The Irish standard., 1901-10-19

mingled with the corporeal. Hence
that knowledge is never certain, fire.
quently mixed with error, and these
are self-evident truths, founded on the
simplest facts Of everyone's observa-
ton. Reason is necessarily dependent
ON higher intellect, Of which it is
but the faintest image. In its needs it
must look up for assistance, and be
guided by that master mind IL it would
attain with certainty its object-truth.
Why did the great philosophers of pa
ganism doubt the existence of the one
true God of infinite perfection? Why
did the illustrious Cicero doubt the i'm
mortality of the soul, which reason so
easily grasps? Why, on the contrary.
was st. Thomas able to weave such
tnvtncible arguments, using their prin-
ciples to prove the same truths, with
never hesitating and erring step?
Because he was guided on the path to
verify by Gods hand, by Gods reveal
ed word. Yes, reason shows us clearly
that it cannot find out everything for
itself, that it needs instruction. We
must all learn many things this way.
1t is most natural. 1t Is the way we
begin to learn In infancy, from our
parents, then from our teachers. We
do not consider 1t dishonorabde to re-
ceive such teaching. Why then, when
we are grown UP, do we think It un-
worthy Of our maturer reason to re.
ceive instruction from God? Why the
strange contradiction In so many ra-
tioual beings, that they will accept the
word of their fellow man, though he
be fallible and without authority to
teach, whereas they will not accept
Gods word, though they know He
cannot be wanting in truth? Gods
revelation was not meant to supplant
reason, it was not meant to encroach
on it's domain. 1fawas given out Of
compassion to assist and be it's guide.
Gods holy church has ever recognized
LAlAo VI uIu, Au0 CVCl 1uNu1SlCCu ILLS
doctrine. She has ever been solicitous
to give to reason its proper dues.
Hence, when it appeared necessary,
she solemnly defined that reason can
clearly demonstrate Gods existence.
At the same time, she would not trust
to reason alone, and therefore declares,
almost in the very words Of the great
st. Thomas that in order that all the
truths, necessary to be known, may be
attained by all, with promptitude, with
certainty and without error, Gods rev.
elation is necessary.
You will observe that we speak of
man as he exists in his natural state.
If the God Of the ancients had not
raised up prophets and lawgivers
amongst men, they would oil have
gone astray. But His Providence
guides mankind. He caused to be en-
craven in stone those same command
ments, which in the beginning He had
written in mems hearts, but which
time and neglect had well nigh effaced.
Well He knew that mans reason
would never lead him back to their
observance, but rather take him far
ther and farther from them and his
intended destiny. And in that revela-
tion of Himself to man He told him
more than reason could ever aspire to
know. He spoke of the elevation Of
man to a higher state. He was to give
him supernatural end, with super
natural means to attain 1t. In this
state, divine revelation became abso-
lutely necessary, for as human reason
could never have discovered the end,
neither could it have shown US the
means for its attainment.