The Afro-American., 1896-02-22
ClSM
BY g. N. D.

ID 0p ns ~
Uncle Pickwick, like many Of his |
eo-religionists, when finding they are /
beaten in one field shifts his position |
and gossips about something eXtran-
eous and foreign to the present phase
of the controversy. In NY last article
On Catholicism | think itSwas plainly |
stated that Catholicism, AND that on
ly, should be treated and properly
disposed of, and should then turn
to the other false and nonsensleal
charges made in Piekwick's first ar
ticle. You, initiating many OF your
stamp, from Luther, the ex-pRlest anu
King Henry VIII, the poly INST,
the deyastor of England, the FOUNDERS
Of Professionalism, down to the present
day, sneer at arguments founded on
fact and too strong to be rebutted' III
my last article, many such arg i1
were brought forward in PROOF OF the
| Gatholieity of that church in 'commun
| ion with the See of Rome and the fal-
sfty and absurdity Of you or any one
claiming that all the renglons ana
| denominations with their many dlffer
| ent sects form one Catholic or OhlVer-
| sa1 church. You, perceiving the rldlc
TIonsnpss of YOUR position, jump clear
into new field and say the onl y way
~ ~ - orova +be Roman church is the
whole Catholic church is to prove
+ba primaey Of Peter and the Suprem-
acv of the Pope. This, I suppose as
nccordi9a0 to HIS idea Of Cdthotacsty.
Uncle Pickwgck, your queries are
/ old and have oft been answered, ana
considering them foreign to the pres
nhase Of the controversy, Will con-
| inue As aforesaid on the original ques-
Hon and in my next letter you shall
most certainly see many texts OF Scrip
tura and quotations of the Fathers.
concerning the "Primacy of Peter,
when. where and how he received the
KEYS. when he entered the Eternal
CITY and all that you wish to know
about the supremacy OF the popes'
True religion is that bond which
mites the finite with the infinite, time
n eternity, man to God, The good
IN he attained by religion is the high
ast that can be conceived-the com
nlete and perfect enjoyment OF 600.
15The means through which it leads
men to that good, are the noblest tnat
can be imagined-tr1tth ana JltSt9ce.
Ilna cannot, therefore, remain lnqlII-
nrant between false and true rellgloh'
for true religion alone supphes the
nroDer means to obtain that supreme
go0d. The religions of the worlo are
0f six classes or separate ana uisCllIc'
as-Christianity judaism buou-
bisn Mohammedanlsm, BrahInahisliL' l.
and C0nfucianism. OF these, ChflsIl-
anity has the majority, nuLnperll1ls
,nora than 407 millions, which are dl-
0Ia
,ro+oe+ant sects as one body, NUMBER
about 181, 007 .449; the Orlenta' Gh4fcll Iicl
o. 76. 400, O40 and Roman CaVnoIlcS'
200, 336, 800 - ,,o1;o,-
;oos of tba world, all protesting to be
the true religion. Christianity Is ql-
1Iidad VA INTO three separate classes-the
NriantaI churches without unity; the
protas+ants. divided and sub-dlVlded
j., avorv p0int: from the divinity OF
Cbriet down to insignificant points OF
,hnrch discipline; ROman Catholicism
~ so,no the world over in every age
ond cline. one grand united body
All men desiring the salvation OF
+bair eouls will closely and carefully
, scrntinize these many bodies LOT the
oTidences and marks of the Saviour
+ g1ho. .fanaaqftrA only one true
every one included, form the whole
universal or Catholic church. And
vet. while ALL III ,st form the whole,
he protests against that part of the
whole church which he classes as RO
22a71isla, trying to do all in his power
to suppress and abolish 1t, thereby
giving contradiction to his own state
) ment that ALL are necessary to form
the whole and with the perversity OF a
bigoted and bias human being, fights
against the work of his God who in
stitued perfect whole church,
| reiterate my statement as made in
nv first article, the Roman church is
the whole Catholic and only true
church founded by Jesus Church, and
this letter shall close my argument on
this point with many more such facts
as those which made PickWick so ner-
yOus aud excited when last he wrote,
/ shall then tell few facts
about Peter, the Eeys and his job as
gate keeper of the Celestial Realms.
*s#
There can be no doubt that Jesus
Christ made his religion plain, and
that consequently he placed the decis-
ion Of the great and all important
question which is the true church
with the redcn Oh every sI1C6LC anu
well-disposed inquirer. 1t has, in
deed, been not infrequently obscured
by prejudice and passion, the fumes
Of which have so darkened the mirror
of the mind, that it could no longer
reflect fully and fairly the image of
truth. Yet the truth itself is plain
enough and is easily discernable to
those, distrusting their own lights,
fervently implore the aid of those of
heaven.
1t has always been admitted that
Christ taught and established but one
religion: and Fl SO fixed and defined
it, that made the belief and practice
oft, as thus defined obligatory on all
men; and that consequently,
He must have furnished all with the
means necessary for ascertaining it
with ease and certainty. As he found
ed but one religion. so also, in the
very nature Of things. He could have
established but one Church, for the
guardianship, preservation and faith
| ful transmission of this one religion to