The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-08-26

the Dred Scott caSeY No one ever
dreams of regulating his opinions
by the dictation of any secular
authority: OF course this shrewd
assailant of the liberty he inherited
would promptly deny any such in
ference from his language. He
knows that the laws of the United
States do not apply to or bind the
thinking minds of our citizens.
On the other hand, he equally knows
that his Church deals with the
conscience and the motives of men.
and not only requires an external
conformity of life, but a subjective
accord with its dogmas. His refer
ence to the text of the Apostle Paul
writing to the Corinthians, seems
to limit the authority implied to
the act of speaking. But Paul urges
them to "be joined together in the
same mind" And the witness
himself, in this very passage, re-
proaches Protestants with excessive
tenacity of the right of personal
judgment. No question can exist
concerning our point with Mr.,
Lathrop, that Rome requires her
members to think as she shall
dictate; and this indisputable fact
proves a worldwide difference be-
tween popish subjects and American
freemen.
But the witness ignores the vital
issue between Professionalism and
Rome. "The kingdom of God is
within YOU" said Christ himself.
This gentleman labors to impress
upon us that Rome claims only an
external submission to her dictates.
like the Supreme Court. But he
knows, and substantially admits,
that she is supreme in the spheres
of conscience and of thought. To
say nothing of her historical charac
ter, as a prosecuting power, we ask
if thought can be free, and at the
same time subject to the spiritual
dominion of tribunal which holds
anathemas of the most terrifying
character over the exercise of free
dom. Mr. Lathrop knows that he
has surrendered the right to think
otherwise than the Church teaches
on number of dogmatic points.
AS an honest convert, he cannot
even in thought, question these
doctrines. But Professionalism denies
that any authority, in any Church,
can suppress the natural prerogative
of man to inquire into the meaning
of revealed truth. The word OF
God is a lamp to the feet" of the
individual. "By them ALSO" (his
statutes) els thy servant warned,
and in the keeping of them there is
great reward" Search the Scrip
lures; for in them We think We have
eternal life; and they are they
which testify of me-" These are
appeals " opersonal Judgments" if
such can be conveyed in language.
Mr.. Lathrop assumes that the BIZ
bic is not infallible without the in
depreciation of an infallible Pope.
But the Pope writes in Latin, and
his translators are not infallible.
Who shall interpret the Pope? How
can this shrewd gentleman demon
strate that papal decisions are pro-
tected from such Observation-Disclosures
as those to which the Bible is ex-
posed, without a resort to that same
personal Judgment" TO which he
objects? He processes great respect
for the function of reason, and ap-
peals stoutly to common sense. But
here is supreme opportunity for
the latter to assert itself. The Pope
says so and so. Any two readers,
not possessing inspiration, are ia
BILE to differ about his meaning, pre-
cisely as they may do with text of
Scripture. Common sense declares
that truth, after all, must be sought
and found by honest inquiry i'm the