The age-herald., 1902-01-27
THE POPE AND THE BIBLE.
Chicago Inter-Ocean.

From the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
 In the present turmoil over the author ity of the Bible the appointment of commission by Pope Leo XIII. to con- sider the questions at issue is an event of general interest.
 The commission is composed of Car dinal Parocchi, known for his long ex- perience in dealing with delicate doc- trinal questions; Cardinal Segna, dis tinguished for his profound knowledge of the writings of the church fathers and Cardinal Wives Tuto, who stands
 in Rome as an intellectual giant of the
 faith.
 In addition there are some twelve con-
 sultors, among them the most learned Catholic Biblical scholars of Italy. Spain.
 France. Holland. England, and the United States. The American consultor is Pro- lessor Grammar of the University of Washington.
 "The scope of the inquiry" says the
 Rome correspondent of the London Tab | let, 'iss to ascertain the limits of the freedom allowed to the Catholic ex-
 egetist in the Biblical questions of the day, to point out definitely conclusions
 that must be maintained fin the interest of orthodoxy, others that must be re- jected as incompatible with or dangerous to divine faith, as well as the debatable ground between the two where each Is free to hold his own view"
 To attain to these ends the consultors are free to submit ideas from any source, Protestant or rationalistic as we'll as Catholic, and may obtain help from any quarter in elaborating their arguments. This provision, as we'll as the fact that the consu,.ors are drawn from so many different countries, each with it's own at- mosphere and currents of thought, ap- pears to be a, sufficient guaranty that the inquirty will be broad and sincere. | What conclusions the commission may
 reach it Is. ot course. impossible to pre-
 dict. Yet one general prediction may be
 made The Roman Catholic church will
 stand by the bible. for its leaders are
 men of practical sagacity as well as
 learning. Though they believe that the
 head of the church is an infallible in-
 terpreter of the Bible. which Protestants
 deny, they know that behind and as the
 foundation of papel infallibiity there
 must be faith that the Bible Is an in
 fallible rule of faith. for without the Bible neither papacy nor church nor | rt1.-t
 Though they may conclude that some
 of the lesser wonders which excite Pro- lessor Pearsons ridicule are misunder-
 stood or erroneously interpreted. they
 will cling to the supreme miracle of the incarnation, for without that Christian ity would have no foundation. The Roman Catholic church is standing by
 the Bible because without the Bible its
 faith would not be Christian, but some- thing else.
 | The founders of Professionalism, reject | ing the authority on the Pope, rested | their faith upon an infallible Bible. Some | of their successors are now seeking to de- stroy that foundation. They may suc- ceed, though that is not likely. But if they should succeed then the Roman l Catholic might be excused for a certain | feeling of satisfaction. For if Protestant
 ism should cease to mean faith in the
 Bible, and in It's supreme miracle then Professionalism would cease to be Chris tian. and the Roman Catholic church. which has most steadfastly resisted the onslaughts of the "higher criticism" would remain the only Christian church.
 This outcome. though possible. is not at all probable. To the discerning lay
 mind. detached from theological con- troversies Professionalism and Roman
 Catholicism both appear useful and nec-
 essary to mankind. and therefore both | destined to survive