The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-07-14
st. Calvin.

IT,. IdttIU.
Good Presby byterians claim that the can
onization of taints'by the Catholic CHURCH
is both absurd and biasphemous. They
will not dignify with the character of saint
any one even of the Apostles or most noted
fathers of the primitive Church. The days
of miracles they most positively assert to
be over, and, consequently, that it is utter
ly impossible that the usual tests by which
sanctity is approved can be applied. None
of these canonized eaints, according to our
friend, the PresbyteriaN, can have possibly
worked the miracles attributed to them or
their relics, and, therefore, their sanctity
remains improved.
1t appears, though, that they themselves
have some mysterious test by which they
can judge of sanctity and announce the
salvation of the departed. This test is not,
however, miracles wrought by the hands OF
Gods great servants, living, nor yet mira
cles wrou ght at their shrines, dead. Then
what is it9 That such a test exists among
| them in some occult form is clear from the
following announcement which we clip
from lively, rattle akish sort of edito-
rial in our good neighbor, the Presbyterian's
last issue. Speaking of John Calvin, it
says:
He has been in Heaven more than three
centuries.
Now the question recurs, how do the
Presby terians know thisf How did they
find it outs And yet that they do know
it in the most positive kind of way is clear
from the fine scorn with which they speak
of Romish darkness in similar matters.
Thus:
1t is a melancholy fact, that the religion
of Rome can speak with 80 little cieaTness
on the subject of Heaven. It is strong on
Purgatory but according to its own ad-
mission, Purgatory is only form of hell,
and all it can confidently promise, is Par
gatory. Cardinal McCicskey, in his addreee
the other day to the Convent of the Sacred
Heart, at Manhattanviile las reported by
{ the New York Iri6une,) said "He hoped
Plus TX. was in heaven" Hoped Here
is the opinion of the highest authority IL
this country. There 10 nothing in Roman
ism to assure him that the late infallible
head of that Church is not, even now, Justl J
suffering the, torments of the damned IL
a Purgatory. He can only "hope." For al
, the Cardinal can tell, he may remain there
D for ages.
wen we Chn' UId"o Iho AoooJ IeA AA'-A
for it's scornful contempt of Romish slow
, ness in these matters. 1t generally take
3 the Church q hundred years or 30 before
the proofs of salvation for one of her de
: parted children multiply sufficiently t.
f Justify her verdict that divine grace fol
= lows the invocation of his name, in othe
y words, that he is with God in Heaven. Thi
n doesn't suit the rapid Presbyterian h
n settles such question right off, and snub
the Catholic for only "hoping" instead o
r being ''assured."
is How he can discover this eanctity, how
{. ever, in one minute, and still accuse th
~ Catholic Church Of blssphemy for hesitat
ing a century to do the same thing, is
~ mystery by what operation, through wha
~ procese, by what test, the Pres6yter'a
arrives, at all, at his decree of canonizatic
- is still greater mystery; but the creates
mystery of all is what has become of hi
~ saints. Throughout all these years th
&c world has never heard of one until no
IL that the frst fruit of Presbyterian sanctit!
: in the person of the truculent murderer {
W Servetus, bursts forth as ST. Calvin.