The herald., 1897-05-17

christianity. To use the words of liv-
ing Protestant writer, Protestant
Christianity is becoming explicitly what
it always was implicitly, not a super
natural religion which fulfills the nat
ural, but natural which denies the
supernatural" Infidelity and agnosti-
cism are rampant during this quarter of
the nineteenth century. The inroads
which they are making upon Christian
faith are sad to behold. In former ages
infidelity never flourished except amidst
supposedly learned centers combined
with wealth; nowadays it has permeated
all classes of society-the rich and poor,
as we'll the learned as the ignorant.
There is only one form of Christianity
which places any effectual bar to the
ravages of doubt, and that form is Cath
olicism. The Catholic church has been
and is today a potent influence for good
throughout the age of her existence,
com ting spiritual and intellectual an
archish as we'll as temporal anarchism.
The Holy Ghost it is that preserves the
church in her pristine vigor, and from
the day on which the Holy Ghost de-
scended upon the apostolic church to
the present time, now and forever, the
word failure" cannot be predicated Of
/
her mission.
The Holy Ghost is then united indis-
solubly and eternally with the church.
His influence in her acts is not spas
modic or intermittent, but it is one whole,
continuous influence which shall never
cease. This union has not a counter
part in nature except that between the
human soul and the human body, but
this latter union is temporary, as it is
dissolved with death, whereas no death
can disunite the Holy Spirit from the
church of God. The church lives not and
thrives not upon individuals, though it
has been established for the securing of
the salvation of individuals. Peoples,
races and nations may fall away from the
church, yet she does not cease to exist,
and is In possession of all her gifts.
This only is evident, that with the
great care which the Godhead has exer-
cised over her the whole corporate body
can never be destroyed. We do not de-
stroy the human person if we amputate
limb, the soul acts as we'll in a
truncated as in a perfect man. This
union is no figment of the theologian' S
imagination. 1t is founded upon the
words of Jesus Christ, who said, little
while previous to his ascension, II will
ask the Father, and He shall give an
other Paraclete that He may abide with
you for ever The spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive; because ii seeth
Him not, nor knoweth Him. but you shall
know Him; because He shall abide with
you and shall be in you" (St. John
xiv. 1919
The necessity for Christ's ascension
takes place because the union between
the Holy Ghost and the church waste be
effected. 1T is eXpedient for you that l
go, for if 1 go not the Paraclete will not
come to you; but if go 1 will send him
to you" st. Paul, in his epistles, eepec-
tally in his first epistle to the Cornthi-
ans, and in his epistle to the Ephesians,
traces out the same idea of the church.
1t is a corporate body in the possession
of members to whom are given various
gifts by the Holy Ghost-one working
miracles, another prophesying, and an
other disclosing of spirits and another
having the gifts of tongues-"all these
one and the same spirit worketh." Il
Cor. xi. H.
The fathers of the Christian church
bear witness to this union because they