The Indianapolis journal., 1903-05-13

all those who teach without Il missicn,
and they will not hear IL On the side or
the church and her bishops there can be
no compromise. so the war goes ON. 1t is
the old word of ST. Paul. IF / Please
men" by not preaching TO them the law of
Christ, then l shall not please Cod 1t
Is the non-possumus of the apostles.
ANTAGONISTIC FORCES.
I'm our day and country these forces an
tasonistic to the church have not taken
the stand of other days and of other coun-
tries They are not openly prosecuting the
church. They are not banishing her minis
ters, confiscating her patrimony or she'd
ding the blood OF her children. They give
her fullest liberty to take root, to develop,
to spread. They protect her in the posses
sion of her property, guarantee to her
freedom of speech, and with all the power
OF the civil arm guard her against the
violence of her enemies. All this, thanks
TO the Constitution of our country. We
thank 6a, God for s it. We ,; viii shed our blood
world is against the church of Christ in
the midst of these blessings of tolerations
and protection, as bitterly and as strongly
as ever. This opposition which is the old
opposition of the spirit of the world to
Christ. displays itself by denying her di-
vine authority, by rejecting her teaching.
and by misrepresenting her motives and
her history, dscredits her sacred charac-
ter. Who feels this threefold opposition
most? The bishop at the head of his flock.
When the authority of the church is con-
temned inside or outside of the fold it is
ne who is contemned. When the teaching
of the church is rejected, he its champion.
church, In its ministers and people, is re-
viled, he is reviled. He would have peace,
but he cannot have IL through the efface-
ment of his apostolic authority, for he was
ordered to enjoin the observance of the laws
of Christ by Christ, who sent him. He
would have peace. but he cannot have it
by keeping silent. for woe to him If he
does not evangelize. He cannot remain un-
moved when one of his faithful Is scan
dalized. for who is scandalized and he Is
not scandalized? Who is 2 calqmniatee y and nd
does not burn? Hence the lifelong battle
he must wage against the spirit of the
world In defense of the authority, the
teachings and the honor of the church. The
conflict is unavoidable.
CHURCH'S PROGRESS.
How does the church meet this three
fold opposition to her authority, to her
teachings and her character? AS she is a
divine institution, in a divine manner AS
she is spiritual kingdom, in a spiritual
manner. History tells us how she over
came in the beginning and how she will
overcome in the future. Her founder fore
told unto her trials and prosecutions, and
told her also how TO meet them. Those who
lived nearest His time followed His advice
best, and from them we can learn. Their
methods of resistance were spiritual. They
met argument with argument, inspired by
the Holy Spirit, who gave them what to
say in the hour of stress. The early Chris
tian apologists by their learned and patient
exposition of the doctrines of Christ won
respect and converts on every side. In the
time of fiery persecution unto death, the
first Christians did not return injury for
injury but with a passive resistance met
they were reviled they aid not revile. They
prayed for their prosecutors; they loved
their enemies and did good to them that
wronged them. They blessed them that
put them to death. In this way, in that
day of wrath. they brought about the
reconciliation of the pagan world TO the
Christian church. They were firm in their
fight for the truth. To gain the good will
of men they did not minimize, or accommo-
date, or use economy of word or action
They preferred the truth and the conse-
quences of its profession and practice to
the friendship OF the world. knowing that
If they gained the friendship of men by a
sacrifice of truth they should not be the
friends of Gcd. This is the meaning OF
those words of ST. Paul. If am the friend
of men at the cost Of the truth about
Christ, then l am not the friend of my
God
"And nevertheless the world came to the
church In thesend. Men bowed their head ds
in reasonable obedience to her laws and ac-