Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-02-25

strength and life, can be relied on for the
future. The Catholic religion is the only
religion which claims that assurance.
for the future.
What, then, is the source of strength
and life in the church? Is it the Bible?
All christians profess to revere the Bible
as "the word Of God" that means an in
spired work. All Protestant sects rely on
the Bible as their source Of strength and
life; that Is, the portion of the Bible &C
cepted by them, and as by them interpret
ed. Surely the Catholic church is not be-
hind hand in this matter. No one esteems
the sacred book more than does the earn
est, fervent Catholic. The Catholic church
relies on the Bible as the highest written
testimony to prove its claims. But as to
the fact Of existence, our church was an
terror to, aud actually formed, the Bible as
1t now exists. The simple facts in the
case are these: The church was In exist
Mark, Luke and John wrote their versions
Of the gospel. ST. Paul was engaged In
prosecuting the christian church before
mis- conversion. After he became a chris
tisn he wrote several letters, as did others
| of the apostles, to various parts Of the
church then in existence. In time the
church had all these documents collected
and, together with the Apocalypse, writ
ten sixty four years after the ascension of
our Lord, they were entitled the New Tes-
lament The Old Testament was united
to 1t. Both received the stamp of the
authority already recognized by christians
and on that authority alone have been re-
ceived as the inspired word Of God Re
move, If you can, the authority of the
Catholic church, and you will tind 1t i'm
possible to prove the Bible an inspired
work You may accept II as such but to
| prore it Is quite another thing. The church,
then, is the source OF the Bible. not the
| opposite.
| What then, is the source Of the strength
and life of the church, 'Tis the indwell-
Ing spirit. 'Tis 1.-THE Paraclete. the Spirit
| OF Truth that was promised TO abide
with her forever" 'Tis the actual union
| that exists with the divine Son. who prom
| ised to be with her Tin the consumma-
| tion Of time" 'Ts the fulhllmcnt Of the
promise that ''the gates Of hell shall not
| prevail against her" 'Tis the enduring
| presence of 1.-THE rock" its foundation
stone. The Lord has pledged His word
Heaven and earth shall pass away; but
| His word shall not pass away" 'Tis be-
cause men rely on His promises that they
bow to His church.
II the Catholic. then, uses the New Tes-
| lament TO prove the right OF his church,
and he certainly does; It's as testimony af-
| ter the fact not anterior to 1t. If he wish
| es 10 use additional proof he points to Its
phenomenal life. 1t has survived every
attack. 1t has outlived every nation that
| opposed. 1t has seen customs, nations
languages. buried as forest leaves; the old
| yielding life to new. But itself stands be-
| fore US to-day clothed and speaking and
acting as in the days of its infancy. How
| the language and the ceremonies used In
the church. Perhaps they have even
material prooq rooq OF Re' hfh ags RA6e %
its unchangng character. When the
| church began its Office of preaching ito
! all nations" it found that a certain garb
was worn by grave aud reverend men. 1t
| .},ko b,, cha .J
since then but the church is not crea-
ture of fashion. We are in the nineteenth
century; but the church is of the first GEN.
| tury and of such is her dress. In devel
| oping her work she found the world sub
ject to the rule of the Latin, or the Roman,
nation. So she adopted the language best
| calculated to inspire respect and to reach
the worlds limits. The nation died, Prov
identially, then the truths of our religion
are embalmed in the language Of the dead.
Religion and truth change not their mean
ing; but living languages are constantly
changing. Fittingly then, the changeless
one speaks changeless tongue. Besides,
It's the tongue of her infancy. Ceremony
is the language of action; its home is in
the East That same East was the cradle
Of our church. She has not forgotten the
language Of action taught at her cradle.
And thus she comes down to US. Her
footsteps are impressed on the ages. But
the ages have marked her only as one not
born for death. nor for decay.
All this was, however, foretold by our
Lord Himself Remember the parable Of
the mustard seed. Where, if not in the
Catholic church, can the exemplihcation Of
that parable be found! Indeed the para
Bile is prophecy, the church its fulfill
ment. Deep and strong are its roots and
to the utmost regions spread the branches
fitted for the wants of every cline. And
even now, as the evening Of the nine
teenth century is coming slowly on US, we
mark the nobler birds that everywhere
leave the earth to seek it's shelter. 'Tis
the home of peace and security, the home
where all the weary find rest. The air
that stirs its deep recesses is not silent,
bat like voice it comes to the inmates
"peace be to you. My peace give you"
Amen.
Believe me, nothing which is contained
in the above is presented in a spirit of bit.
terness, but merely in the interest OF
truth. For a true Catholic necessarily
!, loves his fellows whether they agree with
him or not. If l have erred in any state
, ment made l am quite willing to be cor
, rected. But / am quite certain of my
ground. Doubt is a feeling entirely un
, known to an intelligent and properly in
structed Catholic. May God grant tht
. same blessing to all who favor this humble
effort with careful reading. After yor
| have read it once, beg that you pray fol
true light and then read it again.
AS kindred matter to the above I sub
nit the following taken from the published
matter of The American Catholic Trutf
I Society. of St. Paul. Minnesota. Thus ,
+ sort of general view of our position may
. be had at once. The subject is vast one
2 and, of course, do not pretend to hav'
3 amply treated, much less to have exhaust
, ed the matter. have simply opened fo
you the book, as 1t were. and indicated th'
scope of its pages. May the result prov
At least better understanding of eacl