The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-28

ton anu ADVICE OF Dlsnop heane. 1t is
not of his Church. st. Al phonsus Lignori,
who stands at the head of all Roman
Catholic theologians, who was canonized
in 1916 by Pope Plus VII, and whose
writings Leo XIII, the present Pope, has
recently commended in the highest terms,
not only himself condemns the private
reading of the Scripture, but declares that
the Council of Toledo in 1889, of Bitter
eusis in 1245, and the Councils of Jerusa-
lem, Mechlin, Camarace, and many others
condemned the translation into the vul-
gar tongues of the Scriptures for the use
of the common people. The Council of
Toulouse thus ordained, 1--WE forbid the
laity to have the books of the Old and
New Testament in the vulgar tongue. "
Cardinal Bellarmine says that " the peo-
pie would not only get no good, but much
hurt FROM the Scriptures, for they would
easily take occasion of erring both in doc
trine Of faith and in precepts concerning
life and manners" Peter Deus, whose
theology is used as text book in Cath
olic institutions, says, This law" referr-
ing to the Rule of Prohibition by the
Council of Trent quoted above, "has been
received and hitherto kept with some
variation on account of the prevailing
spirit of some regions in by far the great
est part of the Catholic world. More in
dulgence has been granted only when it
was necessary to live among heretics. "
Here then the great Catholic theologian
has told the naked truth In Catholic
countries such as Italy, Spain and Aus
tria, the rule which prohibits the Bible
to all who have not permission in writing
is strictly enforced. But in countries like
England and the United States, where
the free spirit of Professionalism would be
in painful contrast with the bigotry and
tyranny of such rule, "more indulgence
is granted by the Bishops in enforcing
the rule, Only let Romanism gain the
ascendency here, and the rule Will again
be enforced, and you and I will have to
get written permission from Bishop be-
fore we can buy Catholic version Of the
word of Cod
Rev. Mr. Seymour in his Mornings
with the Jesuits," tells us that he went
few years ago-before the present advance
of Professionalism in Italy-into every
bookselling establishment in the city Of
Rome to try to purchase a copy of the
Holy Scriptures. He says, (" l could not
procure single copy in the Roman Ian
guage and of portable size in the whole
city of Rome; and when 1 asked each
bookseller the reason of his not having
so important volume, was answered
in every instance that the volume was
prohibited or not permitted to be sold.
Martin s edition was offered to me in two
places, but it was in twenty-four volumes
and at cost of los fraces"-nearlv
twenty dollars. Though the Roman Cath
ollcs OF the world speak more than sixty
languages, which have been reduced to
writing, | am sure that that Church has
never translated the Bible into one-tenth
OF them-and yet every "Catholic fam
lily, says the Bishop, "is expected to
have the Bible" How is he to get it
when 1T has never been translated by his
own Church, and Protestant translations
are not only forbidden but denounced and
mathematical in most unmeasured terms
How, in face of all this, can Bishop
Keane claim that the Catholic Church ex
poets every family to have the Bible, es-
peclally when he knows that on the face
OF the Douay Bible-the approved Cath
ollc translation-under the heading AD-
MoNITIoN, appear the following words,
" 1t was judged necessary to forbid the
reading of the Scriptures in the vulgar
Languages without the udUice and pern7is-
SION of the pastors and spiritual guides
whom God has appointed to govern His
Church. Nor is this due submission to
the Catholic Church to be understood of
the Ignorant and unlearned only. but
also OF men accomplished in all kinds of
learning"
Here it is then. Even "men accom-
Pllshed in all kinds of learning" can read
the Bible only by permission of their
pastors and spiritual guides. In the
greater part Of the Roman Catholic world
this permission cannot be had, and if it
could, 1t would be of no avail, for there
is no authorized translation into any Ian
guage which the layman can read. He
can find translations of "The Lives of the
Saints, and other books of that kind but
none of the Word Of God. Why do thew
refuse to translate the Bible and anathe-
matize our Bible Societies for doing it.
except that they do not wish their people
to have the Bible. 1t would open their
eyes-dispel the illusion of immaculate
conception, worship Of images prayers
to saints, and all such superstitions. It
is hard for the Church of Rome to make