The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-14

"OLp las AND NEw."-Some person
I,as taken the trouble to send us copy oil
the Catholic Record Tor July, published in
Philadelphia, and to call our attention 10
the first article in the table OF contents by
scratching it literally with u pen. This
article is scntitIed "0ld Lies and New" and
i'snppoSed TO be, We presume, in the es.
timltiOn Of our unknown friend, an able
ludexhaustiye expose OF the tallacies and
shortcomings OF protestantism. As the
article covers many pages Of the Record
We do not propose to take il up for de-
tailed consideration. We do not perhaps
see its Importance in the same light as
lie friend to whose kindness We are in
iebted for its pcrusal. There is one ar
gnlnent in it however that strikes us as
peCnliar-so much SO that we cannot re.
fist the temptation to allGde 10 Il, The
following question is asked by the writer +:
How does il come to pass, il the
Catholic Church be identical with the
primitive Church which overturned the
IDOLS Of Paganism in its infancy, and
eventually subducd the most warlike and
determined race OF antiquity, fondly wed:
ded as they we're by habit, prejudice, and
arrogance 10 their customs, religion, and
immortality, that, with all its powers OF
allnremcnl and coercion, perfected dis-
Cplinary regime, innumerable devotees,
grand array OF learned doctors and the
oOgianS, and all those other countless
helps long possession gave; a mere
hlndlnl OF reSolutc men not only cmanci'
plted themselves from its doctrines and
liWs, but babe defiance TO its utmost exer.
tons aid menaces, and finally succeeded
inseducing third Of its membership
aud Semains still defiant, unconauerable,
and IN some places superior to II IN num-
brF', influence, and respectability?
We calltll above a pretty strong pre-
'eOtation Of an important question, a
question, by tue way, that we have often
thought strange did not seem to present
itself to the Catholic mind. The answer
ltor most peOple) is almost contained in
lheqnestion. Still, however, IL is not an
answer that schoolman Of the church
would accept. A hereto would natural
Iysnppose that schism 80 large, wealthy,
learned and progressive MS 2rotestantism,
bad demonstrated one Of two things
either that the original parent organiza-
ton was not an infallible and divinely
protected Organization,or else that in spite
Of such advantages the heretical schism
had achieved a much greater measure
Of success than the original organization.
lhl' apparent dilemma is no stumbling
block TO Jealous schoolman Of the
church. lie gets over il by saying that
Those who severed their connections
WIN The Church through spirit Of obsti.
Gancy. or from other cause, carried with
,nem IN their revolt many Of the doc.
It'aes, some Of the ceremonies, and most
81 The moral code Of CathoIicity. These
stolen goodS" gave them some grounds
~ ~ leat on which 10 make the prelense OF
SnEls!.Sn teachers, Fortuitous political
voapllcatlons, national enmities, tempo.
iH! IA advantages, or personal jealousies,
~ ~ &oN Instances, were ready to defend
1"s Pte!snsiORs; and after the rebelling
SeasraGon Se"St,I had disappeared the heresy
A., lae IOEicians would style this answer
o' The writer in tho Record to his own
question: a case Of t"begging the question"
nn exactly after the style Of the allocu.
uOn' delivered at Rome-an assumption,
EAea'hedra, Of the whole rationale Of
%e case Men who are accustomed 10
S'e cause and effect their logical connec.
t "oa do not accept any such assumptions,
'usasaand ,us s tOknOw by the light Of history
aS Tue we'll attested rules Of evidence,
WA. "a ~ reason there is for suppOsiug that
We Almighty has not looked on Tho Prot.