The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-12-01
NUMBER 43,

Of tn these, Simon son of Jons, He made pro
n,se when he first saw hin "Thou ahalt b.
called rock (Cephas)," est. John, i42) No
tioe the fact that Chrbt uses the future tenee
ihoq shalt De called Cephns," which is Inter
preted Peter, th at is q rock.
our Loru, eor tho space of threo years, [! NJ ebt
I tti+s- -fs+s- chosen sUH0ut of kP0srfGs w0FEipO
m'rao'es to prove His Divinity; teaching them
dts doctrine; manifosting His authority. They
were jnst as truly society, body of men
CHOSEN for definite purpose, u corporation b
/ continue His work among men, as can be con
ceived: Now let us take any corporation, and
aet IL DC as human as you please, can 1t not
show forth it's credentials, it's &c otual existence.
It's work at any given time and it's history !
| taKe any Board, Incorporated ct any indeh-
nlte pact time; although ell the members who
bank 10 this city or railway company. or
even OF the first trustees Of this church build
ing, though now dead, yet We can not only
aetaaiiy tell either one by one who they were,
and what they did, but We can and do exercise
precisely their authority. It never dies. How
much more then osn the divineIy orporatod
society, known as the Catholic Church, never
die She 10 the body mystic of Chr at, "who
ie yesterd sy, to day and forever" (Hebrevs.
xiii. "And with which He pledges II oself
to remain always. (St. Matthew, xviii. 2O.)
Now the Catholic Church thus conceived is
lndefectible. Other human societiea and cor
porattons many ages ego have ceaeed to exist,
for they were only human. This corporat'oo
b, has an pndYing principle embodied in her.
Jeans Christ for its salvation. She is n spirit
nal government, not claiming to WELD tt,
secular sword, ruling men BY the power of
faith inspired by the Holy Ghost. 1t Is
thoroughly true that her power does not conI
IN any shape from the people, bat from Jesus
Christ, who gave it in the Sacrament OF Holy
Orders. Yet there is much which is republican
in her, since her priests are chosen, and " hen
deemed ft, ordained by Bishops, even nom
among the poorest; her Bishops are again
chosen from among the clergy by tie shops
OF L ptaI++4e+a7- TIRE voice or ttgir-
felIo" priests and always approved or con-
trned in their Sees By the saccessor of st,
Peter. who in turn ID elected by Ca.dir 7Is
chosen for that purpose. Is there in all this
any despotlsm, that corporation should -
able to perpetuate it 9ff Does ste eitI )r
compel, or attempt to compel, any man by the
,!Vil power to become O mem Der of her body,
'r II member, TO remain ono hour against
lis will 10 her communion
WHERE, THEN Is THE DEsroTIsMi
Daily he who desires admission, believes un-
ioubtiuRlv every article Of her creed, is ac-
,epted. Should any Ct ECr members, lay &.
clerical, cease to believe ali her doctrines, or
toubt the truth Of any of them, yet, while he
Seeps his uubelief doubt hidden within his
,wn breast, he is let alone; be may tbus In
Iced be hypoorite, bad man, but il be
publishes his uDbelef or attempts to propA-
,ste it, OF acts in manner utterly inoonsis-
ept with the faith aud practice of the Church,
le il cnt CD, at once, by his own act and has
70 more any direct rights until he repents.
Where, We 6S<, in all this, Is despotismH Has
Gt the ChnTCh the rights granted to any and
very corporation, namely, to make her own
AVS, aud chnoRe her mem beIs, and desIRuRte
beir qualifcs.iorsf In what sense, then, can
be be called despoticf
| would wish to call attention to the fact
bat there is not now anywhere q secular gov
rnment which deserves the name of Catho-
G. Conscience ard truth are the only ohafns
blob binds as to the Church. Is not every
atholic man and woman, are not all, cleric
I'D lay, perfectly free to follow their own
aesioDs even, II they please Who binders
ny, or can hinder them from acting as they
Ieasef Can a government be rightly called
despotEm in any true sense, because 1t urges
IE NECESSITY or THE OBSERVANCE OF LAW
the judgo-who pronouDces sentence upon
imiDhi convicted of trAnsRressinR laws
nding the conscience as they do, despotf
is the sheriff, who in the dischA ArRe Of his
.inful duty is obliged to hurI follow being
to eternity in Wind .cstion Of the majesty Of
9 Law, to be called soul blighting and soul
1shipg despotf And for a nj uoh higher and
rOnRer reason was IL not allowable for St.
.ul, acting in his biRh capacity Of executive
icer 10 the Church 70 anat1emAtize and de-
er over 70 Satan the incestuoGs CorinthIanf
Corinthians, chapter Y, 5). Was he q dea-
/, or did he crush right minded Christians
zen he sad " Though even We, or an angel
m heaven shouId teach another doctrine
sR that which yon have reoFived let him
an AnAtbema" (GalAtiRns /. g. Have We
the use and the sense of words in such n
IfIl manner that 1" the bAby-like utteranoO
thoughts aud views" should
SO bstituted for the divine authoritative
ching Of Him who promised TO be with His
uroh all days even to the contamination of
world Or do the words of Christ: "Hs
o hears you, hears me, and he who hears
hears Him who sent me" (Luke I. 1G),
vey the idea Of despOtsmf Was Christ =
pot, in the odious seDss Ia which = natural
good word has been emplOyod-despot
amin z only q ruler with supreme authority
Zhen he ssid: Unless he hears the Church
him bs to you az . heSthep 7" (St. Mat
~, xviii. 49, Bat the only Church which
T did declare clearly and unWaVerinRly,
indiSputSbly teach what men are 20
ievs, 10 simply that Church against which
jealous friend raises his feeble voice and
hnE