The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-28

wise according to the flesh, not many
mighty. not many noble They were looked
upon rather as foolish" and Contempt
BILE" Festus and Agrppa might listen and
be amused without believing, or Gallo i'm
patiently refuse to hear, and dismiss them
haughtily from his presence. But Cornelius
the centurion Sergius Paulus, the procon-
sui; Dionysius, the judge; Pudens, the SEN
ator, and some even of Nero's own house
hold, with many of more modest station,
would believe and come to the knowledge
of the truth. In the case of all alike the
apostle said: I'VE give thanks to God
without ceasing because when we had re-
ceived from the word of hearing, which
is of God, ye received it not as the word of
men, but (as it truly Isl the word Of God
Faith the Same as Ever.
Such was faith in the days when Jesus
taught in Israel, such was it, too. when the
twelve with Paul and Barnabas and Silas
and Titus and Timothy and John, Mark and
Luke, the beloved physician, went forth
teaching in his name. What faith was then,
that 1t is now. Faith then was belief in
the word of man. not because it was his
word, but because it was the word of God.
Just that and nothing less faith still is
today.
Whether the Master or the disciple
preached the glad tidings the obligation to
believe the lesson was the same. 1t was not
more easy to have faith in the word of the
Master than in that of the disciple Nor was
II more difficult to believe the teaching of
IAiO hlENIpIS lldll JQdI OF MS Master. BOtn
We're men, alike in outward appearance, but
both announced their message not as that
OF man, but of God. In yielding the assent
or faith to their teaching the mind obeyed
not man, but God.
This obligation has not ceased, nor will
1t cease until the world itself shall be no
more. When the apostles had In their turn
passed away, other men ordained by them
took their places. To these latter was
handed on the divine commission to preach
the gospel to every creature, and upon ev-
cry soul that heard their message was laid
the duty, under pain of eternal condemna-
ton, of believing the word because it was
the word Of God. This body Of teachers.
the successors of the apostles, we call the
teaching ministry of the church, or the
teaching church. To every age they have
cried aloud, as Peter cried to the men of
Jerusalem, and with the game divine au-
thor1ty: The promise is to you and TO your
children, and to all who are afar off"
When We make an act of faith We say
20 my God, firmly believe all the truths
which Thy holy Catholic church believes
and teaches because Thou hast revealed
them, who cans, eanst neither deceive nor be
deceived" This, We see, is both in man
ner and matter the faith that Christ and
His apostles ever demanded. We believe
every sacred truth that He has revealed.
has taught It, We know that He has taught
it, because it is taught to us by them whom
He authorized to speak and teach in His
name. Those whom He authorized to teach
sors, the bishops in the Catholic church.
These Teachers Today.
Where these teachers are to be found to-
day is a matter Of history. Succeeding one
another as the members Of a corporate
body, each handing on to his successor the
fullness Of his own powers, they are to be
found in that church. and in that church
alone that can prove such direct and I'M
broken succession from the present day
back to the days Of the apostles and their
divine Master. The arm OF God is not
shortened. Time cannot limit nor space
diminish the power of His DEGREES. The
successor of the apostles, ordained but yes
terday, has the selfsame, divine guaranty
as that which made Titus and Timothy.
Barnabas and Mark preachers of the word
or God. In his teaching, as in theirs, we
make an act of faith.
In the Catholic church, blessed be God.
we always hear the voice of these apostolic
teachers. We have. and have with GER
talnty, the faith once delivered to the
saints: We never have any difficulty in
believing, because we know that the word
OF God, in which we have once believed
IS ever the selfsame. For this unspeakable
blessing we can never be thankful enough
But we may in some measure show our
gratitude to God for it by unceasing PRAYER
mat all men may come at length to hear
His voice; that as He still speaks in His
accredited representatives, all men NAV
lend willing ear to their teaching Tins
Will all be brought to the knowledge of the
truth, and united Christendom will most
1uily show forth the pristine beauty
OF the church that maketh glad the cftv of
God. God speed the day. -