The Irish standard., 1893-09-09

as errors in Roman religion have their
roots in human nature,and we may place
against this what is said by the friends
of the church, that it supplies a want
and fills place we shall never find any
thing outside to supply. The Roman
church is, in America, constantly losing
some of it's children, yet from time to
time it makes new converts, and often
from classes we should think, if we are
to accept what is told US, it never would.
How often have I been told, popular
knowledge will destroy the influence of
Rome, look around, ask few ques,
tions, the answer does not verify the
statement.
"Manning and Newman who had the
best education money and Oxford could
give, went to Rome. In no age Of man
have the masses of the people been as
we'll educated as they, so we see it was
not ignorance which made or kept them
Romanists, and yet they loved it, and
defended it, with all the enthusiasm of
their soul. What is 1t which does from
age to age cast such charm over the
minds of men in this Roman church. 1t
is it's positive, dogmatic assertion; it never
speaks haltingly of; it says there is one
God in three persons; it is Trinitarian.
There is one Savior, Lord Of glory, King
of grace, Savior of men, He was crucfied,
dead, buried, rose again, lives now IN
heaven; that he has ministry valid and
sufficient on earth, and that it is with us
and nowhere beside, except in the Greek
church, which, it maintains, is in schism,
not heresy, that this ministry is priest
hood ordained to offer both gifts and
sacrifices, and to declare pardon in Gods
name. From this springs the teaching
about sacraments. It takes child at
birth and baptizes it, making it child
of heaven. Without baptism it ne or
could see the beatifc vision of God, next
| it confirms it. This sacrament is an
other chance of grace. Then we have
the mass, in which is said to be the very
body and the the very blood of Christ
Here you have the teaching of transub-
stimulation, the marriage, and when
death looks men in the face the priest
stands with extreme JUNCTION. About
the grace of orders I haze not spoken
because it is for the priest alone, di-
rectly. All this wondrous power and
these results spring from the pope as
the representative of Jesus Christ. To
make these truths known the church
uses every means in her hand; her pro-
paganda is marvel of effectiveness.
Long experiece and frequent defeat have
taught her valuable lessons. An unmar-
ried priesthood, the confessional, spir"
itual pains, penalties and rewards have
given this church the Influence 1T
has, and which is not, so far as can see,
on the wane.
ain all things let us be just when we
speak of Rome. Lst rs say, if we feel
we must, that it has grave faults; that
it's policy is often to be resisted, but let
us add that for untold millions of care
worn men it has come through the ages
singing all the way of another world and
of time when pain and woe, sin, shame,
and sorrow shall be no more. So shall
we tell the truth, honor God and do JUS
tice to the noblest Instincts of the soul,
as Well as to the very highest dictates of
the religion we love, and the king who
knows the truth as it is will give as
place where we shall all SEQ eye to eye
wnen he shall bring Zion.'