The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-07-21
NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY MORNING,

centuries, certainly ever since Protestant
ism has been in existence. As our neigh
Dor itself confesses, the subject is Q most
important one, going 30 far as to gay "If
it is true we are moro than willing t. know
It," This little expression has warmed our
heart towards our neighbor, and We pro-
pose just now never to scold it again. But
what is the result of all this examination
of Bible texts3 The editors of the Pres
byte'ian, and millions Of other intelligent
Professionals, cannot find in the Bible any
promise Of infallibility to either Church or
Pope. On the other hand, many more
millions of Christians find the text Of the
Scripture quite plain and unequivocal in
its gift of that prerogative.
or even the Church is iRfallible, certainly it
ought to be known. ut is most vital
point, just as important "a to know
whether the Bible itself is really inspired.
Can the Presbyterian say positively that
the two hundred millions Of Catholics are
wrong in their understanding of the text
which says that the gates of hell shaii
never prevail against the Church. Surely
it would be as impolite in the editors OF
that paper to say that the Interpretation
given to that text by the editors Of this
paper is wrong as it would be for us to say
that theirs is wrong, so far as it Is mere
question of private judgment. We have
not particle of right to say that our In
dividusl construction Of any text 10 GER
tsinly right whenever another equally in
telligent and sincere man differs with us In
opinion, NO matter how much we may have
prayed over it, for he may have prayed as
much and as earnestly. To hold different
from this is to be what people generally
call hide bound or bgoted.
Here, then, appears to be bitch One
camp says: sit is clear from the Bible
that the Pope is infallible;" the other camp
says: cit is not clear We do not see it."
Must it rest so forever9 May we not look
around for some outside facts, some his
torical knowledge which will, perhaps, cast
light npon the difficulty Suppose, for
instance, that the whole early Church held
without Hesitation to the Catholic view OF
the text, suppose that we had the writings Of
| iunumerable Christians, contemporary with
the A postles, all asserting :.1t l1fallibility
in the Church ard in the Pope was con-
ceded by every body; suppose that all the
carly Fathers, without an exception, had
stated the fact in as precise and unequivoca
language as possible that councils of the
whole Church had been held every ter
years during the first ages of Christianity
and that each, and every one had distinct
ly reaffrmed' this doctrine that the acts
of many Councils had been partly set aside
by the Pope, sometimes wholly annulled
sometimes added to, and never rccog-
nized by anybody as valid until CON
firmed by him; that all this contro
on his part was universally snbmittet
to and adopted by the whole Church
that the Popes themselves from the YER
first had expressly and formally claiune
) Infallibility; that the Eastern Bishops, q
Jealous of Rome had never disputed it bu
always acceded to It; that the wildei
heretics of the Early ages had neve
/ thought Of questioning this interpretatio
. Of the ScrIPtnre, but alWays prOfeHsed pei
| feet readiness TO abide by the decision
the Popes; suppose that not shadow
Z doubt could remain that the whole body
: Christians during the lifetime Of the apoi
4 ties and for centuries afterwards, bel
3 without single exception, to this under
q standing Of the texts bearing on this sui
a ject, would not these facts have an importar
d influence in settling the doubt arising fror
> the conflicting opinions of the two gre'
= schools above referred to
Ill We do not mean to say that this outsid
"a nroof to which We can refer Is rs foil ar
n complete in each Of the kinds specified