowledge To toll
US that we may have religious knowledse
which Is not definite is to tell us that we
may nave color which is not distinguish.
able. Every several truth is as distinrt "a
the several colors of the rainbow R,., as
them and you have only confusion. So !,
Is In religious knowledge, Doct,inas
nehn!te as the stars in heaven, when
ciouded 10y the obscurities of the human
H ;aua lose thelr deiniteness, ard pass from
Is not this true in every kind Of know,
edge Take science, for example. What
YOU'D mathematician think of a tliauran,
winch IS not definite? What vol anv &
problem of physical science be. as in {
'Ptics' or IN mechanics, or engineering. or {
any OF the arts whereby man subjugates t
low could it be expressed, BY what cal =
u.as could it be treated What, again. t
history which is not definite History y
men Is not the record of definite fact ia Fl
ythology, fable and rhapsody. Where f
istory &c. 8 3 to be definite it begins to be c
.o ~ Or take moral science; what :;
70 moral laws which are not deinite9 A y
wv which is not definite carries with IL M .
oligation: If the law canaot be stated. it +,
'nnot be known; if not known. it has M
a. ann on our obedience. Unless it tell me "
'unlteiy what ! am to do and what I am al
~ 10 40, 1t has no Jurisdiction over nv
And as in human knowledcs 81
=, above all, in divine. If there be- any u
,sowiedge which is severely and precisely a.
nnite, 1t is the knowledge which Co1 :" y,
9 revealed of Himself. Finite indeed it III
Out DEFINITE always; finite as our sight til
earth, the form of which is round and til
because our narrow sight can COMPASS
more, to US it seems one broad az. br
nse. ha
again. take an example from the highest ate a
owiedse. When we speak of wisdom, flo
odness or power, we carry our mind Je.
ward to the attributes of God. When '
see these moral qualities reproduced in oul
ne titles. So with knowledge. What is pro
'wledse in God but an Infinite and IN IN
mite apprehension *1of uncreated and SCI
rnai TRUTH The knowledge which God tea
OF himself and of His works is a G
'n n, divine, the example and type of all. be
descend from the divine perfection: Eai
1T is knowledge in the angels but NOR
any definite, though in a finite intelli- and
&C And what was the knowledge of
o. before for, the fall, but, though flute. pro
Mite still What, then, is the knowl def
which God has restored to man beir
'ugh revelation but a definite knowl- cog
e. participation of His own7 The he '
u which has been revealed, what is it med
ne mind of God, who reveals it, but ODE,
harmonious and distinct7 What was cant
i kn nu lee, as revealed by the Holy cone
IL on the day of Pentecost, bat one, ther
non!ous and distinctf What was the turb
option of that knowledge in inspired and
;, but one, harmonious and distinct mair
And what was that knowledge II
communicated by those who were conc
red to those who believed, but one, pow,
lonious and distinct as beforef And eies
is this unity and harmony and dis obed
ness OF knowledge, which God re-. obey
ID of Himself through Jesus Christ,
he faith we confess in our creed Our
sma! faith, it's substance aud its letter.
explicit and the implicit meaning, VIVA
Q by article, is as definite, severe and
Sc as any problem il science. It is In