The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-12-12

God who is infinitely Just, will condemn only
those who knowingly and deliberately commit griev-
sin and die unrepentant
If, as you say you cannot at present believe, |
assure you that this condition of mind is only tenn
porary. Your duty is plain.
Do not expect TO be able TO grasp everything
in Christianity, for Gods revelation cannot be
adequately known to any human intellect. do not
look for mathematical evidence for the truths OF
faith but study carefully the Christian evidences
with a view to obtaining good working certainty
that excludes all doubling. Do not be dlsmayed by
difficulties remembering, as Cardinal Newman well
said that ten thousand difficulties do not make one
doubt. Do not rationahze, asking with Alco-
demus: "How can these things be doneW (John
iii. %: or the mbelievrng Jews at Capernaum: !:
GLOW can this man give his flesh to eatw (John
Vi 80: but rather: "Ts this Jesus who teaches re-
generation and the Real Presence indeed God re-
vealine His divine truth to men" Remember that
although your reason may demand sufficient proof
of revelation before accepting it, 1t is not the
standard of revealed truth Ask Gods pardon for
all your sins for wickedness blurs the spiritual
vision Of many an unbeiever, st. Paul teaches:
'The sensual man perceiveth not these things that
are of the spirit of God for it Is fooishness to him,
and he cannot understand because 1t is spiritually
examined" q Cor. ii. 14). 1t Is frequently short
step from the confetor to the credo; from the act
Of sorrow to the act of faith. Earnest heartfelt
PRAYER will be answered infallbly if come to
God with the humble and docile spirit of child
"If any man will do the viii of Him, he shall know
of the doctrine. whether it be of Cod (John VII,
ID. "If you ask the father anything IN My name,
He viii give it you" John XVI, 23).
Your account of Christ rests on the four Gospels.
How are we sure today that they are genuine his
tory? They may have been written long after the
events they record; again, what guarantee is
there that we have the original statement Chris
tianty after so many years?
1t is impossible for us to discuss in few words
the genuinity or authenticity of the four Gospels
No clear-headed man. however can in conscience
reject them after he has carefully studied the ques
ton. We merely outline some OF the chief argu-
ments
]. The four Gospels are quoted verbatim or in
paraphrase by writer's of the first three centuries
VIZ: Pope Clement of Rome (96 A. d.. the Doc
trne of the Twelve Apostles (S0-1a0), the Epistle
Of Barnabas (120130). IgnatTus martyr (105-11O,
Polyearp 06S). Papias (125C, Justin 160), Tatian
170), the Muratorian Fragment (190-21O), Iren-
aeus n77). Tertullan G99). Clement of Alexan-
dria (192). Origen (230), etc
2 The early enemies of Christianity-the Jew,
the beretic and the pagan-although they ridiculed
and perverted the Gospels never dreamt of denying
their genuinity. for they realized the utter mpos-
sibity of so futile an argument gaining credence.
3. Another witness is the number of apocryphal
gospels written by heretcs to spread their false
doctrines, or by the orthodox pious forgerles to
complete the Gospel narrative. Their very exist
enee testifes to the four Gospels a counterfeit
coin evidences the existence of true original.
f. The very fact that the four Gospels uni
versally accepted in the fourth century by the
Fathers-inen tenacious Of tradition and haters of
every novelty of docGlne-poInts concdlus1vely to
their genuineness Considering, too, their great
love and reverence of the Scriptures, writer,
matter how clever. could foist new Gospel
them. any more than a history of the Revolution
written today could pass current with the Ameri-
can people as a document of the eighteenth CEN
tury.
; There was likewise no danger of the Cos
pels undergoing any substantial change. The Cos
es were known and read in all the churches, copies
and versions were being continually made the early
teachers of Christianity quoted them frequently
from their pulpits and in their writings any
change would instantly be met with mighty pro-
lest from both pastors and people, see in the
case Of the heretica and Jewish perversons of the
Sacred Scriptures.
6. Some unbclievers have accused the Gospel
writers Of ignorance superstition, fanaticism, and
even deliberate fraud the better to controvert their
testimony. But earnest, sincere student OF the
Gospels viii find. the contrary, that they were
men Of truth who related what they themselves
had seen and heard Q. John l. lib; III Peter /. 60;
they told of miracles performed and doctrines
preached publicly before unbelievers (John xviii,
20-2l). which none dared gainsay; they had
possible motive for deception, for they went coun-
ter 10 the current Jewish and pagan ideas and knew
that they would meet persecution and death; they
won many converts ana heiped IN tne IOunuaUOn
of a religion which stands unique in the world by
its sublime doctrine Of faith and morality. No
panation will account for the fact, save that they
were true speakers sent by God.
Ought not the words OF Christ at the Last Sup
per Niatt. XVI, 2S) be understood in 1gurative
sense2
But carefully consider them:
Matt. XVI. 26-2S "And whilst they were at
supper Jesus took bread and blessed and broke, and
gave TO His disciples and said: Take ye and eat;
this is my body And, taking the chalice, He gave
thanks and gave to them saying: Drink ye all of
this. for this is Ny blood Of the New Testament
which shall be shed for many unto the remission
Of sins
Mark xiv, 22-24: And whilst they were ating,
Jesus took bread, and blessing, broke, and gave
them and said: Take ye this Ny body And hav-
ing taken the chalice. giving thangs He gave it
to them. And they all drank of it. And he said
to them: This is Ny blood of the New Testament,
which shall be shed for many"
Luke xxi, 1920: "And taking bread, He gave
thanks and brake and gave to them, saying: This
is Ny body, which is given for you. Do this for
commemoration of Me- In like manner the chalice
also, after He had supped saying: This is the
chaliee the New Testament in Ny blood, which shall
be shed for you"
/. Cor. xi, 1925: "The Lord Jesus
took bread, and giving thanks, broke and said: