The San Francisco call., 1896-02-04
FATHER YORKElS
FIRM STAND.
The Chancellor Discusses
the Infallibility of
the Pope"
HIS GREAT EL0QUENCE.
For Over Two Hours He Holds
the Attention of His
Hearers.
THOUSANDS TURNED AWAY.
The Claims of the Catholic Church
Brilliantly Championed by
the Priest.
THOUSANDS TURNED AWAY.

When Father Yorke stepped on the plat
form at Metropolitan Temple last night he
was greeted with tremendous applause by
the great audience that had gathered to
hear him lecture on the 'Infallibility of
the Pope"
There was a tremendous crowd at the
temple. Every seat was occupied and the
aisles and corridors were crowded. Ad-
mission was by ticket and several thousand
people were turned away.
The audience that listened to the dis
tinguished speaker was most enthusiastic
and at times the. popular feeling ran very
high.
The platform of the temple was deco
rated with National colors. ferns and
flowers. Prominent clergymen of the
Catholic church. men prominent in bust
ness affairs, legislators, lawyers and ply
sicians occupied seats on the platform.
When the brilliant young Chancellor
was introduced he received an ovation
that touched his heart. The applause
and cheering continued for over minute,
and through the discourse the feelings of
the audience were expressed in frequent
storms of hand-clapping.
A large force OF police was present to
for admission to the hall.
Father Yorke spoke for two hours and
half. He was in splendid voice and his
words were uttered with great force and
eloquence. He said:
Ladies and gentlemen: The subject of nv
lecture this evening is the infallbility of the
Pope. Like all the dogmas of the Catholic
church, this one has been misrepresented. In
deed, there are few non-Catholics who have
correct ideas OF what it means. My object to-
night will be to explain the doctrine as clearly
as l can, to set before you the chief reasons
which support il, snd to consider its bearings
on that allegiance which we owe the Republic
and which we give in as full measure and as
freely and unreSerYedly as any other denom-
lnation in the land.
Each of these points, you VIII readily OBJ
serve, would furnish sufficient material for a
very long lecture. \ ou need not be airs ia th at
Intend 10 intict upon you three lectures in
one. 1t is true l have been accused OF YER
bosity ana longwinGedness, ana half dozen
other disagreeable things, but l always re-
mark that they who accuse me are not sparing
OF their words Still this evening do not in
tend TO try you beyond your strength. There
is ii limit to human endurance, and am afraid
that limit is nearly reached now. Therefore
this evening will barely outline the argu-
ment you Will find developed in Catholic books
of instruction All VINO take an interest in
these matters should go to the documents in
which Catholics express their own belief. 1t is
only certain kind OF pseudo-scholarship
which contents itself with fourth-hand in
formation. Ii l hear stories or complaints
about my neighbor, do not go prowling round
the block interviewing all the old women
about his character. II respect him and wish
him well and am anxious to know the truth
go to him like man and put the question to
him face TO face. No one has right to Judge
OF the teachings OF religious body by the IN
terpretat1ons OF its enemies The Catholic
not an % affair secret Of yesteFday feG5sty The She
greatest minds in the world have believed
in her doctrine and have set it forth in writing
The shelves OF the libraries of Christendom
groan with the learned labors of her sons. 1t
is easy to find out what she believes. She
courts investigation. And if there be any one
here tonight who cares to study this subject
OF infelubil1ty or any other doctrine of the
church let me say to them that there are thou
plain and will defend it, There is not a priest
in this City who is not only able but willing to
assist you to reach those books. We do not
parade the town boasting OF our schol arship
but we claim TO know our own business. We
believe and We are proud to proclaim our be-
lief that GODS church is as the light which
should not be concealed under the bushel; that
she is as the city seated upon the mountain
top which cannot be hid.
Many of you ladies and gentlemen remember
the outcry which was ma0e over quarter of q
century ago when it was proposed in the Vati-
can Council to define the doctrine of Papal in
fallibllity The wise men OF the period prophe-
sled all kinds OF trouble, but the church was
not afraid. Those who are familiar with her
history know of her splendid courage. She be-
Heves that she possesses the truth and she is
not afraid to say what the truth Is. From the
earliest times when question arose about the
extent OF dogmas and about their rela-
tions one to another or to human
science; when men and nations were divided
In opinion, then the church spoke. It did not
matter that heretics shook the dust from their
feet and went out from her. 1t did not matter
that whole nations threw off her yoke and set
tied into schism. 1t did not matter that en-
perors and kings smote the chief pastor and
harassed the flock. Like a mother her soul
yearned after her rebellious children and her
heart was sore for the faithful slain before her
eyes. Still she could not keep silent She has
q testimony a
truth and speak she must. Greater than
princes, Kings, nations, aye, greater than the
blood OF her brayest and her best is that of
which she is the witness-the truth of the liv.
ing God.
And so in our generation, ladies and gentle
men, when the need arose she proclaimed the
truth as 1t is in Christ Jesus. The need came
from the logical development of thought since
the reformation; You know that in the six
teentn century the reformers went out of the
Catholic church TO found churches of their
own. They appealed to the Bible as the sole
ana supreme Judge IN matters of religion and
rejected the authority of the Pope. You all
know, too what the result was They divided
into numerous sects each heartily hating the
other and united only in thei- common hos
f1ity 10 Rome. As long as the chief Protestant
churches were state churches and were pro-
tected by law, and as long as conformity
Win lnelr teachlngs was enforced by fines
imprisonment, stripes aud DEATH a certain
permanency was assured them. But during
this nineteenth century the old penal laws
have been repealed The bond between chureh
and state has grown much weaker, and. as a
consequence, Protestantism has had full scope
to go to its logical extreme AT first il nro.
tested against the church, then it protested
against the Bible, soon it protested against
Christ and finally 1t protested against God /
do not say these things to offend the feelings
OF Protestants or to imply that all Protestanfs
reject the Bible or Christ or God. merely
wish to draw your attention to the fact that
the original protest against the church has
produced all these other protests. wish to
make clear that n system which is based dpon
protest only must end by protesting against
everything. / do not mean to say that every
man or every woman runs through the whole
gamut of protests. We are not altogether
governed by logic, but IN the long run logic
tells. From the denial of the church to the
denial of God is straight road and though va :
1ous bodies OF men have chosen to canp at
1arious points intermediate between the two
extremes their choice does not disproye the
existence OF the road The Episcopaiians pro-
test against the Pope and they march along
the road and settle down at the first milestone
The Presbyterians protest against the Pope
and against the Episcopalians and settle down
at the second milestone. The Congregational
lists protest against the Pope. prelacy and the
pre"bytery and settle down at the third mile