The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-07-28

of a body of teachers sent by thu
. Father to preach in His name. The
censures bestowed on the Church ap
ply 10 the individuals or assemblagt
of individuals which often included
some of its dignitaries. who abused
their powers and privileges, but never
to the Church as a divine organiza-
ton, which in faith and morals was
as free from error during the past
seventeen centuries as it was when
buried in the bowels of the earth The
abuses only show the human element
which was equally manifest when the
traitor Apostle betrayed the good Mas
ter
In defending the Church as a divine
institution, also her article of faith and
code of morals, there is reference ex-
clusively to bishops in communion with
the head of the Church, and to coun-
ellis. They have authority to teach,
being commissioned by the Saviour to
teach in His name.
"All power is given to me in heaven
and on earth. Go therefore teach
all nations: baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to OBJ
serve all things whatsoever have
! commanded you: and behold I am with
you all days, even to the consumma-
ton of the world" Math. xviii IS, 20.
Man, admitting the existence of
Supreme Being, divine ruler, con-
| cedes to Him the right to exact mans
| obedience to His laws, or to those
whom He appoints His agents to teach
His laws. on this principle is founded
the divine authority of the Church.
All belief must be founded on some
authority. When one believes that
Caesar, Alexander. the Great Nero, or
a Cicero existed, they do so on the
authority of history. Belief without
authority is a superstition, an abdica-
ton of reason. All Catholic faith rests
on divine authority. Hence the pro-
fession of faith which all Catholics |
make.
80, my Cod I believe all the sacred /
truths the Holy Catholic Church be- |
lieves and teaches, because Thou hast
revealed them who canst neither de-
ceive or be deceived.
Only what is revealed by God can the
Church declare to be of faith, and
hence binding on the. Catholic con-
science, and all she has defined as of t
faith is to be found in revelation. The
recitation of the Rosary. or kneeiing
and praying before a statue of the Ma
donna is a very pious practice, but does
not constitute a part of the deposit of
faith; that is, a person may be a good,
devoted and jealous Church member
and at the same time not practice these
devotions. 1t is entirely different when
there is a question of an article of
faith, for example the indissolubility
Of a valid marriage or the Real Pres
9nce of the Son of God in the Sacra-
nent of the altar. A denial of either
would mean a loss of membership in
he Church. AS all articles of faith
must have their foundation in the re-
tealed word, then the authority of the
church is not that of a maker, but the
witness and interpreter of the law. We
believe God in His word. Why? Be
,ause He is truth itself.
Divine authority to teach must be !
rec from the possibility of broaching
rror. a divine command to teach
Going, therefore, and teach you all ma
ions'-carries with it a corelative obi r
alton of belief, but belief in what?
he truth and only the truth. To be q
ssured of this immunity from error d
y matters of faith is required by mans
eason, before he can elicit an act of
aith. Hence the necessity of infalli- a
ility. which the blessed Savior guar
nteed to the body of teachers He Sc
scted and authorized to teach azd I
overn His Church, which will last to T
ne contamination of the world. u
Bereft of human aid, and stripped of .
IL temporal power she may be, as she
as often been during the past nine 3
zen centuries, thrown back on her own d
but she is bound to survive II
Il the vicissitudes, changes, and even Il
ersecutions of time and space. The d
agan emperors of Rome could not de- u
roy her vitality. She outlived them, -
Tough buried in the Catacombs. The -
rian emDerors could not strange her :,
5e, nor change her ancient faith Bis =,
arck, first powerful in his war against e.
n, saw her triumph and his own i'm
otency in the end. Why all this? Be
use she is a divine institution, des- c,
ned by her founder to last for all -,
ne. Therefore she is indefectible. in
Down through the centuries these he
rec attributes have encouraged Cath II,
les to build the material edifice from &c
hose pulpit they would be proclaimed. NJ
ever has been to them an assurance
the truth of the faith they profess, do
nich faith meets at the threshold of ar
) Church doors the new born babe, Ps
ID, cleansing it from original sin,
ands proxy at the altar for the SOL m,
IN promises of the married couple and q
7sses their union, sends to eternity or
tn her blessings, and fortified by the T.,
craments instituted by Christ Him WI
If, all her members so that they may
worthy candidates for the Triumph M,
t Church A,
in;
ATHER MALoNE's LETTER ,