The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-25
OF THE MOUSE
TON IN PRINCIPLE
(Continued-)

LAVE L In ESS Of IhE 1SS&O4o4
TON IN PRINCIPLE.
A. On the Part of the Church.
For a Catholic there can be no doubt
on the subject Popes and councils.
saints and doctors, the Scripture and
tradition, proclaim that the Church, as
a perfect society has the right. and
it Is her duty, TO watch over the purity
of the faith. and to innict the punish
ment, even corporal punishment, upon
those of her children who forsake the
truth and become a stumbling block
to their brethren. This unGeniable
right. which flows from the very pow
ers which Jesus Christ confded TO her,
always regarded the crime of heresy.
apostasy and saerilege deserving of
punishment as much as attacks against
the property, the honor and the life
Of man. This doctrine and this con-
duct of the Church are perfectly rea-
sonable and legitimate.
II is the right and the duty of ey-
cry perfect society 10 efhcaciously lead
its members to the purpose of its in
stitution, and TO watch over its own
preservation. The Church being a per-
feet society, established by Christ, and
provided by her Divine Founder with
everything necessary for her presery-
alton and propagation possesses there
fore this right, and can consequently
enact laws and punish those OF her
subjects who viii not obey them. If
they prove themselves in every way
refractory and rebellious. [deyios ct
contumaces) according TO the expires
sion of Benedict XIV, it Is the right
and the duty of the Church, as a
mother. tender, il is true. but free from
weakness, 20 correct them, in order
that punishment may bring them back
to due submission and prevent others
from being led away by evil example
She does as the father of a family,
when by wise and effective measures
he corrects his children and endeavors
TO preserve his hearth from everything
that might disturb its peace and hap
piness. She does as governments do
every day. when by a system Of yigor-
Gus precautions and sanitary enact
ments, they prevent the introduction
Of cholera or other epidemics; or again.
NACA ALcg aRP0A44S G04J VI SRC&3eAA
agents to look after malefactors. con-
spirators. assassins, TO deliver them
over 10 the vengeance of the law, and
to render impossible the execution of
their evil designs.
What the rod of the father is TO the
family, what to civil society are SAM
tary cordons, medical commissions, the
police and the courts, the inquisitIon
was for religious society, that is to say,
a means of preservation for itself and
for its members
Christ divinely commissioned His
Church to preach and preserve His
religion unchanged among all nations
10 the end of time. For this purpose
He conferred upon the Apostles the
power Of teaching and ruling, of max
ing laws and judging and Furnishing
Similar powers are con-
ferred by God, the author of civil So
ciety, upon temporal rulers for its pre-
servation and the attainment Of every
temporal good Shall we say that the
Son OF God failed TO make such provi-
sion for the preservation of the reiigi-
ous society He founded and for the
eternal welfare of soulsl Hence as
Messmer remarks (''Chris- /
tan Apologetics'' p 476, note''), in the /
light of Catholic dogma it is always a /
crime in the adult Catholic to wander |
from the faith The Church teaches
la} that faith is an imperative duty Of
man toward God, as without faith it
IS impossible to please God 9Hebr. |
XII, 81; CD that this faith Is a super
natural gift of God, which man. once
he has received, can not lose except /
by his own free viii; (c) that she her
self is the divinely appointed and in
.aliibIe teacher of revealed truth. which /
Is the proper object Of divine faith; |
(d) that there cannot possibly be any
reason whatever of denying His faith |
once professed; (el that consequently /
TO wander from the Catholic faith is a /
most grievous sin against God and His /
holy Church" From this IL follows /
evidently that the Catholic Church /
alone. proved, in its proper place. 10 |
be divine institution, can constantly t
claim the right OF Furnishing apostasy /
from the faith, and that no state can /
put heresy on its criminal |
rode, unless il processes the Catholic |
faith. and becomes thus responsible for /
is preservation as a means of peace /
and union of its Catholic subjects /
Then, to institute comparison. the In |
tolerance of Catholics practically con- /