The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-02-08
Liberal Catholics.

The Providence Visitor is RESPONSE
bic for the following story:
They were talking about religion.
And. by the way, isn't it suggestive to
note how much interest is taken in
that subject-in Il dilettante way-by
men who practically are devotees of
the worlde the flesh and the devil?
The old. old questions of human des-
tiny and duty simply will not down.
Smith had reached that stage of his
exposition of his creed when it was in
order for him to proclaim his cman-
clplti0n from Old-f;ishiOned orthodoxy
and his admiration for broader and
more up-to-date views. II believe"
said he, that getting to Paradise is
like getting to the Golden Gate. am
not obliged to patronize Il particular
route. l can 80 either by the Cana
dian Pacific. OF the Union Pacific. or
the Southern Pacific. or round the,
Horn. In this same way all religions,
lead to heaven. 1t makes no differ
ence whether am Il Papist, or l; Bap-
fist. or IL Methodist. or an Adventist.
so long as ! do what is right. As the
poet said:
we shall gather ut the river.
The beautiful. beautiful river:
Yes. we shall gather ut the river
That flows by the throne of God"
Whom answering behold. his intel
ligcn,' Catholic interlocutor said:
by --, that's so. Those arc nv
sentiments. too" Whcrcupon his lib
.r'alitS was commended. and bystand-
"rS went away with an idea that.
surely. the Catholic Church is getting
broader and less intolrrant than she
used to he. From all "intelligent''
Catholics and all liberal" Catholics.
good Lord deliver us. Amen. Wise
in their own cOnccit. false brethren.
they do more harm by their silly mis-
representations of the faith than is
don" by It's overt enemies
This new theory that one religion
is as good as another cannot he re-
huk"l too often or too vigorously.
Smiths contention has Il highly plaus-
lille sound till one reflects that there
is question. not of Il human end to he
attained by the cmploymrnts of such
human means as are most convenient,
nut OF Il supernatural end. to he at
tanned only by the use of means an
pointed by Him. who appointed that
end.
The founder of Christianity gave no
warrant for the notion that one rcliy-
ion is as good as another IL Il man
will not hear the Church he becomes
as TIL" hrathrn and the publican. Cali
II n'rrown"Ss. higotry. "hscurnntism
call II anything YOU plcaSc-this is
the plain doctrine of the Gospel. He
alone shall hc saved wlm. as Il nri-
mary condition, believes what he
likes. but all things Whatsoever Christ
commanded. 81. l'nul. as appears from
his epStlr to the Galatians. ana his
second rpiStlc to the Corinthians was
OF the same way Of thinking on this
point as his Master was. There is no
warrant in Scripture or in common
sense for this sweet ana comfortable
ligln"nt that all religions lead to
heaven. The sooner liberal" broad"
'imclligrnt" Catholics wake up to the
fact that in inlorsIng 1t they are max
ing fools OF themselves and bctrnying
the faith, the better for all concerned
For the rest. it is one of the very clev-
crest devices of the Father of Lies.
Failing to convince men that religion
is not necessary-for man is Il relig-
ious animQl-the old serpent is try
ing to popularizc inlincrcntism.