Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-05

dogmatic assertions, and does noteven attempt
an argument at this critical and decisive
point" And, again, denying that Peter was
his argument, Bishop Ireland moves on with
triumphant swing, in his usual fashion, i'm
aglnlng that an assertion in his mouth is
better than an argument in another man; he
does not even attempt proof, and this is
Characteristic of every advance movement in
his discussion; he dogmatically and without
proof asserts position, and then builds an
argument on this basis" l leave it to nv
hearers to decide if it has rot been rule with
me TO prove my position, step by step, as each
point came up for discussion, without, of
course, dragging into the discussion points
not in debate at the time.
we will now consider the substance of Mr.
smiths reply to my lectures. 1t is most
striking continuation of my oftrcpeated as
sertion, so fatal to the cause of Professionalism,
that
NO ONE POSITIVE PROOF
can be given IN favor of the vital principles of
Professionalism. My first lecture was, on the
absence OF all proof in support of Protestant
ism; my second was, the defense of the Catho-
lie position. Mr.. Smiths reply should natur-
ally have begun with my first lecture. It did
not; there is not word in 1t in favor of
frotestantlsm, or in answer to my charges
against Protestantism-not one word. Why
this singular silence? Because he can saw
nothing in defense of Professionalism Who are
they who dOgmatically and without proofs
assert positions and then build upon Them
The representatives of Professionalism Mr..
Smith, assure my hearers, will not utter one
syllable in defense through Protestant prin-
ciples OF the inspiration of the New Testament,
Or in support of the Protestant rule of faith,
although these are the points in debate be-
tween him and me. No, not one syllable. He
cannot do it. Again and again during the
controversy the untenableness of Professionalism
has been asserted, and the defender during
his six lectures cannot speak word
in support of it. am very
sure, my Catholic friends would soon put
| from their minds all faith in the church, If
her ministers were forced to be equally silent
| on her claims. What must be Christianity to
Mr.. Smith? Surely not a revelation. All he
knows of Christ's teaching are the few dis
courses of our Lord reported by historians.
What the evangelists write of themselves has
for him no divine authority. PauI's epistles
| are mere philosophical disquisitions. creed,
a system of faith is an impossibility. CHS
| tianity becomes, in this view, not positive
religion--but simple tendency, mere i'm
pulse given by Christ to the native energies of
the race. 1t is we'll that Protestantion should
| be seen and known as it is Protestants are
attached to it, because they believe il is
Chrst's revelation. Once they will be led to
perceive that it is the logical abolition from
| the world of a supernatural revelation, for
| Chrst's sake they will shun it.
The next result of Mr. Smiths reply is to
strengthen our conviction that the claims
Of the h. Catholic tht o,,s church Iepose
| This is done by Mr.. Smiths silence regarding
my positive defense of the churchs claims
Scarcely does he allude to my arguments. He
should have taken them up one by one, and
weighed each one in the light of reason and
history. This is the treatment accord to his
objections against the church. His silence
regarding my proofs take as an admission
of their strength, and an effort to cover them
up FROM his hearers He raises difficulties
and objections. This is easier work in any
field, or on any subject, than direct reply to
proofs that have been advanced. But even his
objections confirm our position-by their
utterl weakness.
will not repeat at length what have said
in my previous lectures,
IN DEFENSE OF THE CATHOLIC POSITION.
In the matter of institution, we are told,
Christ may nave been an iconoclast; he GER
tainly was not an organizer. Never
was a view taken of Christ's
mission more palpably untrue.
Christ was no iconoclast He found on his
apparition in the world the Jewish synagogue
ruling the religious affairs of Palestine. He
complied with its consecrated rites, and he
babe his hearers to respect its ordinances
"The scribes and the pharisees have sitten on
the chair of Moses. ALI things, therefore,
whatsoever they shall say to you. observe
and do" Even the personal unworthiness of
those who in his time occupied the chair of
Moses should not, according to him, be al
lowed to deprive their teaching of divine
| sanction "Do not think" he again said,
"that am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets. lam not come to destroy, but to
fulal." And the establishment of his own
church was less the cessation of the syna-
gogue than its development and its compile
ton. He was essentially an organizer. The
organization of his church was the work of
his public life. His first act in hispublic ca
reer was to choose his apostles, whom, during
three years he guarded near to himself, in
structing them and forming them for their
ministry. Peculiar powers were granted to
them, special assistance promised. They
were made the teachers. the legislators of the
disciples, upon whom the obligation
of submission was imposed. In
comforting upon them their powers
Christ always made use of the most solemn
language, to indicate the high nature of these
powers, and the great importance which he
attached to them. "Amen, 1 say to you,
whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall
loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in
heaven" Gas the Father sent me, so also I
send you. Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven
them; and whose sins you shall retain, they
are retained" $50 We into the whole world
and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that beleveth and is baptized shall be saved:
but he that believeth not shall be condemned"
''All power is given to me in heaven and in
earth. Going, therefore, teach We all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever have
commanded unto ,ou, and behold l am with
you all days, even unto the consummation of
the world" To say that in all these solemn
words no special Office is created. no special
power is conferred, is to declare Christ to have
engaged in idle, meaningless talk. He insti-
tuted a church, composed of teachers and
disciples; he left behind him an organized So
ciety, with we'll defined laws and conditions of
membership.
The apostolate, and with and through it the
whole church as Christ had instituted her, was
to continue through ages. Its continuation
was implied in the nature of things. Christ
came to teach and TO save all future genera
tons. The means, then, which he first insti-
tuted for the teaching and sanetfying of men
are supposed necessarily to endure, unless
positive revocation of these means takeplace
Christs words prove the continuation of the
apostolate: "Teach all nations. Be
hold am with YOU ALWAYS even INTO the