Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-03-26

ueuneC, SuCc " - tue OOuy auu DlOOQ OF
Christ under the visible forms or appear
ances of bread and wine? The Fathers
would have less fear to use such terms, in
asmuch rs this doctrine was never ques-
toned in their day, nor in fact until the
eleventh century. All such expressions
are perfectly consistent with Catholic doc.
trine; but how, asked the Bishop, can the
upholders Of a mere figurstive presence
reconcile with their views the positive dec
laratious ofthe Fathers that the sacrament
contains the true body Of Christ, derived
from the Virgin and nailed to the cross,
and to be adored with supreme worship
declarations repeated hundreds of times,
not merely in incidental passages, but in
lengthy diseourses upon the nature, and
transcendent excellence and precious eff
fects Of the Divine Eucharist? Read Am
brose, Augustine, Chrysostom, the two
Cyrils, and you may we'll Imagine your
self listening TO a Manning, or a Newman,
or q Lacordsire expatiating on this glor.
ious mystery.
Here, said the Bishop, is
A DoUBLE STATEMENT
made without fear of contradiction: Not
one Of the early Fathers can be cited as
saying that the Eucharist is only q symbol
Of Christ's body and blood, and not their
reality; but many Of them declare the very
reverse, namely, that it is Christ's body
aud blood, and not q mere symbol Of them.
The Syrian st. Maruthas, Archbishop Of
Tagrit, in M~esopotamia, the contemporary
aud friend Of Chrysostom "a. d. 4l2
about, writing in the very language used
by our Lord and commenting on the
words Of the Institution, says: "For Christ
did not call it the figure or symbol Of His
body, but He ssid-Truly, this is My
body; and this is My blood" Likewise,
st. Cyril Of Jerusalem Fourth century,:
This knowing, and of this being assured,
that what appears to be bread is not bread,
though it be taken for bread by the taste,
but the body Of Christ; and that what sp.
pears to be wine, is not wine, though the
taste will have it so, but the blood Of
Christ" (Catech. Mystag. iv This tes-
timoDy is the more striking, since st. Cyril
is here instrueting the uewly-bsptized and
preparing them for the recep ion Of the
Holy Eucharist.
The Bishop then read passages extracted
from the works of some twenty Of the early
Christian Fathers from st. Ignatius, the
disciple of st. John and successor of St
Peter in the See Of Antioch to the Fathers
of the Council Of EphesuS, in the year 43l,
and some few later ones; but want of space
prevents their insertion in this synopsis
They may, however, all be found together,
with hundreds of Others, in the second
volume OF 1.-The Faith Of Catholics"
Some passages from st. Clement of Alex
andris, ST. Augustine, Pope Gelasius and
others were shown not to contain, as
charged, any arguments
AGAINST THE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE.
By the word mature, used by Gelasius,
was understood In those days not the sub
stance, but the properties or accidents of a
thing, as the eminent Protestant Lsibnitz
explains in his "Systema Theologicum, p.
227.
After quoting from the sermon Of Rev.
Dr.. Bachmaun, q distinguished Divine of
the Lutheran church, to prove, that after
rejecting the doctrine Of Traasubstauti.
alton, Protestants were really at a loss Just
what to substitute in its place. The Bishop
asked: Does not this candid statement
tell the whole sad story in a few words?
Reject the authority Of Christ living and
teaching in his Holy church, and you at
once Join the ranks Of those described by
st. Paul as children tossed to and fro by
every wind of doctrine" It's the lesson
Of daily experience that the Bible alone is
not a sufficient guide in matters of Chris
tian doctrine. This used TO be the open
port in which Protestants sought refuge
amid the storms Of controversy. Read your
Bible, they used to tell you, and therein
you will be sure to find the will
of God and learn with certainty all that
B He bids you believe. Bat alas they now
openly or tGciHy avow tina the Bible is not
the same guide to a certain knowledge of
Gods saving truths. Though a Christian
may read it c~ORScieatiOTSly, and therefore
with the best possible dispositions, he
must not any longer tlatter himself that
God will give him the lights and graces
necessary to understand it. The cham
pions, in q desperate struggle to extricate
themselves from the dilemma in which
their own FOLLY had entauged them, throw
their arms, Sampson-like, around this
main pillar Of the Protestant system
private Interpretation of the Scriptures
and ruthlessly RAE the whole fabric to the
ground; aud we hear ne protest!
All this but confirms the Catholic in
his conviction Of the necessity Of a living,
teaching authority. "Understandest thou
what thou readest? And he said, How
can /, except some man guide me-"
Acts viii. 80, 81. That teaching au-
thority which all are commanded to hear,
is centered in the church founded by
Jesus Christ and by Him secured against
errror-''the church of the ~living~Sed~
the pillar and the ground Of.ths tIath."
II. Tim. iii. 10.