The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-14
CORRESPONDENCE
That Iarratt's Depot Tract.
PETERSBURG, VA, July s,

PETERSBURG, VA, July s, 1880.
MeSSrS Editors, You have doubtless
heard of the sensation produced few
days since by the distribution at Jarratt's
Depot of four-page tract" entitled,
"What Roman Catholics believe" Sensa-
tional kilograms were sent to the Rich
papers, complaining of the outrage per-
petrated by the Protestants in circulating
this tract. Now 1 enclose you copy of
the tract from which you will see that it
consists simply and exclusively of extracts
from Catechism prepared by Catholic
as an exponent of Catholic doctrine, and
issued with the imprimatur of Archbishop
Bayley of Baltimore The awful offence
then committed by these Protestants is
the same that would be committed by
Roman Catholics if they should make a
number of extracts from the Shorter Cat
echism, and publish them as tract,
headed, "What Presbyterians believe"
If they will only do that we, so far from
complaining, will be very much obliged
to them. We do not fear to have it
known what we believe and teach, but it
seems that they do. They become very
indignant because we call attention to
doctrines that they are teaching every
day In their schools. 1t may be that
those into whose hands the tracts fell.
were lnJudicious as to the time and place
OF distribution. If so, I regret it very
much, as the ministers who certified to
the correctness of the quotations, had no
idea that any use would be made of the
tract which could properly be considered
n P,,f Il
friends not only complain of the discour-
tesy in circulating the tract, but accuse
the compiler and the ministers who certi-
fed to his accuracy and fairness, with
misrepresentation of the teachings o. the
author from whom the quotations are
made. The correspondent of the Whto
says, "many of which" (alluding to the
quotations. the Catholics declare to be
utterly false, and a writer in the Catho-
TIC VaS1tor of the Sd inst, who signs him
self Rufus, speaks of the four ministers
as the "garbling authors, &c. AS this
charge involves the moral character of
the tour ministers In question, / solemnly
affirm and defy all contradiction that
these quotations are not only accurate but
that they are the full a1,Sa0er IN, everu case
to the question, without the omission of
one word or letter. And when Rufus
undertakes to explain away the meaning
OF some Of these answers by his "course
OF very weak sophistry," he has to draw
from another book altogether. He cannot
md word to sustain him in the book
from which we quote, Muller's Catechism,
NO. .: lie has to refer his readers to the
Catechlsm No. 2, by the same author,
which Is distinct work, separately bound
and not at all connected with the one
from which the quotations were made to
which we referred as accurate and fair.
But perhaps some further quotations
from the same work may serve to relieve
us from this charge of garbling. So I
give your readers few this week and if
Rufus" is pleased with them I will 90
on and give more next week. I always
IKE, as far as spsce will permit, to do an
author full justice.
question. " Is to believe what the Ro-
man Catholic Church teaches not the
same as to believe God himself?" Ans1Oer
1t is indeed" @. Are the doctrines Of
the Catholic Church then entirely inde-
pendent of Scripture 4. They are. etc
(See answer in tract.) @. What then
is the principal motive why Catholics
believe the truths Of their religion is it
because these truths are found in Holv
scripture or because the pastors of the
Cathohc Church teach them?" 4 "Tbev
eeheeve these truths only because God
CI SSaches them through the pastors of the
church, SO much so that, as st. Augustine
says, we would not believe even the Ribie
II Il the Catholic Church did not assure ne
that it is the written word Of God" So
much for the first point as to the doc.
.rln9s OF Catholics not being dependent
vi Vhe Bible. You see there has been no