Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-06
BELLAIRE.

THE SECOND OF THE SERIES or ADVENT SER
Mons PREACHED By FATHER GULL At BEL
LAIRE.
st. Johns Church was well filled Sunday
night by ali intelligent audience. who had
gathered to listen to Father Cults second
discussion on Catholic doctrines. The altar
was beautifully lighted by large circle OF
gas lets and decorated with great taste with
flowers and wax lights. Below will be
found synopsis of the sermon:
God is truth itself. Ii he could fail to he
true he would cease to be himself. Jesus
Christ therefore being God, can speak
nothing but truth. Hence. If right there
can be no such thing as religious opin-
ions" among Christians, for opinion" is
judgment that something is probable but
admits the possible truth of its contradic-
tory. 1t cannot exist where there
is certainty. 1t is not my opinion that
what see close by me is white or black or
red, know its color by sight. knowledge
excludes opinion. But when God teaches
we know his teaching is true-that is to
say the religion revealed by Jesus Christ is
certain, therefore there is no room for opin-
ion in religion. Either Jesus Christ taught
it or he did not If he did not it is no re-
ligiOuS matter, and any religious opinion
concerning il is not religious matter. III
he did teach il il must be true and the OPP
posite necessarily false.
Faith is not opinion, but the assent OF
the understanding to the teaching of God,
and TO doubt a matter of faith is 10 question
the veracity of God. But TO call ones faith
opinion. is to admit that it may be false,
therefore of right there can be no such
thing as religious opinions among christians.
Hence the tenacity with which the Catho-
lie Church adheres to the old faith, without
change, without diminution or cutting
down 10 suit any country or any men.
Catholic, Protestant and lniidcl have all
learned to live in the same community
without prosecuting each other for opin-
ions sake, and they do well. To he tOler-
ant il is not necessary to believe that all
religions are equal before God. federation
is proper, not because il is as safe
and as sensible to doubt Jesus Christ
as to believe in Him, but because it is not
for human tribunals TO judge and punish
the sin OF doubling The teaching OF the
church is not that il is wrong to have here
tics employed, but only that in rejecting
the teaching of Christ men commit sin.
1t is one thing to say that man does
wrong and another to say any other man
has right to punish him for it. God only
is the Judge and Avenger. No man with
out sin reject the teachings of Christ. He
that believeth not shall be condemned but
the Sovereign Judge must condemn him.
To question the truth of anything Taught
by Jesus Christ is to question all. We must
accept all that He says not because we I'M
derstand it but because He teaches it. The
Jews, John vi, when told that they must
eat His flesh and drink His blood, cried
out, This is hard saying and who can
bear it? and went back snd no longer walk
ed with him" So they do who choose
their faith-not accepting it as from God
The Catholic church being through her
organization an impershsble life, claims
authority to legislate in the maine of Jesus
Christ, as she has done for eighteen Hmm
dred years. Can her claims be disputed on
the authority of the scriptures? There is no
scripture we do not get from her, Can it
be disputed by reason? Reason itself must
be instructed and therefore cannot be judge.
To be logical then one who admits the diyin-
ity Of Jesus Christ cannot escape admitting
the authority of his church, founded on
rock, and to last till the endof time. Finally
the speaker prayed that all men might see
the truth and follow it, and that all might
become sheep of the one fold of which Jesus
was the Good Shepherd.