The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-04-12
CATHOLICISM DISCUSSED
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| ity existed for nearly ten years before
word was written; it existed for near
| ly60 years before the last book was writ
ten; it existed for nearly four hundred
years before the canon of the Scriptures
was fixed; it existed for nearly one
thousand five hundred years before the
Bible could be read by the great part of
the people, for before printing was in
vented it was impossible that the mass
of mankind could be taught to read,
or that Bibles could be provided them
even if they could have read them.
1T is, therefore, undeniably evident
that the sacred Scriptures-divinely in
spired though they be-peerless as they
are in their unparalleled position as divine
documents in a way in which no other
documents, however infallibly true. are
divine, and priceless as they are in their
value, are, nevertheless, not one thing
there is one thing they cannot be-they
are not and cannot be the rule of our
faith. The rule of faith must be one
and the same thing in every age, and
that cannot be the rule of faith to-day
which was not the rule of faith from
the beginning of Christianity. But in
the beginning of Christianity the Scrip
lures of the New Testament could not
have been the rule of faith, for the SIM
pie reason that those Scriptures did not
then exist.
Doubt or Certainty?
Faith is necessary for salvation and
certainty is necessary for faith; and I
look for certainty in the religious world
see one society, some of its members
affirm the Trinity in unity; some deny
it. Some affirm the Divinity of Christ !;
others deny it? Is that certainty?
see another society in which some of its
members admit seven sacraments; others
admit only two. Some believe in hell;
others disbelieve in it. Is that certainty ?
| see another society, some of its mem
bers affirm the Blessed Sacrament;
others deny it, Is that certainty? Some
affirm their ministers to be sacrificing
priests; others deny it. Is there one
truth in the whole hierarchy of reve-
lation- except the existence of God
which someone outside the Catholic
Church does not deny? We must have
certainty-infallibility.
where shall [ find it? The only
place-the only Church that 1 can find
to give me that is the Catholic Church.
In fact, she is the only Church that
claims to do it. I have tested her Gre
dentials, her proofs, and they are valid,
and see in her verified the reality of
the commission given by Christ-a liv-
ing, divine, infallible teacherl All
power is given unto Me In heaven and
on earth; go We. therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever | have commanded
you, and 10 l am with you always even
unto the end of the world Again; He
that heareth you heareth Me: and he
that despiseth you despiseth Me: eff any
man neglect to hear the Church let him
be to thee as a heather and publican.
And so it was that Christ instituted
His religion as an organic power-not as
mere idea-a mere influence arising
from His own example, His own words
and actions. Catholicity is both an idea
and influences but she is more; she is a
living, breathing force. Recognizing
that His teachings could be handed
down intact only by a living present in
stitution, that is to say, one with an
organism to continue throughout time,
He gathered about Him the first officers
of His spiritual kingdom and appointed
them as His representatives. the teach
ers of His truth, the distributors Of His
graces, the spiritual rulers of His peo-