The Morning herald., 1878-11-04

ta1Ln pagaDlem, O6LenslOly ID Gne name OF
Christ, with The Virgin other, saints and
angels substituted In His place. with con>
science denied its rightlul place In the
breast, because men are by 1t denied the
guidance of their consciences. will t
dwell at this time any further upon the
peculiar features and characteristics of the
Roman delusion, but call your attention to
those Oriental churches which to II greater
or lees degree are involved In much of ig-
norance and superstition, but which, unlike
the church of Rome, have never declared
themselves infallible, which have never
taken up position out of which they can.
not retreat and have never anathematized
all those who differ with them"
In advance, however, of taking issues
With each and every assertion or proposition
herein made against the "Ronan Church."
we beg to be understood as distinctly avow-
ing the fact that no personal feelings are
herein involved, and that the gauntlet was
not cast by us, but on the contrary, "as
much as in us lies we wish to live at peace
with all men," Rom. XII 18, while we will
lingly accord to our venerable opponent
that regard for bis sincerty which he grants
US. Yet we arc by no means 10th to repsl
assertion by argument, ignoranceb by knowl.
edge, and talsehood by truth.
The first charge IN sde against tht Roman
Church by Bishop Lee is: ~ cannot but
characterize the Church Of Rome, as soul
crushing and soul-blighting despotism. !"
In order to repel the attack, let us reason
somewhat In the principles at stske and the
consequences flowing from such false prem
ises. And to commence, no one denies that
Jesus Christ founded church, or q body OF
followers known for the first time at Antioch
by the name of christians, Acts XII SO.,
Fut who were In reality the diciples of our
Lord and His Apostles. We hear all those
who now call themselves christians speak
ing frequently ana with great respect of the
Church.
Now that church which Jesus Christ
founded for the salvation of mankind must
necessarily have continuous history; must
be able to show her perpetaul, visible uuitj
as permanent body from the present timp, +,
going back through tho centuries to the
time of such alleged foundation. But the
only church which can stand this test his
torically, Is confrssedly the Roman Church,
Therefore she is the Church of Christ.
That Church which can historically prove
her possession of the name of Catholic from
the earliest period of the recitation of the
Apostles Greed, is the Church of Christ.
But the Roman Church has not only from
the time of St. Jerome and st. Augustin
the possession of this title (of which they
boasted of full proof of apostolic orfgln) }
but from the earliest times, Therefore sh'
l, the Churcho Christ.
That church which for the space of SIX.
teen centuries was confessedly the true and
/ ~ x>oosoaeor of eaoro m anita snH inrikdie
ton, faith and authority, must necessarily
be the Church of Christ. But the Roman
Catholic Church was the possessor of juris
diction, legitimate sacrament and tru
orders for sixteen centuries even by the cen
fessian or admission of our adversa,ies
Therefore she Ia the church founded b,
Jesus Christ. Now, this church having th
title which cannot be refused her, as the
mother Church; of being One. Holy, Cstho
lie and Apostolic, 10 the Roman church
She cannot be, she could not become des
potism.
Consider briefly that no one who believe
the Scriptures of the New Testament cal
deny that Jesus Chriet founded corpora
tion of men whom He called Apostles. w
know who they were. They were visible
bodp of men, twelve in number, having dis
tinct names, and much OF their natural In
clnations are pictured to US in Holy writ
70 one Of these, Simon, eon Of Iona, ID
made promise when he first saw him =
Thou shalt be called Rock, (Cephas,) It
John I. 40. Notice the fact that Chris
uses the tuture tense, "Thou shalt be calle'
Cepha," which is Interpreted Peter, that
a rock. Our Lord tor the space of tire
years taueht this His chosen school, work
ing miIscles to prove His Divinity; teachiu!
then His doctrine; manifesting His author
lity. They We're just 10 truly society,
body of N n chosen for definite purpose
co, D r 4tio1 to cou ihur HI. work smons
men as can be concsiv d. Now, let us TAX
sLy corporation. aud let H. se as human a
YOU please, can It not show forth it's Gre
dentias, its actual exis' ence, its "orN a
any given time and It's his ory. Take an.
10 ard Incorporated ut any In d-fnite pas
time: although all the mem 5ers who frs
c imposed it, ae for example, OF the odts
board in the city, or q railway company, o
rven OF the trustees of his church building!
though now dead yet we cannot on
actually tell either one by one, who the
where, and what they did, but we can an
do exercise their authority. 1t never dies
How much more then can the d;vinely IL
corporated society know as the Catholi
Church men Gle. She is the body mystl
of Christ, "who is yesterday, to-day al
forever" Heb. XIII. g., and with whic
) She pledged herself to remain always. s.
Matth XIII 20. ......
Now the Catholic Church thus conceive
is ia defectible sCther human societi' mar
corporations m any years ago nave ceasr
to exist-ior they were only human III
corporation has an uadying principle en-
= bodied in her. She Is government give
n 10 the world by Jesus Christ for Its salv
ton. She is a spiritual government, u
d claiming to the secular sword rulil
: men by the power OF faith inspired BY tt
t Holy Ghost 1t is thoroughly true that b
: power does not come In any shape fro
t,a ,onpla lint 4, nm Insus GhTiet who ga