The Irish standard., 1901-02-09
RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES
Bishop Moatgemery's Address at a
Methodist University,

The attitude of the sects towards
the Old Church in this part of Califor
mia is sign of the times not to be
misinterpreted, says the Los Angeles
Tidings. 1t is only few short years
ago that Pope-baiting was a popular
pastime with pastors who desired to
make themselves especially solid with
their pews. Less than ten years ago
the request from Il Catholic teacher
that an eminent missionary with ad.
yanced practical ideas on the theory
and practice of teaching should be in,
vited to address the county teachers
convention then about to convene al
most paralyzed the county school SUI
perintendent. So great has been the
change for the better since then that
no public function is now considered
complete without the presence and ac-
tive cooperation of the Catholic bish-
op. Many people opened their eyes
with surprise when Bishop Montgom-
cry was invited to address the National
Educational convention held here Il
year Or two ago, but few were sur
prised to learn that he made really the
ablest and most practical address to
which that intelligent body of teachers
listened on the occasion. When ELL
gene Debs was out here Bishop Mont
gomery was invited to address the
meeting, and though his ideas differed
radically from those of perhaps ma
jority of those present, yet they We're
listened to with most respectful arren-
ton.
But the greatest surprise of all, per-
haps, was expressed and felt when
our Right Rev. Bishop was invited to
address the students of the University
of Southern California, a Methodist in
stitution. This he did on last Tues
day evening, and so able and convinc-
ing was his argument OH the necessity
for authority in the Interpretation Of
the laws Of God that he was loudly APP
plauded by his intensely Protestant
audience. The subject which he dis
cussed on the occasion was The Cause
Of Religious Differences Between De
nominations and Their Cure" His
subject gave him an opportunity to OK
hibt in clear light the logical ncccs-
sity for authority" in Scripture inter
probation as taught and practiccd by
the Church Catholic.
He spoke in part rs follows:
1--WE who believe in the New Tcsta-
ment believe that God has made in it
law of conduct for all mcn-a law
that commands the obedience of the
mind and heart. BY Divine revelation
we mean the revealing of truths that
men did not know beforehand could
not know without such revelation;
and many of which they cannot com
prehcnd even when revealed Because
God in revealing makes known the
truth without vollchsating an eXplana-
ton of the truth-faith must accept it
on His vcracity. But having revealed
1T for purpose, He must have left
some authority by which ill men
might know it.
"What is that authority? Here we
meet the point of divergence You say
the authority is the revelation itself;
we say the authority is not the revela-
ton itself. You say it is the book con-
tanning Gods revealed will; we say it
is body, a living, visible, speaking
body, which is a witness of the revc-
lation: You shall be witnesses of me-.
This body derives its divine character
from the commission to it by Christ
Himself.
1--WE take the book which you hold to
be divine and we use it us an historical
document to prove the divine COM
mission Of the body. That the book
cannot be the authority in question is
evident from the history of the book
itself.
we Christians agree that tho first
OF the four Gospels was written about
SIX years after the death of Christ-thc
last about SiXty-thrcc years after His
death and the other two ut intermc-
diary times. That being the case, we
must admit that for Il period there was
no New Testament authority, for the
New Testament was not then COM
pied. In fact, for so years probably
not one person in a thousand could gct
it. Even after printing was introduced
the New Testament could not for n
long time have been accessible to most
people. for the books were very dear,
Even now there are those who cannot
read nor write, so the New Testament
is Still not within the reach of all.
"HOW can any man prove from tho
NEW Testament alone as we have if
now that it is the revelation made by
Christ? 1t is only a copy. TO identify
copy you must appeal to the original;
but there are not two leaves of the
original In existence We must, there
fore, invoke an authority outside of
ohe book to prove the book divine But
the authority invoked must be a d.
vine authority itself. Therefore tho
authority needed is a body or there is
nOne."
Bishop Montgomery cited the case