The San Francisco call., 1897-01-12
The CHURCH
IN HISTORY
Archbishop Riordan Lee
lures at Metropolitan
Temple.
Catholicism Portrayed as the
Society of True Be-
levers.
Unity in Faith and Government Is.
sential to Unity in Truth and
Results.

chblShOp Z. w. hlOrQan delivered
lecture at Metropolitan Temple last night
on 1.-THE Constitution of the Church"
Previous to the address there were several
vocal selections, also some instrumental
music.
Judge E. w. McKinstry introduced the
distinguished speaker with an appropri-
ate reference to the facts of ecclesiastical
history. He said:
"There is something marvellous about
this great church-an institution that has
withstood the storms of nineteen CEN
turies aud that is still young and vig-
orous.
"While those in this great church may
despise the insane rawlings of some OF its
enemies, they must respect the honest diff
ferences of more temperate critics. l do
not believe there are any evidences that
so strong an institution is to be over.
thrown"
When the Archbishop arose to speak
the audience was very silent. He began
impressively in deep, clear tones:
"a number of questions occur as to what
the Catholic church is. All competent
students and observers must agree that
this church, this great organization, is
the most prominent fact OF history.
"Throug hout the ages it has lived and
wrought its purposes as a reality. 1t
is not now and has never been dream
or scheme, but it is now and has for
ages Deen a great. living fact of history.
THE church is beyond all cavil the
most conspicuous, the most powerful re-
ligious organization in all history. It is.
a. - n
enemies. The church is at once the best
liked and the most hated of all organiza-
tions in this great and busy world. Its
enemies are bitter and unrelenting while
in every land there are thousands-yea,
miilions-who would lay down their lives
that the church might be preserved.
''Nhile the enemies OF the church are
forced by observation to admit its great
ness, to recognize its potency in the
world, they fail wholly to recognize
its sources of power, fail to see that it is
based on eternal truths, and that the
fountain head is God himself"
The speaker dwelt at some length on
the rationallstic theory of the Catholic
church and its mission in the world. He
said that it was commonly held by this
class that the church as an institution
perpetuates low form of idolatry, that
Its teachings are false, and that its priests
simply act as blind tools to proclaim its
infamous purposes.
He then said there was in every country
large class who oppose the church be-
cause il is unpopular in certain localities.
be ng too Ignorant to form their own
rational conclusions.
"But to the Catholic" he said, "the
church is conception high and holy. To
him it is n divine institution, upheld by
the invisible God himself.
The age. however, is grossly material
istic. Men believe only in what they can
see and feel. The spiri. of the age is so
material that men do not trouble them
selves about the invisible: They care for
that which they can see, and for that only.
This is wrong, half-view of things. The
unseen force OF the material universe, the
secret power in phenomena is its very life.
.The Catholic church is misunderstood.
To the question, What is itY / reply
that it is the visible community of believers
founded by Christ, in which men are con-
Quoted back to God. 1t is for the purpose
OF continuing in the world and TO the end
of time the grand words of Christ, his
message from on high. The church thus
becomes the witness and guardian of
divine truth. Thus, what l call the con-
stitution of the church is preserved by an
apostleship within the church"
The eminent lecturer said that miracles
were necessary in the beginning of the
church to establish it's authority, after
which there was no cause for them and
they ceased. He dwelt on the fact that
the church has always addressed itself to
all classes. 1T comes with its message"
he said. ''to all classes, addressing the
slave in Africa, and alike to the intidel of
America The church essen tally ad-
dresses itself to the capacity OF all men.
There are several things that single this
great church out from all others. Among
those NAV be mentioned particularly its
unity and power of representation.
"Truth is lis mission now. as it has been
from the outset, and truth is one. infalli-
BILE and uncom promising. 1t is sad
commentary that elsewhere people are
changing their creeds and churches one
might change the fashion of clothing.
There is no faith, no doctrine, not even
the Nicene creed, that will bind all the
i Protestant churches into one belief; yet
the strange idea has been advanced by
some that The strength of the church con-
sists in the number of denominations in
the country. This is as if one should say
that the siren tn of the Union consists IN
the mum Der of States therein at war.
1.-THE inf1exibiiity of our doctrine is the
inflexibility OF truth; the stability of what
is divine. What is preached now was
preached from the beginning and will be
preached unto the end. The ch urch is not
a unit in faith alone, but it is one in gov.
ernment and one in truth. 1t comes to
all climes unchanged. This unity of gov
ernment preserves q marvellous unity OF
faith. This society, thus unchanging. was
founded by the everlasting God. Its mis-
sion on earth goes on and on forever, and
will be preserved unto the end OF time.
~..,., 80, ,,rrRn - asu.al