Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-11-13
Father Brannan Answered by Quota.
tioas From the Bible.
PETERS CONFESSION. NOT PETER


hshru exclusively IN the lost sulnJ
weeks ago. In justice 10 both the DIS
lnngulshcu controvcrtcrs tho reporter will
here explain that the discrepancy Ia the
oates which Is urged by one OF the gen.
temen occurred In this Office. Rev. Gil.
itits first letter. bearing date of Octo-
Der ?; was inadvertently changed to
read the Sd.
Mr., Brannan Of the Catholic church, re-
viewed some objections of mine 20 cer-
tain doctrinal statements made by him.
aud his remarks Were reproduced, in
part, IN The Post OF October ~. Sick
| ness and much absence from home have
! delayed my rrjoinder The gentleman
| quoted me correctly rs 10 the objections
under review, and his Introductory re-
marks were luminous enough. mud ap.
ncared ~ breathe the spirit OF fairness
and honesty. And yet In the very next
breath he sought to dispnragc his critic
by nm attempt to call In question his
rerncity. wrong date inadvertently
put in by copylst, was the signnl for
the onslaught; aud private cNp.ona-
| ton, such as IL common among gentle.
men, seems 10 have made 10 difference.
! u certainly has not resulted In the
promised public correction. Perhaps his
cause demanded the methods of the po.
liucal trickstcr; for after ALL It was
what | said, and not when ! said ii, TINT
WIS between us.
Still l have assured tho gentleman, and
the proof Is at hand, that ! objected to
nothing that | did not hear, Just why
be- devoted his opcning remarks to his
ohicctor rather Than TO his objections,
| will leave To others to Judge.
Passing 10y for the present his com.
mcnis upon points not doctrinnl. nnd
therefore not important except M cor
receives to certain impressions being
made upon the public mind. | will no.
fTn his al AL -,
the Romish system: "Whn ran forgive
hut God onlvT Over this quotation
from Jewish scribe, the Reverend
Father went wild. aud NIL the more
since q Protestant minister dared to 0f-
firm that the words were Mt least cnu-
iiunntory of n great truth. or that thcy
suggested the consensus OF public opiu-
ion ut that time upon the point of Gods
exclusive right Ia forgive siue: aud he
sought 10 make u appear that because
they are m ouemy's words they are
therefore false
But Is That a sufficient reason? Arc
NIL enemies unmItentrd linrsf If I'm. thcn
only friends could testify IN court of
Justice. aud Jesus Christ himself would
become liar. because He is the enemy
" sin. Tho devil said, Mark I. n; Luke,
w. -, II know thee who thou art. tho
Holy one Of God" Did this great truth
become n lie because the devil uttrrcd
II? No: truth Is truth even in devils
mouth. and we are left to determine the
correctness or otherwise Of sentiment
or doctrine 10y It's agreement or not with
the trend Of scripture upon the point IN
question.
Our Father who nrc In heaven
forgive us our debts Rs We forgive our
debtors" Matt, vi O12.
"Rnt II yo forgive not men their tros-
passes, neither will your Father forgive
your trcSpnsses." Matt Vi. IL.
L., al Of fl.a. ltu1e.1 .tptt.
lures tho reutlcmnu will hardly deny the
divine right 10 forgive sins, nud h. could
hardly blame even an enemy for de-
clnring IT,
Int Inns this right been delegated 10
men2 Upon thN issue stands or falls
the confessional mud pricstly nbsolutlou,
"Thon art Peter mud upon this rock |
viii build my church,
And | will give unto thee the Keys Of
the kingdom Of heaven; and whatsoever
thou shall hind on earth shall hr bound
In hrnvrn. etc" Matt xvi. 1910
"Whosesncyor sins yc remit, they are
remittcd unto them, ctc." See John
Catholics think these texts settle the
question nilirmatvcly; Protcsianis do
not
Peters confession und not Peter him
self. II The rock on which they lnlild;
spp Romans y =: III thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall
believe In thine hcnrt that God hath
raised Him from the dend, thou shnlt
hc saved" Sec asp Romans y, ll-l3;
Among all the twelve, Peter was first
~ discover that Christ was the Son of
the living God, aud the first 10 declare
It," Revealed 10 him by the Father, he
wns now in possession of the truth |
which makes men free; ana WHO hut he
was 50 well qualified 10 announce the
great initial fact TO men. DISCOVERIES.
a. al1. "a "a y
rights, because thcy know more. Hence. !
Peter, prompt. prominent, impulsiye md |
full Of his new discovery, was given the |
power of the keys. 10 opnn aud to shut. |
to hind aud 10 loose. Both by nature |
and by grncc, he was tho very man 10 |
introduced and 10 lead; and AZ tho first |
converts wonld he ensnmplcs, examples /
rather. II was most Important that Peters
confession should be their confession, |
mud his experience their experience. So he
STIMULATES the terms. ''hinds'; and leaves
OH what Ind been burlensome before,
'loosea" Thus II was Peter who spoke
ut Pentecost, introducing tho risen
Christ TO tho Jews; nd again TO Cor
nclius and his Gentle friends. breaking
down prejudice In himself nnl In others,
md making both Jews and Gentiles one
In Christ Jesus.
the gospel, aud when the peo-
lie believed. the Holy Ghost fell upon
them, and there WINS no other sentence
Of dissolution pronounced.
The Spirit himself was the witness.
!, Whoscsoovcr slns ye remit. they nre re-
mltted unto them, etc" was spoken TO
ihc Apostles in a body. except Thomas.
They could not all he leaders like Peter.
hat thoy could all agree uDon n grent
system OF truth. As men inspired, they
rnuld settle tho terms Of salvation. and
thus he said to remit or retain The sine
II men. II men complied with the
Itrma their sins w0nld he remltted, II
not their sins wonld be retained. And
n either ease men know for themselves.
md no other man cnn know, except by
he'r fruits. Matt. vii. 20.
But the gentleman says that She knows.
How? II the object be unworthy my
,encc returns 10 me assini Does he
'ot know that when he quotes Matt. I.
-. In support Of that claim That be /,
yrests the passage out Of its place, and
nnkes II mean what CHRIST never In /.
cndcd7 He wns not talking about alb
iolying men. hut about goinr Into horses !.
'or entertainment. If thoy found
,one md f-iends. they would abide
hero until thev loft the cltv. and he a
Messing TO that home. IL they were
,Iscted from nm unworthy home, they
=. ..a.t,t,n 49, AVIAN THAR naare