The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-02-16
The Popes Claiming and Exercising In
fallibiIfty. o


Prcsbyseriaas last article, and the pressure
on eur space last week, We were unable to
publish il in that number, and we would
again respectfully call the attention of
that journal to our original compact. One
column articles were proposed and taeitly
agreed to, yet the article we have to pub
lish to- day fills nearly three columns of our
neighbours space. This takes up a great
deal more room than we are willing to
devote to the matter, and besides, ne es-
sitates longer reply on our own part
than we would desire to give.
The immense length of the article in
question would give the impression that
the Presbyterian had at length found some
facts or reflections bearing on the question
matter seems divisible into four topics:
1st. The mendacity Of the Jesuits.
I'd. Tertullisn again. 81 90. >
Sd. The danger of Romanism to States.
4tb. The cruelty and inhumanity of Ger
tain canons of the Church. . -'r-. t. .
40 1.-The Jesutts. ...''-
Our courteous opponent accuses the
Jesuits Of being liars. For our part we
believe that the whole Jesuit Order-priests
or lay brothers-would perish at the stake
rather than that any one member of the
Order should tell a single lie or do any
other wrong act deliberately. This is quite
difference of opinion, it is true, yet we
fail to see What the matter has to do with
the question of the Pope's Infallibility.
Suppose all the Jesuits to be professional
liars, according to our gentlemanly and
kind-hearted opponent; suppose Father
Weninger in particular to be .facile princeps
among them at that accomplishment, what
of thatf We have not cited Father Wen
niger, or any other Jesuit, to prove the
Infallibility of the Pope. We have not
offered them as authority. We have in
deed taken from their pages certain cita-
tons from authorities quoted by them,
but it is easy to refer to the authorities
quoted and see if the citations are just.
1t will hardly do to take for granted
that the quotations are false, just be-
cause they are found in the works of
Jesuit. If the Devil himself should
quote from the Bible, which, by the way,
he is very fond of doing, it would be but
fair to refer to the text, and see if he vas
correct.
AS to the very polite charge that q
Jesuit Ia per SO liar, it rests exclusively
on the word of the eminent writer of the
Presbyterian, without a shadow of proof.
The Calvinistic clergy have done such
heroic things for the Church, however,
that perhaps their mere assertion ought to
settle question. 1t is true that st. Fran
cis Xavier, Jesuit, converted whole ma
tions and baptized with his own hand
hundred of Thousands of converts from
PaganiSm, and so impressed them with the
spirit Of Christianity that even now, after
the lapse of three centuries of persecution
and isolation from the rest of the Church,
they are still animated by the heroic faith
Of the martyrs. It is true that Jogues and
Brebeuf and Lallsment and Rene, and
dozens of other Jesuits left the peaceful
homes Of Europe, whore they could have
enjoyed comforts like those enjoyed by
the able and pious gentlemen who now
criticise them as liars, and that they
plunged into the depths of . Canadian
Forest, passed lives Of peril. .ylclssitnde
and, priyation with. the wild ,hOrdes
Ifsr sWiEon9 they labored, and finally