The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-10

f, 1t Is true, and she safeguards these dosmas
by forbiddIng discussion upon or views Of
subjects that would scandalize her children.
endanger their faith. or disturb their peace
"But. beyond this. they are free to choose
and to hold their opinions on any religious
lust as our Congress discusses them; they
may hold opposite opinions on the same
subject. and they may defend these opin-
Ions with all the ardor and ingenuity posi-
! bic. The only proviso made is that the
Catholic faith shall not be Jeopardized, nor
Catholic concord. impaired by reckless or
such liberty Of thought and speech has
had its place in the church from the ear
Hest times. st. Peter and St. Paul are
other on the question of circumcision: st.
Cyprian and st. Stephen took different
views as to whether heretlcs should be re-
s sna'i s. jo ST. e Ansass,ns; and and S. s.. i Abrams q
sius-in fact. all the doctors of the church,
wrote and spoke not only against those out
well. only with the difference that in the
former instances they defended the dog
matte teachings of the church. and in the
of view which they deemed best to aid the
church under the existing circumstances.
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT.
1T can be readily conceived. therefore,
how, within the church itself. and in entire
accord with her spirit and her teachings.
different schools OF thought may arise. The
~well-knOwn schools OF the Dominicans and
Jesuits is a case In point. and their discus
sions on the difficult subject of grace are
a matter of history. Both sides agree that
grace exists. that it is a gift of God. that
1t lifts man to the capacity of performing
4 supernatural act-they agree on all points
of purely Catholic teaching.
But on the precise Guestion-what f. this
gift of grace in itself. in It's very entity?
upon this they do not agree, and it is not
necessary that they should agree until the
church speaks autho.itativeiy upon the
question.
differences among Catholics arises from the
superstition that the Catholic has no liberty
whatever with regard to his religion. that
tells him what to believe and what not to
believe. and just how much to believe on
every possible subject connected with his
conceded no liberty of thought. his mind Is
cribbed and cabined. he is likened to a
child that must be fed. and his credulity is
driven to Its last refuge in superstition.
the Catholic mind. The loyal CATHOLIC be-
her laws. obevs her discipline. heark Ken to
her advice. But in SO doing he makes no
sacrifice Of his intelligence Because his
submission to the church is an Intelligent
Christ is God. and that God is truth. AS
there is but one God. there is but one CO.
itself. and. the Catholic believes that this
his church.
Just as little. too. does he forfeit his lib
erty Of thought. For. aside from the fact
that his submission to the dogInas and the
discipline Of the church is a free act, an ex-
ercise of his liberty, there still remains be-
yord these limits a vast and beautiful field
of truth for the Catholic to explore and to
enjoy-a field that attracts and holds under
piers: artists. litterateurs. This view of
the church is taken by the clearest nom
catholic minds. as may be seen in the clos |
n rhonfnro ~ Aga1l@zIs. l-,,z. - IT.
Life Worth Living?
Therefore. in answe to the question. |
HOW can the Catholic Church permit DIFF
ferences of opinion among her memDers?' |
the Catholic answers in broad terms: BE |
cause the Catholic Church is an institution
In which there is room for such difference, |
for within her pale. while there are truths |
which must be believed. namely, her doc
trinal teachings. there are also many opin- |
ems of her theologians and writer's which |
she d"es not bind her children to adopt. and |
1t Is here that the differences occur"