The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-11

>
mitted that there was a disagreement
among Protestants as to what the
word really is, but it was an honest
disagreement. John Milwood followed
this admission up by directing ques-
tions which ELECTED answers from
James that the orthodox party was the
honest party, the party which be-
lieves what, and only what. is clearly
and manifestly revealed so say all
parties" replied John, but which is
that party?" The clergyman helpless
ly fell back upon this answer: The
Scriptures must decide" The next
| question is directed by the Catholic
brother.-Editor Intermountain Catho-
ic.I
But the dispute is as to what the
Scriptures teach. They by the very
terms of the supposirion, have already
been appealed to, and each party has
| obtained a decision in it's own favor
| The question now is, which is the true
answer? What is the decision of the
court?"
Let the Scriptures be appealed to
again"
That avails nothing; for they de.
eide always in precisely the same
| terms, and the dispute remains always
the same"
But the dispute is not honest"
BE it. so. But who is honest, who
| dishonest, you or your opponents? You
| charge them with dishonesty, and say
the matter is clear and manifest as you
believe; they retort and say it is clear
and manifest as they believe. Whicls
am to believer"
Neither; but read the Scriptures and
/ decide for yourself"
And suppose I decide against both
] of you? There will then be three sects
instead of two. Why shall 1 be count
ed the honest party rather than you or
your opponents, they rather than you,
| you rather than they, either of you
rather than I?''
But the matter is clear and manifest
TO all who do not willfully close their
eyes to the light
With all my heart: but who are they
who willfully close their eyes to the
light?"
The Scriptures"
They have given their decision. and
nothing is decided. for the dispute is
as to what they decide.
Evidently they cannot be good Or
thodox Protestants who teach doc
trines repugnant to those of the Fro
| testant reformation
DO you abandon the sufffciency Of
the Scriptures, then. and call in the
aid of Protestant tradition?'
II do not abandon the sufffciency Of
| the Scriptures, but 1 maintain that
what is clearly and manifestly repug-
nant to the doctrines of the reformers
! cannot be clearly and manifestly re-
vealed in the Scriptures
your rule of faith, then, is the
Scriptures understood according to the
reformers?"
II hold the Scriptures alone are the
rule of faith, but I compare my under
standing of the Scriptures with the
| teachings of the reformers.'
"And if it coincide with what they
| taught, you hold that you rightly uu-
derstand the Scriptures, and believe
what is clearly and manifestly re-
veaIed q"
Very WE'LL
eff the Scriptures alone are the rule,
this appeal to the reformers is, if adj
/ missa BILE, unnecessary; if it is neces~
sary, and you cannot say that you
! rightly understand the Scriptures till
| you have brought your understanding
| of them to the test of the reformers,
! vod cannot say the Scriptures alone
! are sufficient, or are alone your rule
Of faith. You then make the reform
ers. not the Scriptures, the test of the
word"
II do not make the reformers the
test of the word. I love, honor and re-
we're the reformers as great and good
men, raised up by. God in His PROV
dence to deliver His people from the
bondage of Rome, to arrest the tide Of
| papaI corruptions, roll back the dark
ness which was gathering over the
world restore the preaching of the
word, and save the Christian religion
| from uttef Punishment from the face
of the earth: but they were men. sub
| ject to the common frailties of our ma
ture. and follow them only so far as
they follow Christ. who bids me cali
no man father upon earth. for one il
my master in heaven"
"In order to ascertain when and
where the reformers follow Christ. you
bring the reformers to the test of the
Scriptures?"
Precisely. I am to obey God rather
than man."
so you subject your understanding
of the Scriptures to the test of the re-
formers, and the reformers to the tesr
of your understanding of the Scrip
lures If you agree with them, you
are right; if they agree with you, they
are right. Thus you prove your under
standing by theirs, and theirs by
yours!'
II do no such thing. The Bible is
the religion of Protestants, the Bible
alone, and L am not obliged to consult
the reformers in order to ascertain
what is clearly and manifestly re-
vealed."
"Then you have nothing to do with
the reformers, and may at once dis
miss them to their own place"
THAT is, you would say the reform
ers. those great and godly men, are
gone to help"
"If that is their own place, not other
wise
This. is too bad. You know I love.
honor and revere the reformes, and it
is no more than what you own as a
! gentleman, not to say a Christian,
while conversing with me, to treat
them and my own feelings with some
little respect
very well said, my most courteous
and gentlemanly brother. Happy is he
who practices as we'll as breaches. You
know I love and revere the Holy Cath
Ollie church. the immaculate spouse OF
the Lamb, and the joyful mother of all
the faithful; and yet you have not hes
itated to call her the Mystery of In
EQUITY, Anti Christ The who're of
| Babylon a cage of unclean birds,
etc Where was your regard for my
feelings?, And what right have you to
! complain if there be melted to you the
measure of mete? But you will not re-
ceive such measure from Catholics, for