The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-03-17
WHY HE is A CATHOLIC
Dr.. B. F. De Costa Gives His Reasons.

DAY evening at the LNCeum theatcr be
lore large and appreciative audience.
He was introduced in a happy vein by
Rev. P Danchy, OF St. Paul Seminary.
On coming forward DR.. De Costa was
received with generous applause. He
began by saying that he had only the
courage OF "one who had run out of
house that is tumbling about his head"
He explained that he wished to appear
as one who humbly offered his testi-
mony as the findings OF fact OF a seeker
alter the truth. He spoke mot as
boy but with the mature judgment OF
man. The Protestant church, he
declared, was "housc divided against
tselt'' 1872 times. 1t had I32 conflict
,ng answers to offer for that most I'M
oortant OF all questions: "What must
gc do to be saved?' Some said in re-
NY: Let us do somcthing"; others,
'verything; still others, nothing Ere
lucnt bits OF humor prevented his adj
'ress from becoming too serious.
III you should go out tomorrow"
re said tand ask twenty Protestant
teachers what is the meaning OF the
.ords, This is My body you would
'et twenty different answers, each OF
hich would be entirely different from
he others, with a warning from each
at the other nineteen were wrong
hat place is there in the Protestant
'iurcl,, where such condition obtains,
II any man or woman who believes
or She has a soul to savc?'
In taking up the subject Dr. De Cost
id that he was not there as a novels
declare anything novel. He rcjccte
C dicrum. now being aired in Eng
nd, that the newest is the truth.
"Mhatevcr is new in theology h
nntinued with growing emphasis, .;
Sc. That is my starting point. iadi2
I'd gentlemen. am not here to in
ruct Catholics or to hold that tn
lurch has misunderstood its creed i
nd Catholics out OF the wilderness
hoover in this audience wants new
,ngied notions can find them wher
le speaker came from. | am not he
give you any secondhand Episco
alianism, am here to say why all
Catholic. Is there any reason why
uoud not be? Is it unsafe? 1t i:
lie enough, one says. Permit me tt
~ just here that there are man
lings that people think arc safe Tn
rotcstants won't deny that it is sale
. become Il Buddhist, Molammedau
II a fire worshippcr At the Chicago
ongress OF religions representatives OF
very religion sat side by side, with the
Nccption OF the Catholic. At that
onsrtss more regard was paid to the
,cligion Of China than to the Christian
,hurch. Anyone can become Budd-
list and be subject to less vituperation
rom the Protestant church than if he
turns Catholic l ask, is there not
something rotten in American society
when such a condition obtains? And
in so speaking | have no desire to reflect
on any denomination OF Christianity
which is striving to advance the inter
csts OF that religion the best it knows
how
The Protcstants claim to-day that the
Catholic church is an intruder, with no
right to be here in Minnesota. When
entered the Episcopalian church it was
a solid and conservative body. But it
broke its contract with Christ and set
me free. In 1907 the Cabots discovered
North America, which was chosen as
the field of Protestant reform. The
Episcopal church was planted at
jamestown in 1907 and was made a
state church. People were forced to
attend divine worship. They were in
earnest about their religion then. They
didn't believe in any halfway measures.
They scorncd the idea Of free thought.
There have branched off from the par
cnt stock 1872 churches with I32 crecds,
by whom Catholics are set down as
bigots. .....
"Privatc Judgment was at once the
lie and death OF reform. because re,
form is dead The reform of 10.
churches is not sufficient to meet the
conditions OF to-day There is new
call, a new duty The Catholic system
supplies he deficiency and meets thu
want The church oil the future mus
be OF the form embodied i'll the churcl
OF Rene.
Philosophy has been shaping reli
gious thought i'll connection with mat
ter and space, and the Catholic churc
is now shown to be grounded upon
sound and natural philosophy. Their
is no conflict between Rome and reason
Catholics can meet the highest INTEL
, gencc Of the world to-day.
1T is useless to study the questio
, why so late?' in coming to that COZ
cusion. l have no conflict with II
ate co-religionists. 1t was simply
' battle over the Bible That decided Il
, issue. The Bible won the day. Eve
= had they stood by the Bible it was a
t parent that I must part company wi
: my old friends Bible or no Bible, | w
Il convinced | was not in the true church