The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-04-13
the purely Biblical texts our opponent left

| Will DO seen Oy reference to the arClcleS
themselves without going into details here.
We then went on and cited authorities to
show that all the early writer's of Christian
ity and Fathers of the Church had recogniz-
ed the truth in question, more or less dis
tinctly and unequivocally. One of the
quotations from st. Augustine happened to
be inaccurate in making him say "Rome
has spoken" instead of "answers have come
from the Apostolic See." This is the form
in which the quotation is usually'given by
historians as meaning the same thing. For
instance Dollipger-the dear friend of the
Presbyterian on whose alliance it m axes so
much of its argument turn-Dollinger cites
the remark in that form in an extended
passage which we quote from his writings
in our article of April 25th 1872.
, With great pleasure we reprinted the
! quotation with the proper corrections, and
! so printed it proves our point as conciu-
sively as the other way. Our quotation
from Tertullian was also attacked but it
was found to be precisely as we had given
| it at first. With these exceptions our list
of authorities stands unimpeached and un-
answered to this day.
We quoted from Hermas, St. Ignatius
! and St. Polycarp in the first century, St..
lraneus and Tertullian in the second, ORR
gin and St. Cyprian in the third, St ATTAIN
asius, st. Basil, Optatus, St. Ambrose and
st. Hilary in tho fourth, st, Jerome, St.
Augustine, st. Cyril and ST. Avitus in the
fifth. Among the citations from these
writers We find such as these (St. Iguatius
writing to the Romans concerning the doc
trines of their Pastor), (which by teaching
you make of obligation" (St. Cyprian)
zone God, one Christ and one Church
founded by the Lord, on Peter" (St. Ig-
natius to the Pope), "you are tho destroy
er of profane heresies." St. Basil to the
Pope), ''to your Holiness is given to dis
and to teach Without alteration the faith of
our forefathers." (St. Ambrose), "Where
Peter is there is the Church. (St. Jerome),
"The Roman Church cannot coantenence
error, though an angel should come to teach
it," St. CyriD, From him (the Pope) we
must learn What we are bound to believe,
think and hold" (St. Avitus), "The truth
is known to us in 40 far only as the Roman
Pontif in rirtue Of the prerogative of his
authority, is pleased to explain himself to
those who apply to him."
Such expressions as these appear to
make it clear enough what was commonly
held on the subject in those. early days,
yet our opponent makes not the slightest
attempt to explain away one of these, but
satisfies itself with the vague assertion that
they are fraudulent and fictitious. This as
sertion it gives no reason for whatever ex-
cept that they are to be found in work of
Father Weninger. This is a reasoning up
on which man who is anxious to save his
soul would not be apt to rely. We find these
quotations given by many other authors as
well as Father Weninger aud we have no
doubt of their genuineness. If the Presbyte-
rian has such serious doubts and desires it's
readers to know the truth it ought to be
certain aud not dismiss SO important O.
matter with mere assertion.
We then argued the Infalibiity of the
Pope from the authority of the Church in
its last general Council. There has never
been even an attempt to answer two out of
the three arguments we addressed to that
point.
We afterwards cited the eight first gen.
eral Councils and showed that they une-
quiVocally conceded the Incallibility of the
Pope in language which could mean moth
ing else. The 4th Council says: "Who-
ever does not abide by the instructions of
His Holiness is a hereto; )" The fifth, that
" they received the letter of the Roman
Pontih on matters of faith, just as they did
the four gospels" And the others are equal
~ as strong.
Yet the whole argument is left totally
unanswered.
Then we proved most unapswerably that
the Popes always claimed this prerogation
and constantly exercised it that the faith
full always conceded it, because they never
accepted General Council until the HOLY
Father had approved it, accepting such
portions always, as he approved, when he
made distinction, and rejecting what he
rejected ; that emperors and princes ar