The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-25
Che Cwo Brothers. f. Ry B SFsstss
Controversial Dialogue Between Presbyterian and His
Catholic Brother Leading Up to Formers Conversions

/ she had been taught by her Protestant
masters. and. if true to the grace she
has received, viii ere long be admitted
into the Communion of Saints" But
she is not one of the pOOdles: and the
retorH.erS preferred. and their success
sor prefer the admiration of these to
the appreciation of the sober and pru-
dent EreyhOunds The policy of the re
formers was indicated by Luther. when
he took the discussion of theological
questions out of the school and from
the tribunal of professional theologianS,
and brought it before the unprOfes-
sional public. J picked up the other
day. in steamboat, a flaming quack
advertisement. 1t appeared that the
| advertiser had. as he alleged discOv-
cred an entirely new medical SYSTEM
which placed all the regular medicine
ers from Esculapius down. quite in
! me wrong. He had challenged the reg
ular practitioners to discussion Of the
merits of their respective systems. The
challenge had been accepted. but on
condition that the discussion should be
before a jury of medical men. The
advertiser sCOEned this condition II
proved that the regular doctors" had
no confidence in their own system: for
if otherwise, they would not shrink
IL al
insult to the public. and he would not
submit to it. He was ready and anx-
lous to discuss the question: but he
would do it before no prejudiced Jury
OF professional men: he would do II
openly before his free and enlightened
felloW-cltizenS who were the only prop
err tribunal. He trusted his felloW-citi-
zens, the free and enlightened public
would appreciate his motives i'm Tefus-
ing to be partner in Offering so gross
an lndiSnity to their intelligence and
impartial judgment. and would be at
no loss to understand why the regular
practitioners had annexed to their ~
ceptance of his challenge 50 insulting
a condition.
Now, here am l. said 1 to myself.
throwing down the advertisement. at
least fair average of the popular in
telltgence. | have even studied. with
considerable attention. several branches
OF medical science; and yet how utter
ly unqualified [ should be to sit as
judge on the respective merits of rival
systems! l might listen to the state
ments of either party. but | am too Ig-
norant of the general subject to be able
TO perceive the bearing and real value
of the statements of one or the other.
L might. indeed, if such should happen
tended discOverer silenced his oppon-
emit; but l could draw no inference from
that, for nothing is more common than
for man to triumph through impu-
dence, or because too ignorant to be
refuted. The proper judges of a con-
trOVerSy like the one here proposed
are medical men themselves. as law
yers are the proper judges of law ques-
tons. Indeed, the very fact that this
advertiser refuses to argue his case be
fore an audience of professional men
and appeals to the unprofessional pub
lie, is to me full proof that he is a
quack, and sufficient to decide me.
without further examination, against
him. If / need medical advice 1 am
sure I shall not call him in. anymore
than 1 would a miserable pettifogger
in an important and intricate law case.
l can confide by health and that of
my family to no practitioner whose
science and skill are not superior to
my own, and vouched for by those
who know more of medical matters
than 1 do, and are far better judges
of medical systems than I am.
a(To Be Continued)