The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1878-01-13
Werring SAar and Catholic Messenger,


Rcmanisn, PIP. and s. :,
40 the old Church is not dying. The old
Church 10 one day said to be dying, aud on the
ncxt day we find her giving audiences to the
nntione. We find in her IN interest and VI
salty We find her gathering together aoai-
picht: audiences that want to know some
thing sboat shis Institution, 60 wonderfoi-
dying. and yet overcoming obstacles tba NO
lnstitatiou that ever existed oyercame . T% IN.
IN not and there never WAS, on this earth an
Institution of human policy 30 deserving
81 examination as the Roman Catholic
Church."
Again: -.
IA III OF INTEREST TO THE INFIDEL,
fse skeptic, the nationalist. or by whatever
nazae be may DO known, that he should under
stand something concerning what are no. tne
doetrires of this Church, and by implication
what are There are honest inidels as weli
- honssS Professionals. From the defect OF
religious education, and sometimes rom an m
inificious over ed ucAtion in religion, from want
81 Judgment, and in early youth over res.rsint
al the mind, and q rigorism that rendered reh'
s;on pnamiable, and from various other causes
TAsy have been Influenced to cast aside oe'
LIST ia revelation.
Yet this class of men-and think I know
aonethip9 of theri-are not all settled IN
mind. The religious element IL In every rb hn,
nan heart These men are anxious. Ihey
talk about religion. SoTetines tnst class Q.
Pegsons may even perseoute religion, out rney
are far frem being Of peace tnemssives. hicS
inDDels them, simply because the religions
element il there. and must DO satisfied; now
there ID large olaes of thess infdeis, skeptics'
or rationalists, by whatever name they may DC
nalied. who have come TO this conclusion !:
That III God gave q revelation to man. II there
he n historic church in existence that cnutcn
Is the old Catholic Church. Inc question
with them is,
ROME OR REASON.
IL thars be no revelation, then they ara "a
tional, they think. They keep apart, and pro,
fsss 20 acs ont, as far 80 they can, Inc Hno% N
the patural order. But there are some reaily
considerations Protestants who wonid prefer
that this body Of men should be Cnflsnan .
and Roman Catholics than that they should
remain infiie,s and rejectors OF revelstion, az
myself would prefer member OF some REV %
dspouinRtion posse ssing at least some OF tne
txuths of Christianity (for even human faltH
in any single doctriue is of advsntaEe) to an
inter unbelieTer in all GODS revelation
Therefore ought these Protestants be interest
cd In these ND believers understanding VIVA
Catholics really hold. This class of ration al
ists rnsy be divided after this fashion Some
who ara afraid to examine the old Cnurch les
il should prove to bs true. ..-
tho late DR.. Browusou, who told me Owe
twenty yosre ago, when Expressed my sur
prise that he had been go long Tune ID CON
ing into the Church, "For years before be
came Catholic, when was more OF nn inhde
than any thing else. had the thought that tn
truth might be in that old Church ont ga
I,
rjnk nv IMMORTAL soul, than To become q pa
plat In Boston st that tim"
There 10 another class Of men who woui
gladly embrace the truth, if they knew 1t, 6
Dr. Bro~usou finally did o class of men VIII
say ave cannot enter into that Churcn al
save the dignity OF our manhood NC oanne
accept: with the 1nteliiGen0e zoo; goo gave .;1,n
up all claim 10 consistency, accept what apes
% us utterly Irrational" Perhaps gentlemen
what sppesr 10 ypu aosnrd are nov VIZ
Catholics believe, but what Catholics do n
haiieyc. Let ua examine together for an ho'
tonight, some OF these doctrines. Let us .
whether the obstacles TO your approachir
4his Church arc not founded in misception
what eha really believes. Let Us see II 1t ca
mot be question, not of Rome or resson, b
Of Rome and reason.
Again, ladies and gentlemen, independent
If Al religious considerations, man who {
airea to undsIs stand the philosophy OF histoI
must know something of the real doctrines
THE old Church That Church has had me
a do do with humanity, has had moro eff
on human society than Gny Organization In
istonce, or that has been in exiseeuoe, since
tine of oar Divine Lord Therefore, TO una
stand the history Of our race, TO trace ette
70 their causes, IL is necessary that We shot
understand this Church, understand somethi
Of the real doctrines Whion she ptcfosses'
canss the influence that she exercised was
infauenoo arising logically from tnese W
doctrines, and cannot be understood by 10
who understand not the doctrines themsclS
Gui1ot, the French stateGuan, and, as you
aware 0 Protestant, speaking on this eub)t
cage:
aThe Church has exercised q vast and
portant influence upon the moral aud inteli
saal order of Earope. upon the notions, se,
SiuoOuts and manners of society. This FAC
evIdent. The Intellectual and moral prog
Of Europe has been essentially theoios
I.ook Of lite history from the ftth to the
easnth century, ana you will find through
shat theology hes possessed and directed
human mind. Every idea is Impressed "
theology. Every question that has been st
%, whether philosophical, political, or
rorical he's been considered in Feligi
Seoint of view. - We ehall fad
SaEne faot hold if we travel through the
Nions of literature; the habits, the sentime
The Language of theology there shoM til
selves at every step. This infuenos, taken
together, has been sSlutaty. 1t not only \
m ana nninisteEed to the intellectual M
mont in Europe, bot the system OF docsEl
and preoepts by whose authority it STAN
ito iippreSs upon that movement, was inca
lably an periOr to any which the ancient WI
hSI EnnWn. Notwithstanding
the evil, all the abuses which may have OF
into the Church Notwithstanding all the
0ftyranny of which abe has been guilty,
must still ackno Wedge her influence upon
49, H.