Daily Republican., 1878-11-12
For the Daily Republican.
lACvfsicaI Rspsy 70 Protestant Epfs.


llow me space In yonr paper, for re-
! ply to Protestant Episcopal's Criticism
In your issue Of Saturday, r. y. does
not appear pleased with me for sign
! ing myself, Catholic. Hs thinks Roman
Catholic would be far more appropri-
ate signature. But feel sure that ev, ~
intelligent citizen In Wilmington knew
my religion from my signature.and ] do
Not think that II P. Il. had assumed
the signature Of Catholic, instead Of
Protestant Episcopal any one would,
from the signature alone. recognize his
religion. From the tenure OF his
article all would, Of course, find 1t out.
Some Protestants, of the present time
like the Donatists of Africa of the days
Of st. Augustin, are desirous of
appropriating to themselves, cur
name and title Catholic. But
il Is too late. ProtestAnts are known
by names of their own first choosing,
names which are too well established
for them to be easily changed. They
are written by themselves in their r.
ligious works, and for greater security
of property, they are put in deeds and
other legal instruments. "P. T." says
it would be impossible for Catholic and
me to agree, as Catholic taxes his stasd
on the Rock Peter as his councils teach
him, whereas | take my position ON the
Rock Christ jesus as taught me by the
Scriptures" z. 4. in this, like most
Prot-s tants, takes a high sounding po-
sition. But examination generally
results in finding that there is nothing
high in II except the sound. feel sure
that any unbiased scholar who exam.
ines our Saviour's pr.mise in John lst
Chapter and His fulflment OF that
promise az recorded in l6.h chapter ,of
Matthew will admit the Catholic inter
probation as the correct one, and every
other one as mere triting with the "a
cred words of til. Son of God. Our Sa-
vior on first seeing simon said to him
thou shalt be called Cephas which is
by Interpretation a stone. Protestant
Bible, and couple Of years after, when
our Savior had prepared him for his
title, He asked all the Apostles a ques.
tion, which He knew Simon son of iona
was alone able to answer. The answer
was such as to show that Simon was de
serving Of some distin ,tion. and to les
sen, in some degree, the jealousy that
would naturally arise in the minds OF
the other Apostles still imperfect and
unregenerated.
! The question was: "Who do you say
that am 7" Simon Peter answering,
said Thou art Christ, the Son of the
living Cod And Jesus answering,
said to him. BLESSED art thou Simon
Barjona, because flesh and blood have
not revealed it TO you, but my Father,
who is in Heaven, and say to thee
(using the original Language as far as
possible) THAT thou art Cephas and
upon this Cephas, or using the common
translation, thou ar, Peter, and upon
this ro'k | will build my Chu~ch, and
the gates of hell shall not prevail az anst
it, and will give unto thee the keys of
the Kingdom Of Heaven, and whatsoever
thou shalt bind upon earth it shall
bc bound also in Haven, and wha,so-
ever thou shalt loose upon earth it
shall be lOosed also in Heaven. Our
Saviour begins His address, blessed art
thou Simon-l say to thee, that thou
art Rock, and upon this Rock will
build my church, ami will give to thee
the keys of the Kingdom of Heave.!, and
whatsoever thou shalt bind &c. No
break, no diversion to any other Apos
tie, all to Peter and to Pet alone. All
/ this shows, coming as it does from God
Himself, that Peters place " the
| Church of Christ is fundamental. Can
any sane, unbiased mind reflect on all
these gifts or prerogatives to Peter,
gwen by the Son Of God, when his
heavenly, Father had already prepared
him with divln, faith and given in
presence of the rest of the Apostles, be-
liev- that they all meant nothing at all,
and that Peter was no more than any
OF the other Apostles.
, An infd-l who looks on Christianity
AS a mere human contriyanc- may con-
slider The words OF Jesus Christ to have
only passing momentary force, but
the man who brleves Jesus Christ TO
be true God and true Man; preparing
His Apostles to take His place, to pro
claim His Gospel to all nations to rs.
tablish the Church for which He was
about to shed His blood, must admit
that every word of Jesus had, and was
intended to have force, and continue to
lave force, until the work for which he
uttered it would be finished. There is |
10 tritling in the words and promises
Of the Son Of God. God is Incapable OF
trihing with men. What He says He
means. Now as lie knew when He
mad. these promises to SiiqOn, as well
as He knows now the contradictJry doc
trines that would be poured out nj pom
the world in the lapse of time, we may
feel certain that he would say nothing
calculated to produce or countenance
error.
If he had said to Simon, thou
wilt be called Peter rock, bnt not with
my appreciation. will not build my
church on this rock, and | will not pre-.
vent the gates of hell from prevailing
against the church that men shall build
upon it, and will not give to thee, the
keys of the kingdom of heaven, &c.
Then indeed Protestants might cry out
with just Zeal and Indignation against
the gigantic and soul crushing church,
built upon Peter. Christ would have
said all this or its equivalent if he then
casting his divine eye into the future
would look on the Catholic church as a
SOul cru shiup dos nntisu, nc y IL lo.S L., |
that case VIII fine arguments against
US would ?. h. and his friends have.
If for the sake OF argument we give
up the rock Peter as the foundation OF
chrst's Church, and say with p. f.,
the rock meant by Christ was Christ t
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