The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-12-17

were put Inere an hunureu years
ago.
RepIy frOIaa Rev. MIR. Rankin
TO Father SWemberSh.
Editors NeacS: II have read the
long article of Rev. Felix p. Sven
bergh, in defense of the Catholic
church. He requested me to tell
who wrote the book of Regulation.
To this 1 reply, the beloved disci-
pie, John, wrote it. 1t is in his
style, and he must have been in
spired to write it, for large part of
his predictions have been fulfilled.
Does Mr.. Swembergh believe that
the book is inspired2
Mr.. Swembergh's defense of the
Catholic church is defective. He
should have admitted what can not
be truthfully denied. 1t is evident
from the clearest historical evidence
that the Catholic church did cause
immense numb ers of persons to be
put to death for what they deemed
to be heresy. 1t is well known that
the iRquisition existed, in Spain,
nearly to the present time, and that.
in Mexico, Protestant missionaries
were lately murdered by Catholics.
Now the only way to justify the
Catholic church is to prove that
those thus put to death were here
tics, and as such, were rightfully put
to death, because they destroyed the
souls of men which was worse than
numbering their bodies. For such
cause the prophet Elijah slew four
hundred and fifty heretics: 1. Kings,
Is, 20. They were propigating
idolatry, and by it were destroying
the souls of men, and by divine au-
thority the prophet put them to
death. Now if the Catholic church
can show that she had divine au-
thority for putting Protestants
to death, then it must be admitted
that she was right in doing the will
of Him who has right to order the
destiny of his creatures. But this
they can not do. The state of the
case is this: There never was an
absolutely perfect church. The
church under the former dispense
ton was founded by stupendous
miracles, and was taught by inspir-
ed prophets, yet again and again it
became idoIatrous, and abandoned
the worship of the living and true
God, and the crucifixion of the Son
of God was the browning act of
their wickedness. The Catholic
church had its origin under inspir-
ed teachers who wrought wonder
full miracles, and yet bad men and
deceivers entered into the Apostol-
ic church, and as she passed on from
the Apostolic age she gradually be-
came less pure, and when under
Constantine she gained power over
the nations, door was opened for
the entrance of corrupt men, who
introduced the worship of the vir-
gin Mary, and of images and saints.
at some period the priests were
forbidden to mary as Paul had pre-
dicted, 1. Tim. iv. 5. In departing,
by the worship of idols, from her
husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, she
became "The mother of harlots."-
Rev. xvii. 5. She is mother of
apostate protestant churches that
have been united to the state, and cor
rupted by the influx of ungodly
men. Outside of her there was the
Greek Catholic church q secession
from her, aud the Waldenses a
Presbyterian church, claiming de-
scent from the Apostolic age. ALI
protestant churches descended from
the Catholic church in her darkest
hour when she was sitting in dark
ness licensing men to sin. Even at
that period there were in her an i'm.
mense number of the Lords people,
just as in Israel's darkest hour there
were seven thousand that had not
bowed the knee to Baal. In all
parts of Europe large numbers of
the Lords people obeyed the com.
mand given, Rev. xviii, 4"Come
out of her my people that ye benOti
partners of her SINS" This can be
nothing else than a command to
come out of the Catholic church,
for that was the only body in which
the great mass of the Lords people
existed. The corruption of the
Catholic church was to great Hx-
tent the result of her connection
with the state. Previous to that
connection she was comparatively
pure. Every protestant church
connected With the state has been
corrupted. hence, their mother,
the Catholic church, has become the
Mother of harlots."
Mr. Swembergh ought not to be
offended at these statements for
they are true /; but they do not i'm
ply that all Catholics are corrupt
people. In the Catholic church,
believe, there is yet large body of
the Lords people and believe they
ought to come out of her. 1t is
difficult to prevent any large de-
nomination from becoming corrupt.
In all ages there have been men who
have gone into churches for the
sake of gain. Hence, there never
has been church perfectly pure.
Tares will mingle with the wheat.
A separation will be made when the
Lord of the harvest comes.
am sorry that Mr.. Swembergh
manifests some ill feeling towards
myself, and insuate, some things
that show i'll feeling.
john RANKIN,