The New York herald., 1879-09-01

chaos by His omnipotence; that they exist by His
ans % sse M
end. In the drst rank of these spologists we fnd
Justin the Martyr. After having traversed as il by
schools and having been convinced. according to his
own avowal, that the entire truth could only be
self to these last with all the ardor OF
his soul; he justified them against the
calumnes levelled at them; he defended them
before the Roman Emperor with as much vigor
as abundance, and demonstrated the accord which
often existed between them and the ideas of the
pagan philosophers. At the same period Quadrat
fully followed in the same path. That cause had
not less iustrious defender in the person of tho
great martyr Ireneus, PontiK Of the Church OF
Lyons who, in refuting valantly the perverse opn-
ions brought from the East by the Gnostics and
tent OF the Empire. explained at the same time.'
as st. Jerome says. the origin OF all the hereses
and discovered in the writings OF the philosophers
tho sources from which they emanated.'
TEACHINGS OF THE FATHERS.
Every one is aware of the controversies sustained
by Clement Of Alexandria with respect to which st.
Jerome cries out with admiration. "Can We find any
thing unlearned in this? What is there in it which
does not come from the very bowels OF philosophy
quantity Of works of the most useful kind whether
for the history of philosophy the art or exercise of
faith and reason. After him came Origen.
This illustrious master Of the Alexandrian
the Greeks and the Orientals. published q
variety of books. as numerous as learned.
and which are OF marvellous usefulness in tho
Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and the expla
nation of sacred dogmas Although those works
such of them now remain to us) are not entirely
free from errors they contain. nevertheless large
number Of maxms which serve at the same time to
propagate and confirm natural truths To the here
tics Tertullian opposed the authority Of the Holy
Writings; with the philosophers he changed his
armor and opposed to them philosophy. He
futed these latter with much subtlety and erudi
ton that he did fear to throw in their faces the
defiance, 'In matters of science in point OF doc
trine whatever you may think OF It, you are not my
equals.
Lactantius. principally in his "Divine Institu-
tions. both bring to the aid of their zsl equal
eloquencc OF vigor to inculcate in the people the
dogmas and precepts of Catholic wisSo n not in
running philosophy as do the academicians. but in
making Of it to convince. sometimes vita their
by the intestine quarrels of the philosophers.
The writings which the great Athanasius and
US on the human soul. the divine attributes
and other questions Of sovereign Importance
perfection that it would seem IL nothing more
profound mature could be desired. Without
wishing to lengthen beyond measure this list Of
great minds we will add. however, to those have
named Basil the Great. as well as the two Gregories
All those three from Athens, that home of cvi
zation. amply stored with all the resources of
philosophy; and those treasures OF science which
each of them had conquered by the flames of his zeal
dispensed in the refutation OF hereics and the
instruction OF Christians.
But the palm among all seems to belong to Saint
Augustine that powerful1genius. who having pene-
divine, armed with absorbing faith and not less
great doctrine fought without truce against the
errors of his time. What point of philosophy has
he not touched-nay, more, what point has he not
mastered, either while he unfolded to the faith
rul the highest mysteries Of the faith and defended
them against the furious assaults of the enemy
in reducing to naught the ctons OF the academicans
and the Manicheans, he assured the foundations Of
human science or sought the reason, the origin
and the causes Of the evils under the burden Of
which humanity groanod? With what abundance
and with what penetration has he not treated of the
angels, Of the SOUL Of the human mind, OF the will
and its arbitrary freedom Of religion and Of happy
life, of time anu eternity, and of the nature Of
substances ss subject to changer Later on. & In the
Gregory Of Nazanzen; in the West; Bcptius and An
selm disciples OF Augustine. enriched in their turn
the patrmony of philosophy.
THE TEACHINGS OF THE scHorAsTIcs.
Finally. the doctors Of the middle ages. known un-
sal labor of gathering with the rich and abund-
ant harvest of doctrine scattered innumerable
works Of the fathers and Of making them like sim
ture generations. And here, venerable brethren,
we arc glad to be able to appropriate to ourselves
sor. a man Of profound wisdom. explains the origin.
character and excellence OF the scholastic doc
trine-"By the Divine munihcence Of Him
who alone gives the spirit OF knowledge. of wis
dom and of intelligence, and who in the course
OF ages, and as occasion requires, never to
enrich the Church with new favors and to supply
it with defences, our ancestors, men Of pro-
found learning. created the scholastic theology.
But it was especially two glorious doctors the an
both of them illustrious professors in this faculty
who. by their Incompatible talent. their assiduous
tvated the science fostered it and left it their
successors disposed in perfect order and Ilumined
by brilliant and numerous developments. And
suredly the KNOWLEDGE and practice Of such
q salutary science. which flows from the fruit
ful source Of the Holy Scriptures, of the
Sovereign Pontiffs, of the Holy Fathers and OF
the councils ought ut all times to be o great
to the Church. whether for the sound
and proper Interpretation Of Holy
fnV hn nYrlnR and fCI iv.xr and
of the Fathers or the unmasking and
of the divers and heresies. Both
cal times prophesied by the apostles. and in which
vainglorious men. seducers. going
further and further in evil, errng themselves and
leading others into error. the knowl-
edge of which we speak is more than necessary
in order to confirm the dogmas of the Catholic
Church and refnte heresies.'
This eulogtum. although 1t only seems to compre-
hend the scholastic theology evidently applies to
philosophy itself. In fact. the eminent qualities
which make the scholastic theology formidable
to the enemies of the TRUTH that is to say. the
same PoniT adds, "that strict and perfect cohesion
of causes and effects. that order and symmetry
which may be likened to those OF army in battle.
those luminous definitions and distinctions, that
solidity of argument and subtiety OF controversy.
all Of them qualities by which the light is sepa-
rated from tho darkness, the true distinguished
from the false. and the lies of heresy despoiled Of
the prestige and .disoncumbered from the fctions
" nich envcloped them aud laid them bare and
Naked" ALI these brilliant and admirable qualities,
We say. are due solely to the proper use Of the phil
taken the wise practice to adopt in theological
Besides, as the real and distinctive
OF the scholastic theoogians il to unite by
the closest bonds divine and human knowledge. the
theology in which they exceled would certainly not
have acquired much honor and esteem in the
opinion Of IL these doctors hal employed only
an incomplete and superficial philosophy.
81. THOMAS AQUINAs.
But among all the scholastic doctors there shines
with q brillance without parallel the prince and
master OF all. Thomas Aquinas who as Cajetan re-
marked. ''from having profoundly venerated the
ho pre i'm haa iub al In
some sort the intelligence Of all Of them" Thomas
gathered up their doctrines IL they the scat
Tered members of the same body. He reunited
them, classified them in admirable order. and
belished them in such way that he is Justly
regarded the honor aud the special defender
Of the Church. or elastic and powerful mind.
Of q ready and reliable memory. OF perfect in
tegrity OF morals, he having affection ex
copt the love of truth, rich in divine and human
knowledge, and. justly compared to the sun. no
irradiatod the earth by the briancy of his virtues
and hllod it with the splendor Of his doctrine.
Gaalail alas4