The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-02-20
(San Francisco Monitor. }

caused.
Not at all You must not Judge Christianity by
the excuses Of those who have lost the pure gospel
The Catholic church protests most strongly against
! religion of mere subjective feeling, which at re-
vya meetings. under stress of great nervous excite
ment makes the emotions take the place OF rational
conviction There is nothing IN the Scriptures to
warrant an absolute certainty of SALVATION, On the
contrary. they declare that No man knoWeth
whether he be worthy of love or hatred (Eccles N,
D. and warn us 'to work out salvation with fear
and trembling phil ii, 12) The Catholic church,
while cultivatng rational religious emotion, safe
guards her children against all emotional deluslon
by declaring faith act of the intellect guided by
an upright will and helped by Gods grace and con
version possible only by heartfelt sorrow for sin
committed and confession of the same to the am
bassador of Christ II Cor. 20), with firm prom
ise to offend no more. 4 Catholic knows there Is
no danger of deception because he believes IN the
authority of God. voiced to him by the living, IN
fahble witness of Christ's mouthpiece, the church
of God
cannot accept Christianity because it deals with
incomprehensible mysteries. Ny tells me not
accept anything that do not comprehend m
accepts such dogmas the Trinity, the divinity OF
Christ. transubstantiation, etc? +or
Do not these so-caled truths evidently go counter
TO my reason?
1t is strange that so many today, in the name
of reason and science refuse to accept the myste-
ries of faith. One would imagine that mystery or
the ineomprehensble was peculiar TO religion, yet
a moments reflection will convince us that we are
surrounded by mystery. IN the order OF nature the
scientist finds it impossible to explain the simplest
phenomena of light, heat, force electricity Science
NAV tell of facts: that this earth of ours travels
through space at the rate of thousand miles
minute; that the sun, which weighs 100000 times
as much is suspended, one knows not how, IN an
element subtler than air; that the planets and the
stars move in certain paths, so we'll defined that
their position can be foretold century hence If
need be- that given certain conditions OF light, heat
and moisture. the little seed will develop into
mighty tree ETC.; but to explain them, 1t can do no
more than coin words which but veil the ignorance
of the trainers. II know" said Newton, ''the laws
of attraction, but if you ask what attraction IS
/ really cannot tell" G.. S. Vaughan, Faith and
Folly chap. l.; Hettinger, Revealed Religion"
edited by II. S. Bowden, ch. i.)
How foolish to hope to comprehend adequately
all the truths of God Can the finite mind of man
grasp the infinite? As well say that the unletered
miner who slaves from morn till night IN the bow
els of the earth, follow the theme OF Beetho-
ven symphony, appreciate canto OF Dantes
What, indeed is revelation that re-
veas nothing What is a religion all of whose
truths are within the compass of reason! If, IN
deed, in religion the element of mystery were done
away with our nationalist objector would instantly
point in triumph to its human origin.
The true nationalist does not first ask, How
,an this be true?" but ''Has God spoken! Can we |
know with real certainty all that He has said!" He
Knows that if God has given message unto men,
here must needs be difficulties and mysteries, for
hese abound even in the works of God tEccles v11l
% None OF the mysteries OF Christianity go coun-
er to reason. St. Thomas says: although the
doctrines of faith surpass the truths of human un-
there can be no opposition between
hem Both proceed from God IN their respective
riders of grace and nature. And the doctrines of
aith become as indubitable, through the evidence
f divine authority revealing them, as the primary
ruths of reason do through their seIf-evident tes
imolly" ("Cont Gent" i. y.
Reason once having ascertained the fact of rev
lation tells us the obligation TO accept Gods word
Without question. 1t is the height of unreason to
og1natize about improved scientific hypothesis,
rhich demand mere blind acceptance OF mysteri-
us data, more incomprehensible than any Christian
oema, and in the same breath to question the
reater testimony of God" q John V, 81; Bishop
,icards, Catholic Christianity and Modern I'M
elief "ch. III.
The unbeliever who sincerely wishes to know
be truths of God must approach the study of Chris
anity with the docile and humble spirit of child.
eady to accept all the teachings of the Master, the
on of God, no matter how mysterious or incompre-
ensible it may appear. UNLESS you become as lit
e children, you shall not enter into the kingdom
{ heaven" Matt xviii, 3.
The mysteries of Christianity rest merely on pri-
ate Interpretation of the Scriptures variable
uantty. Why then demand my assent to them?
Our obiector grasps the fact that Professionalism
18th its fundamental principle of private judgment
annot afford satisfactory basis for belief in the
lysteries of Christianity. This is evidenced prac
cally in the denials today of such fundamental
ogmas as the divinity of Christ the Trinity eter-
al punishment, etc, which made frequently
rom the pulpit and by the pen of Christian minis
srs with liberal" views.
The mysteries OF Christianity, on Catholic prin-
iples come to us on the divine authority of the
atholic church, which voices infallibly the teach
lg of the Master, Jesus Christ She advises tie
nbelever to dvest himself of all prejudice, and to
SIX in humble, prayful spirit: HAS God taught
lese truths TO the world? Is-there divine teacher
the world today that guarantees to me absolute
artainty of all His teachings"
Is there not difference between the faith of
learned and ignorant Catholic?
Both believe the same, inasmuch as both believe
n the authority of God revealing as witnessed to
lfallibly by divine, authoritative teacher speak
lg in the name of Jesus Christ-the Catholic
lurch.
The trained theologian may know more facts,
ave better grasp of principles and be better able
defend Catholic doctrine than the average Cath
ic; still, the self-same dogmas must be believed |
both under penalty of damnation.
How can an infinitely good merciful God condemn
he creatures He loves to everlasting torments? I
1t is common with unbelieyers +o throw, dnyt =, Il